Skim, coconut, cashew, almond, oat, soy – store shelves are full of milk options these days.
Today, a dietitian names the ones with the most legendary health benefits: cow’s milk and soy milk.
“Cow’s milk tops the list when it comes to nutrition,” Natalie Rizzo, author of “Planted Performance,” wrote for Today.com on Wednesday. “An 8-ounce glass of milk contains 8 grams of protein, along with 13 other essential vitamins and minerals.”
Rizzo pointed out that cow’s milk is a good source of calcium and vitamin D – essential for bone health – as well as vitamins A and B and potassium, which play important roles in the body.
The Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend consuming three servings of dairy products per day, preferably in fat-free or low-fat forms.
Different types of cow’s milk contain the same amount of protein but vary in calories and fat. Skim milk has no fat and the least calories, while whole milk has the highest amount of both. The variations known as 1% and 2% fall in between.
About 90% of the American population does not consume enough dairy products. For those who do not consume them because they cannot digest lactose (the sugar found in milk), the USDA advises consuming fortified soy beverages instead.
“Soy milk tops the list of healthiest non-dairy milks,” Rizzo wrote. “It compares to cow’s milk in the protein department, with 8 grams of protein per 8 ounces.”
She suggests shaking soy milk before drinking to mix the contents, then pouring it into cereal, smoothies, or oatmeal. Make sure you are not allergic to soy before consuming.
Other healthy milks touted by Rizzo include “surprisingly creamy” pea milk (“nutritional stats similar to soy milk”); unsweetened (“low-calorie”) almond milk; and hemp milk (“high dose of calcium”).
However, it seems to have gone sour with the oat milk.
“Overall, it is higher in calories than many other milks and offers only a little fiber and calcium,” Rizzo wrote. “If you like oat milk for the taste, go for it, but it’s definitely not the healthiest milk out there.”
Another New York dietitian, Marissa Meshulam, also said that oat milk is “not the most nutritious option.”
“From a nutritional standpoint, 1 cup of oat milk provides the same amount of carbohydrates as a slice of bread, which is about 15 grams,” Meshulam told HuffPost in January. “And then when the oats are made into oat milk, the starches in the oats are broken down into simple sugars.”
Oat milk fared better on EatingWell’s list of healthiest milks, ranking fifth for its fiber content.
Cow’s milk, soy milk, almond milk and coconut milk come in at the top of the ranking, in that order, while hemp milk and rice milk come in last.
News Source : nypost.com
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