Which Milk Gets your Goat?

Noëlle can't get enough of goat's milk yogurt

Good morning everyone! Noëlle was enjoying some goat milk yogurt this morning, and I was inspired to share a little bit today about my favorite kinds of non-dairy milks, cheese, yogurt and coffee creamers for all of you who may be looking for the best in dairy-free food. There are many reasons that one may want to avoid dairy. Allergies, hormones and antibiotics in the milk, the evidence that dairy is difficult to digest and the nutrients, therefore, to assimilate, or perhaps the poor treatment of dairy cows on large "factory farms." Allergy to dairy is very common in adults and in babies, who have a difficult time digesting it. As a toddler I showed sensitivity to it through skin rashes, eczema, digestive pain, and other symptoms. In fact my siblings and I all did. So I learned as a child, thanks to my wise mother, to drink rice milk and eat goat cheese. Over the years I have tried all sorts of non-dairy foods and beverages and taken notes on what I did and didn't like. I have my favorites. So let me share what I found and like to make it easy for you.

First, the MILKS: My favorite, for their taste and nutrient value, are coconut (the thinner, lower fat kind suitable for cereals, etc), almond, hemp, and rice. In that order. Coconut is packed with B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and other essential vitamins, minerals and electrolytes. As well as good essential fats. Some critics claim that the fat content is too high, but I maintain and have for years that our ancestors and people even in the early part of the last century consumed diets that were decently high in natural fats (bacon, eggs, whole milk and cream, etc) and obesity and cardiovascular disease were rare. I am certain, as are other healthcare experts and crunchy individuals, that fats, particularly of the nature found in coconut and other plants, are not the reason for the skyrocketing rates of poor health today. I think that is largely due to processed foods that are high in chemicals and refined sugar. But I digress somewhat. Moving along.

I also love almond milk. It is packed with vitamins A and D in particular along with small amounts of healthy fats as well. It is also a lower-calorie beverage good for those looking for that benefit. I use almond milk frequently in my daily protein shakes, and it makes them creamy while keeping the calorie content lower.

Hemp milk is fabulous because of its high omega fatty acid content, and its healthy ratio of omega 6s to 3s (a 3:1 ratio). It also contains magnesium, beta-carotene, calcium and other vitamins and minerals as well as 10 essential amino acids making it a great source of protein; and compared to soy the protein is easier to break down. Also compared to soy (of which I am not a big fan), it doesn't contain enzyme-inhibitors which can block the assimilation of nutrients. And for those with nut allergies, hemp seeds do not pose the threat that other tree nuts do.

Rice milk is low in fat and calories, if that is your concern. As a milk from grain, it contains more carbohydrates than cow's and other milks do. Rice milk is lower in protein than the others and is often fortified with calcium and other vitamins and minerals not naturally occurring. I prefer the others for their nutrition content, but I buy rice milk if it's the only alternative to dairy, and I do enjoy it in my cereal from time to time as the consistency is similar to skim milk.

I find coconut, almond and hemp to be the creamiest and best in coffee (my favorite coffee shop makes my hemp lattes!) and protein shakes. Although I do use rice milk in my cereal, I also enjoy hemp and almond milk with cereal or granola. I buy original and vanilla when available and like them both.

Making your own milks is fairly easy from what I have read, particularly using almonds. I plan to give it a try someday and will certainly report back when I do!

Why didn't soy milk make the list? Soy milk is controversial, and I personally don't like what I know about it. Soy contains phytoestrogens, which basically mimic estrogen in the body. Of course if you consume enough of it, it can lead to hormone imbalances and other more devastating problems over time like certain cancers. Soy can also contain enzyme-inhibitors, which make it difficult to absorb minerals and vitamins and can actually leach them from the body. The protein in soy also can be difficult to digest, and bloating, gas, pain and even allergies to soy are very common. Also, soy is considered a goitrogen, which inhibits thyroid function. So anyone with hyperthyroidism or other thyroid disease should absolutely stay away from soy. Finally, the vast majority of soy available is genetically modified. Yes ladies, this means your beloved edamame and tofu. Be very careful. Among their many negative impacts, genetically modified organisms interact with your own gut flora and can actually cause mutations and imbalances in your good bacteria, leading to digestive and many other problems. If you are going to consume soy or a soy product, please be sure it's organic!

Now for the CHEESE: with a little research it's easy to find sheep's milk romano and ricotta cheeses in particular, and I just LOVE goat cheddar. My sister is a huge fan of this goat brie she finds at our co-op. It's definitely worth spending some time and trying some things in the cheese department of your local co-op or Whole Foods. Chances are they have non-dairy alternatives. Sheep and goat milk are much easier to digest than cow's milk, they contain more of certain nutrients than cow's milk does, and because they aren't produced in mass the way dairy is (demand isn't nearly as high), it's easier to get sheep and goat milk and cheese from small farms where they don't use the hormones and antibiotics found in cow's milk and cheese. And often the animals are treated better on those small farms than on large factory farms, from which the majority of dairy available today comes. Here is an interesting article from The Georgetowner comparing cow's milk to sheep's milk in terms of nutrition, quality, and digestibility. Goat is similar to sheep's milk in terms of benefits over dairy.

On to the COFFEE CREAMER: If you are avoiding dairy but love creamer in your coffee, I implore you to stay away from the slew of artificial coffee creamers out there. Have you ever checked out their ingredient lists? They have nothing good in them; it's one unnatural and chemical ingredient after the other. Yuck. So after abandoning soy a few years back, I felt I was left with few options for good creamers until my sister discovered the SO Delicious Dairy Free brand coconut coffee creamer. And we all just love it! It's creamy and satisfying and has a light coconut taste that doesn't overpower the coffee itself. A little honey and cinnamon and I have a lovely cup of coffee to envy. I have also read that for cooking it's a great non-dairy alternative to heavy cream. I intend to give this a shot! If you can't find it at your local grocery story or health-food store, request it! You might be surprised how often stores are able to honor your requests.

Noëlle's recipe for a fabulous breakfast.
Plain goat yogurt, berries and chia seeds

And don't forget the YOGURT: My mom and Noëlle eat goat yogurt like it's the best thing they have ever tasted. One of Noëlle's favorite breakfasts is plain goat yogurt with some fruit and chia seeds. She just loves it.  Because dairy allergy is so common, particularly in babies who have a hard time digesting it and then can
actually become allergic to it as a result, I made the decision to not give dairy to Noëlle. And despite my initial worry, it's actually been very easy to stick to with the plethora of alternatives available. I also love coconut yogurt, and again So Delicious also has a great coconut yogurt!

Almond Dream Bites!

And the ICE CREAM: Thank goodness for SO Delicious because I am absolutely in love with their coconut ice cream sandwiches ("Minis") and ice cream bars with chocolate and almonds. Oh my goodness. And the great part is for those watching their figures out there, the ice cream sandwiches only have 100 calories each! You have to try these, they are superb! I have to stop myself sometimes :) There is also hemp ice cream (Tempt is a brand at my food co-op that I want to try!), and I have heard great things. And Almond Dream actually has a version of "Dibs" called "Bites," with dark chocolate and almond milk ice
cream. A favorite of ours for movie nights!

That's all for now. But there is always more where that came from. Please feel free, as always, to ask me any question you may have. And for those of you who are unable to have dairy or who are looking for alternatives, I hope this helps! Until next time...stay crunchy...like your granola (with hemp milk).