Alternative cow's milk: what is the best option to replace milk?

Just a few years ago, supermarkets were considered something special if they had more than one alternative to cow's milk in their range. We have now left those times behind us and can find a wide range of milk substitute products in most stores .

So that you can find an alternative product that suits your needs, we at Greenforce explain what you need to know about plant drinks.

Vegan milk alternatives are also known as plant milk or plant drinks. They usually consist of a main ingredient, such as legumes, grains or nuts, and water. In some cases, the ingredients also include oils, salt, sugar or other sweeteners.

Some manufacturers continue to enrich milk alternatives with vitamins and minerals . In doing so, they try to match the nutritional value of the milk substitute to animal milk.

A 2017 EU regulation stipulates that milk is a product that must be milked. To avoid confusion, manufacturers are not allowed to refer to other items this way. Instead, they give them the name “ drink ” or “ beverage .”

An exception is coconut milk, as it was already sold before the regulation. Because the regulations only apply to marketing, we will still use the word milk in this article.

But even without existing symptoms, plant drinks can have health benefits . For example, unlike animal milk, they contain no cholesterol and more unsaturated fatty acids.

Depending on the main ingredient, milk alternatives may also contain fiber, which can have a positive effect on your digestion. These substances are not found in cow's milk.

Lastly, you can support environmental protection by switching to plant-based milk. Vegan milk alternatives cause far fewer CO₂ emissions than animal milk and use less water and usable space to produce them.

Consuming plant drinks can also protect your body from pollutants and genetic engineering. Antibiotics and hormones that are not used in plant milk get into the milk through the cow's body.

You should store sealed plant drinks in a cool, dark place. Once you have opened the package, store it in the refrigerator . Most manufacturers state that opened milk alternatives will last three to five days.

However, our experience has shown that they can last up to two weeks. You can be sure by pouring some plant milk into a glass and checking its appearance, smell and taste.

These are signs that you should no longer use the plant drink :

• The color has changed.
• Clumps have formed or the drink appears thick and slimy.
• The plant drink smells rancid, putrid or sour.
• The plant drink tastes sour or bitter.

The aim of every milk alternative is to mimic the color and consistency of cow's milk as closely as possible. They are usually quite successful. However, the taste and uses can vary significantly from drink to drink.

Our overview can help you find out which plant milk suits your needs .

Soy milk is probably the best-known plant-based drink. To this day it is considered an absolute classic. This is partly because soy naturally contains a lot of protein, but little fat and sugar. This plant drink also provides you with magnesium, unsaturated fatty acids and folic acid.

You can use soy milk in a variety of ways. The lecithin it contains makes it ideal for baking. At the same time, it foams up easily and therefore looks great in coffee with milk.

Some people find the strong, beany taste of soy milk unpleasant. The best way to find out how you feel about it is to try it out.

By the way : Soy protein can be easily digested by the human body. That's why soy drinks are very suitable for protein shakes during sports. Since it contains relatively little fat, you can also drink soy milk while on a diet.

Only people with pollen allergies should be careful . Because soy protein is similar to that of birch pollen, an alternative dairy product made from soy may trigger an allergic reaction.

Oat milk froths very well and is therefore one of the classics for coffee specialties. There are even manufacturers who have developed their own barista version of oat milk.

This has an optimized recipe, forms stable foam and hardly flocculates . But even if you're not a coffee drinker, you can enjoy oat milk in muesli, porridge or when baking, for example. By the way, tender oat flakes are ideal for making your own oat milk .

Oat milk is considered one of the best tolerated alternatives to milk . It contains no lactose, soy or nuts, which is why most allergy sufferers can drink it safely. Although it has a lot of calories, it also contains calcium, phosphorus and the fiber beta-glucan.

Beta-glucan can lower cholesterol levels and have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system. This makes oat milk particularly suitable for diabetics.

Oat milk has a subtle , grainy, slightly sweet taste . This is because the starch contained in the grain is converted into sugar during production. The consistency of the plant drink is rather watery.

Rice milk has a significantly more watery consistency than some other milk alternatives. However, it has a pleasantly sweet taste and is therefore ideal for making sweet desserts or exotic dishes. You cannot froth rice milk.

Rice milk is the lowest-allergenic of all alternatives . Because rice is a pseudograin, it doesn't even contain gluten. Rice milk is therefore a good alternative for people who react to many different allergens such as nuts, grains and soy.

