Milk is a very controversial topic when discussed in the health and fitness industry. “Don’t drink milk because it will make you bloated, give you acne and man boobs, and inevitably turn you into a baby” …because milk is for babies, right? You should now be able to recognise from my previous posts that I don't like/condone extremes. I don't like when people make changes to their diet and lifestyle without reason. Why restrict or cutout foods that contain such vital minerals and vitamins (calcium, B vitamins, Vitamin D, Magnesium, Zinc, etc.)? Females take note: these are all essential in maintaining positive bone health during, post and pre-menopause. It seems being a dairy-restrictor goes hand in hand with being a gluten-hater and the majority of those avoiding dairy don’t actually understand what lactose actually is. Enough of the hater chat. Let’s move on to some milky business.
With so many milk alternatives on the market today, it’s no wonder there is so much confusion around which milk to drink and which to avoid. Almond, rice, oat, coconut, hemp, soy (stay away from that rubbish) are all dairy free milk alternatives. I’m sure there are probably more but they are all pretty much the same stuff anyway. Pre-packaged almond milk (notice I didn't say pressed, which you can buy at places like whole foods and other health food stores – that stuff can be decent) is approximately 4% almonds, 90% water, and the rest is made up of stabilisers and other stuff to make the flavour palatable (usually sugar if you buy the regular stuff). Replace the 4% of almonds with coconut, brown rice, oat or hemp, and you now have a variety of milk alternatives (this is essentially the only difference between the milks). Soy will not feature throughout this post anymore, as I do not like it. I never buy or drink it (I’ll save the rant on that for another post). Generally speaking, if you opt for the unsweetened versions of these milk alternatives you are playing it pretty safe in terms of calories. For some that may be beneficial, for example, if you would rather use your calories on other foods rather than the half litre of milk you put in your daily teas and coffees. For others, why settle for tasteless liquid when you could be fuelling yourself with a nice pint of whole mammal’s milk? This brings me on to my next point.
If you can tolerate cow’s dairy then you do not need to restrict it from your diet (as I mentioned previously, you would be missing out on vital minerals and vitamins). Another alternative, to get the benefits of milk, is to experiment with different types of mammal’s milk, i.e., milk from goats, sheep and camels. You may find the difficulties you have with cow’s milk is due to the dominance of a1 caseins, which you find in most shelved milks these days (low quality cow’s milk). There are companies producing pure a2 milk and this would also be worth a try if the usual shop stuff doesn't agree with you. Milk from goats, sheep and camels is primarily made up of a2 casein, which is more tolerable than an a1 casein based milk for those who aren’t diagnosed with lactose intolerance but still have a sensitivity to dairy.
When it comes to skimmed, semi-skimmed and whole milk, the less filtered (less skimmed) the more nutrient dense the milk will stay. If you are able to get hold of non-homogenised milk, then I highly recommend getting yourself some (you may have to read the label to establish if the milk has been homogenised or not – don't be lazy). I know that Duchy milk from Waitrose is non-homogenised and a few companies down-under are on the ball with it. Not only is it richer in nutrients, but also the taste is unreal! Be mindful that full-cream milk is obviously far more calorie dense than skimmed milk, so consider this when monitoring your daily calorie intake.
From this you should be able to get an idea of which milk to choose next time you go to the shops and hopefully you may consider reintroducing dairy back into your diet, if you can tolerate it. Let’s clarify something: I don't suggest forcing it down if your body doesn't agree with it, but be willing to experiment. Psychological phobias can cause stomach issues regardless of if you are intolerant to certain foods or not.
Enjoy
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