A vegan diet is a diet where no animal products or animal byproducts are consumed. This means no meat, fish, dairy, eggs, or any other products or byproducts of the animal industry. There are many vegans who follow a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet, meaning they consume dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt, etc.) but not eggs due to their consumption of dairy being linked to various health problems. However, there are many vegans who do not eat dairy at all and still consider themselves vegans.
Milk is one of those things that many people—including vegans and vegetarians—often forget to give the proper credits. For many people, milk has been the first thing that passes their lips in the morning, or can be consumed as a beverage throughout the day, often in the form of a glass of milk.
If you’re lactose intolerant, a vegetarian, or just not a fan of dairy, the countless options of soy, almond, coconut and other non-dairy milks may sound like a promising option for you. But you still need to decide between all these, as the market is saturated with many varieties of these milks. We’ve tried many non-dairy milks from many brands for many months, and these are our favorites.
Just in time for your holiday brunch menu, here’s your gift guide for vegans: vegan milk. There are now a whole host of dairy-free alternatives to traditional cow’s milk, hot or cold. Even better, a number of them are both healthy and delicious. And for those who want to go full-on vegan, there’s a whole range of plant-based milks.
Type of Vegan milk
1. Soy Milk 2. Almond Milk 3. Rice Milk 4. Coconut Milk
1. Soy Milk–
Soy milk has been getting a lot of buzz lately, especially since the brand Silk has been released. It’s a non-dairy milk that is made with soybeans and soybean protein. It’s a great way to consume soy, as it has more protein than traditional cow’s milk. This makes it an ideal milk for those looking to add more protein to their diet, or for those that are sensitive to dairy proteins.
The main trends in the world of veganism are to avoid animal products, and be healthier and more green. For the vegan, soy milk is an essential choice, since it is relatively easy to digest, causing less digestive problems.
2. Almond Milk–
For vegans, the world of dairy-free milk is limited, as the only real option is soy or rice milk. But there are many plant-based milk options out there, like coconut milk, hemp milk, and even oat milk. But the one that’s likely to cause the most excitement and interest is almond milk. Why? It’s not only dairy-free, but it’s also nut-based, which means there aren’t any nuts (or other dairy ingredients!) in it!
People have been drinking almond milk for years. However many people believe it tastes better than cows milk, especially when it comes to baking. However, some people believe that it is the dairy in almond milk that makes it taste better than other nut milks. With that in mind, if you were to try to make almond milk from a non-dairy source, such as soy milk, would it taste better because of the non-dairy nature of the non-dairy source?
3. Rice Milk–
You’ve been hearing about all the benefits of rice milk lately, and are eager to try it for yourself. But finding a store that carries the stuff can be a challenge. Rice milk is made from rice, which is a complex mixture of sugars and starches. The starches react with the proteins in the milk (casein and whey), to turn the liquid into a thicker, creamier, cream-colored drink. You can find this stuff in many other forms, like rice noodles, but rice milk is the purest form of it.
4. Coconut Milk
Coconut milk is a staple in most tropical kitchens and is a great addition to any fruit based smoothie. It is also a great alternative to dairy milk, which is frequently found in many other recipes. Even though it has a delicious taste, it is a little bit tricky to make. The recipe requires a good blender or food processor, and a food processor might be easier to use than a blender.
Coconut milk is versatile, offering a light, co-opting, and delicious alternative to dairy milk. It’s incredibly easy to make and can be combined with a variety of different flavors. It’s great for drinking, baking, and cooking.
Oat milk- Milk has been a staple of the human diet since the dawn of civilization, and it has been traditionally associated with health as well as happy times. Sadly, today’s milk is not the same. Pasteurization, homogenization, additives and hormones have made it almost unrecognizable from its original form. You can still get fresh milk from cows, but it’s usually pasteurized and homogenized, which gives it a very different nutritional profile than if it were raw.
So you’ve decided to go vegan, but you’ve no idea what to drink! This is no surprise; milk is such a ubiquitous food that we tend to take it for granted, but it’s the unsung hero of so many dishes and meals. Not only does it make a fine beverage (and you’ll see that later in this list), but it’s also a great ingredient to have in your kitchen.
Vegan milk is a term that encompasses a wide variety of plant-based milks. The most common are soy milk, almond milk, and coconut milk, though other plant-based milks such as hemp milk, oat milk, rice milk, and hazelnut milk are also found.