This is where things get a little complicated. Because coconut drink and coconut milk are actually two different things. Coconut milk is usually the grated pulp of the coconut, which you can find in a can in the Asian section of the supermarket.

Coconut drinks, on the other hand, are plant-based milk alternatives that are sold in beverage cartons. They contain a maximum of ten percent coconut milk and do not taste too strongly of coconut, but rather sweet and refreshing.

Both real coconut milk and coconut drink are good alternatives to vegan cream . The taste of the coconut drink is slightly nutty and exotic. It is suitable for cooking rice dishes and curries or as a base for milkshakes and cocktails. If the aroma is right, the coconut drink also looks good in muesli.

Real coconut milk naturally contains more fat than most other plant-based substitutes. The value is slightly lower for coconut drink. Both are rich in protein and important minerals such as calcium, potassium and magnesium.

The aroma of hazelnut milk is, as its name suggests, very nutty. It therefore looks very good as an ingredient for sweet dishes such as brownies, nut cookies or chocolate cake.

Hazelnut milk also gives hot cocoa that certain extra something. Whether you can froth the milk alternative for your coffee depends largely on the manufacturer.

Like many other nut drinks, hazelnut milk also has a high fat content . However, this is largely due to unsaturated fatty acids. These are not only healthy for the human body, but even vital. Hazelnut milk is also rich in calcium, manganese, zinc, iron and selenium.

Tip : If you are looking for an alternative product to hazelnut milk, plant milk made from cashews or macadamia nuts is a good choice. Both impress with their creamy, full-bodied consistency and a sweet, almost buttery taste. You can also make plant milk yourself .

Spelled milk tastes quite intensely of the grain from which it is made. Many manufacturers therefore add sweeteners to their spelled drinks. They then taste sweet and nutty. If you like the grainy taste, you can also buy spelled milk plain.

Spelled milk is good for sweet dishes such as semolina porridge or rice pudding . It can be used as a natural sweetener in coffee or hot chocolate.

Spelled milk forms a stable foam, which is particularly effective in specialties such as a latte macchiato. You can also use them to refine porridge, muesli or baked goods.

Spelled milk contains a similar number of calories as animal milk, but less protein . Instead, the milk substitute impresses with fiber and minerals such as phosphorus and potassium. It also contains silica, which can strengthen hair and ensure clear skin.

The sweet lupine is a legume and is also grown in Germany. Lupine drinks can therefore come from regional production and support you in climate protection.

There are currently only a few manufacturers of this milk substitute. However, popularity and awareness are increasing, so more producers will probably get involved soon. Until then, you will primarily find lupine milk online.

Lupine milk contains a lot of protein - even more than soybeans, which are actually considered a protein bomb per se. Another plus point is the high nutrient content.

Lupine drinks are rich in vitamin E, magnesium, iron and calcium . Like rice milk, the milk substitute is very suitable for allergy sufferers because it contains neither gluten, lactose, soy or nuts.

Lupine milk is comparatively tasteless and has a creamy mouthfeel. This adaptability makes it suitable for baked goods as well as drinks and savory dishes.

If you want to drink the lupine drink pure, we recommend variants with vanilla, almond or chocolate flavor due to its low taste.

Pea protein is already well known as a basis for meat substitutes. Pea milk , on the other hand, is still comparatively new on the market. The drink tastes subtly beany and its consistency is thick to creamy.

Pea milk looks great in milkshakes and cereals, and you can also use it in a variety of ways for cooking and baking.

Pea drinks are particularly interesting for athletes because they contain a lot of protein and healthy fats, but little sugar. Pea milk is also rich in phosphorus, selenium and zinc. With the help of this milk substitute you can also supply yourself with the fiber inulin, which ensures strong, healthy intestinal flora.

Important : If you have a sensitive stomach or consume a lot of pea milk at once, it can have a flatulent effect.

Plant milk or plant drinks are alternatives to cow's milk that consist of a main ingredient and water. The most popular plant-based milk alternatives are soy, oat and almond milk.

But plant drinks are also made from rice, hemp, various nuts and grains. They can vary greatly in taste, consistency and nutritional value. You can find the right plant drink for you by trying out several.

Many people decide to stop drinking animal milk because of their love for animals. The environment also benefits from milk alternatives, as they use less water and usable space and cause fewer CO₂ emissions. Another reason for switching can be a sudden food intolerance .

What all of these reasons have in common : If you look for alternatives to cow's milk, you are taking the first step towards a healthier, more environmentally friendly life.