Pros and Cons of Milk Alternatives

This article is brought to you by our Biggest Loser newsletter sponsors – The Biggest Loser Resort at Fitness Ridge. Guest Blogger Emily Fonnesbeck RD,CD is the Registered Dietitian for the Biggest Loser Resort.

If you have visited the spa, you know that we don’t serve cow’s milk. Instead, we use alternatives such as rice milk, almond milk and soy milk. I get a lot of questions about the difference between these milks such as protein and sugar content, the benefits of each and which would be the best choice. They are all very different, with their own pros and cons. The key is to find which is best for YOU.

Here is an article that explains the pros and the cons for each type of milk.

Long story short, and my own recommendations:
• If you choose cow’s milk, opt for skim or at least 1%.
• Buy at least “hormone free” cow’s milk, if not organic.
• If you have a cow’s milk intolerance, opt for something that will be equivalent in protein such as soy milk.
• If you have a soy allergy or have chosen to avoid soy due to risk for breast cancer in your family or thyroid disorders, look for unsweetened rice milk, almond milk or hemp milk. These can be very high in sugar and are very low in protein.
• You can also use yogurt (plain, Greek, soy, coconut…) as an alternative.
• For drinking, grab water!

What do you do?

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