May
14
2009

Cow’s Milk vs. Other Milks – how they stack up.

Some people have tried other ‘replacement milks’ when they find ordinary cow’s milk doesn’t agree with them – like rice milk, oat milk, and even almond milk. So to shed some ore light ion the options available, we took a look at each of these to see how they measure up.

Rice Milk
Many people who are lactose sensitive or who have problems digesting cow’s milk find rice milk a more palatable alternative than soy milk. Made from brown rice, water and a sweetener, it is considered by some to have a sweet, quite gentle flavour in comparison to the very distinctive taste of soy milk.

Nutritionally, rice milk is similar to cow’s milk – they have similar levels of vitamins and minerals. Rice milk does have more carbohydrates, however, and much less protein.

Like Zymil, Rice milk is lactose-free, but the big difference is the taste and texture. Rice milk may taste very thin and watery – not at all creamy. And the taste is definitely non-dairy!

Almond Milk
Low in calories, carbs and fat, almond milk does contain a small amount of protein. And while almonds do contain plenty of nutrients, there are actually not a lot of almonds in almond milk. So nutritionally, it may have limited value. It has a mild nutty flavour and a fairly watery consistency.

Oat Milk
Made from oats and a small amount of other grains, oat milk appears to have a more subtle taste than any other substitute milk. It’s low in fat and most brands have added vitamins and minerals. However, oat milk quite high in kilojoules and carbs, and while the flavour is considered to be more palatable than other replacement milks, it still doesn’t taste like real cow’s milk.

Pauls Zymil
Actually Zymil isn’t a ‘substitute’ for cow’s milk – it is cows milk, but without the lactose. That’s why it tastes so good. And not to mention why it may be suitable for people with lactose sensitivity.

Naturally, Zymil has the same nutritional value as ordinary cow’s milk, and is available in full cream and low-fat varieties.