Gluten-Free dairy-free milks come with compromises. Some contain whiteners (look for zinc or titanium dioxide). Most of them contain quite a bit of sugar. Soy and almond are still highly allergenic and may not be appropriate for your family. Some contain GMOs. Some contain gluten. It takes a lot of planning to choose the right one.

The sugar is an issue for most non-animal milks. A glass of milk with 60 calories from sugar has four teaspoons of sugar in it. There are about 4 grams of sugar and 15 calories in a teaspoon (not very exact since one is mass and the other volume…but close). I don’t ever recall getting an 8 oz coffee with 4 sugars.

The only good news is how much less that is than plain 100% juice. We cut juice out when I realized that a 100 calorie juice box meant the equivalent of over six teaspoons of sugar in that tiny box.

Back to the milks…
Soy Milk is high in fiber and protein. There are many options. There is no soy milk in my house right now because I am currently boycotting my favorite brand, Silk, because the parent company Dean Foods is fighting GMO labeling in California so I can’t tell you what is on the label. In general the positives of soy milk are that it contains fiber, protein, isoflavones and plant estrogens. The downsides of soy as I see them are that it is highly allergenic, most of it is genetically modified (if it isn’t either organic or non-GMO project certified…its probably GMO) and the estrogens are a double edged sword. It seems to be about 90 calories per 8oz serving and most of those calories are from sugar.

That said, soy is often the only product that makes a quality dairy free cream cheese or sour cream. It makes a great yogurt. I use it for recipes where it truly is the only decent non-dairy substitute. For a non-allergic perimenopausal woman like me, I think it is great as long as it is organic. For my growing male child…I have my concerns which may not be scientifically valid. I also have other options.

Almond milk is made from almonds. While no one in my family has an issue with nuts, most of my son’s friends carry epi-pens for their tree nut allergies. Milks spill and are sticky. So we just don’t do nut milk. Almond milks tend to be lower in sugar and calories than the other milks. I have only had almond milk a few times and it was tasty and not gritty. A lot of people that I know seem to really like the taste.

Coconut Milk – So Delicious made it popular, but you can get many brands of shelf stable coconut milks. I like the fact that the oil is used for energy, and nobody beats coconut milk for vegan ice cream. This is one of the milks you will find in my home. The Trader Joe’s brand vanilla flavor has 90 calories per 8oz cup and 50 of them are from the MCFA fats in the coconut. Only 40 are sugars.

Flax Milk – Not easy to find yet, the only brand I know if is Good Karma, but full of Omega 3 fatty acid ALA and one of the better and milder tasting milks. I know very few people who are allergic to it so it is our go to milk in recipes. Again even the vanilla flavor is only 60 calories.

Rice Milk – I have never purchased rice milk. Although rice milk is free of most major allergens and is the go to choice for those with multiple food allergies / sensitivities, I want protein or healthy fats or SOMETHING besides simple carbohydrates and sugars in my milk. I read the box and put it back. I can’t even tell you wnat it tastes like. That said, I know a lot of people who like it. I think I have been brainwashed by the fact that flavored rice milk is to me Horchata which is more of a soft drink / treat than an everyday beverage. Per Livestrong a cup of vanilla rice milk is 130 calories and 23 grams of carbohydrates with about half that being sugar.

Hemp Milk – Full of protein and nut free, I personally found hemp milk to be too gritty to drink straight. Tempt is one of the major brands. It has 120 calories and 9 grams of sugar in the vanilla flavor. I like hemp ecologically as it is very easy to grow and I don’t think GMO hemp is even on anyone’s radar. Hemp also has a lot of nutrients. It may be the healthiest of the milks. It also is great (unsweetened) in certain “cream-based” soups.

Milk is a very personal choice, and I encourage people to try out different kinds and flavors. The ones that you don’t like well enough to drink work well in hot cereal. Enjoy! And if you think I left any out, please let me know and make a comment.