What Is Vegan Milk? 10 Best Vegan Milks With Their Benefits

Vegan milk is a dairy-free substitute for regular cow’s milk. It’s made from plant-based ingredients like nuts, seeds, grains, and legumes.

There are many types of vegan milk. Some popular vegan milk types are Soya Milk, Coconut Milk, Almond milk, Pea milk, Oat Milk, etc. Also, there is Cashew milk, Hemp milk, Rice milk, Macadamia milk, Hazelnut milk, etc. which has recently gained popularity. 

In the article here, you’ll learn more about what is vegan milk and about several vegan milk options.

Key Takeaways

• Best 10 vegan milk types: Soya, Almond, Coconut, Rice, Cashew, Oat, Hemp, Pea, Macadamia, and Hazelnut milk
• Choosing vegan milk because it’s tasty, cruelty-free, eco-friendly, better for the planet, and good for lactose intolerants.
• Vegan milk is nutritious, also healthier than cow’s milk, and lower in saturated fat content and calories. 

10 Types Of Popular Vegan Milk With Specifics

Vegan milk is made from plant-based ingredients like grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. There are plenty of vegan milk types all around the world. 

Among them, the 10 most popular vegan milk types are as follows.

Soy Milk

Soy milk is made with the help of soy protein. It offers a creamy texture, a protein content comparable to cow’s milk, and a mineral-rich composition. It has plenty of calcium, and vitamins D and B12. 

Phytoestrogens present in soy milk mimic estrogen, causing concerns about breast cancer and menopause effects. The male body needs estrogen but excess can lead to issues like infertility, erectile dysfunction, and depression. 

Soy intake may also prevent thyroid medication from functioning. 

Despite the effects, soy milk is regarded as the finest vegan milk to bake with. Because of its high protein content and dairy similarity. Protein aids in the preservation of structure and consistency, along with browning, to give baked items a great finish. 

Almond Milk

They are made out of water, oil, gums, emulsifiers, and last but the mandatory almonds. Almond milk offers a nutty flavor and creamy texture. It’s low in calories, and rich in vitamin E, in calcium, and in magnesium. Variations in nutrition and environmental impact exist in it. 

Almond milk’s healthy fats might help with weight loss. But because it has fewer calories and less protein, it might not be good for young kids or everyone.

Still when you want unsweetened or homemade options to avoid excess sugar, it is a great choice. Also, it is high in vitamin E and comparatively lower in protein content.

Coconut Milk

Coconut milk is thicker and creamy, and also rich in MCTs linked to weight loss and cognitive health. It’s popular in Asian and Caribbean cooking, and it’s versatile for various dishes. 

It’s lower in protein content and carbs content but high in MCTs, potassium, and fortified vitamins. It is best to go all in for unsweetened varieties of milk, if concerned about calorie control.

If you enjoy making cream sauces, coconut milk is your best pick for a thick, flavorful sauce.

Rice Milk

Rice milk is a hypoallergenic option for soy and nut allergies. It’s rich in B vitamins, magnesium, copper, and iron, but lacks calcium and protein. 

High in calories and natural carbs, it’s unsuitable for diabetics. Its fortified versions offer improved nutrition. Also, it’s mild and sweet, so it complements oatmeal and recipes, not tea or coffee.

Cashew Milk

Vegan cashew milk contains heart-healthy lipids, calcium, potassium, and vitamin K. It has a somewhat nutty flavor and is ideal for frying and baking. 

Low in carbohydrates and heavy in unsaturated fats, it is ideal for people managing their cholesterol or fat consumption. 

Smooth and creamy for coffee and lattes. It is useful in cooking since it provides thickness. It has a pleasant, nutty taste and is made out of delicious cashews along with water. 

When compared to cow’s milk, it has fewer calories, fat, protein, and carbohydrates. Also, it is a great vegan alternative for anyone who is allergic to soy milk.

Oat Milk

Oat milk is made by mixing water with oats and has a pleasantly sweet flavor. Fiber, iron, and antioxidants such as Beta-glucans are abundant in it. 

It lowers cholesterol and promotes intestinal health. Carbohydrates and sugar are abundant, while protein is scarce. It is allergy-friendly since it is high in B vitamins. 

One thing to consider is oats are a gluten-free grain, but some oat milk might have gluten for cross-contamination. If you can’t have gluten or have celiac disease, choose oat milk labeled gluten-free by an independent group.

However, since oat milk is creamy and adaptable, it’s ideal for cereals, cooking, and baking.

Hemp Milk

Hemp seeds are used in making hemp milk and have a nutty flavor taste. It also contains higher omega-3 fatty acids and necessary amino acids. 

It’s a dairy-free choice that’s strong in vitamins A, B-12, D, zinc, iron, and calcium. Creamy and versatile, it may also be used for various important purposes. 

Hemp milk is great for people who can’t have cow’s milk and tree nuts. It’s available in health stores and is a complete protein that has all the essential amino acids.

Pea Milk

Pea milk is a type of plant milk created from protein in yellow peas. You can also make it by blending yellow peas and water together. Pea milk is a neutral-tasting plant milk derived from pea protein. It is high in potassium, vitamins A and D, and other minerals. 

It has a high protein content (10g per serving) and is perfect for cooking, hot drinks, and foaming coffee. It might, however, include sunflower oil, which is high in omega-6 fatty acids.

Macadamia Milk

Now comes, macadamia milk which is a new kind of plant milk. It’s mostly water, and it has just 3% macadamia nuts. Macadamia milk has a cream-like texture and also has a rich flavor. 

It is a relatively new addition to plant-based milk alternatives. It has few calories and protein but a lot of monounsaturated fat. 

Despite its restricted availability, it’s a fantastic choice for sweets and coffee. Also, you can make your own vegan version of Stress Reliever Chai Latte with it.

Hazelnut Milk

Hazelnut milk has a delicious nutty flavor that goes well with coffee, hot chocolate, and baking. It is milk from plants that are made by mixing hazelnuts and water. Since it’s high in vitamin E, iron, and healthy fats. 

It’s a flexible, dairy-free solution for a variety of plant-based cuisines. Homemade hazelnut milk is high in antioxidants. That benefits skin and heart health while also supplying anti-tumor chemicals and metabolism-boosting minerals.  

Benefits Of Vegan Milk

Vegan milk is nutritious because it contains all of the important vitamins. It is high in  terms of fiber and it contributes to good gut health and general well-being. Here some important health advantages are included for a smooth understanding. 

High Nutritional Values

Many vegan milk variations are supplemented with vitamins and minerals like calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12. These nutrients are essential for strong teeth, bones, and muscles, and the body cannot operate without them. Plant-based milk is in high demand due to its health benefits. 

The majority of people drinking regular milk report acute pain such as bloating, gas, nausea, and stomach distress. Whereas, vegan milk contains slightly lesser protein than dairy milk. However, it is devoid of injected hormones and adulterations, making it a healthier dairy alternative. 

This dairy replacement gives the same degree of creaminess and froth while containing no cow’s hormones, fat, or cholesterol. 

So, Is Vegan or Non-Dairy Milk Healthy?

Yes, vegan milk is a healthy alternative to cow’s milk that provides a variety of health advantages. 

Low in Calories

Vegan milk is frequently lower in calories than cow’s milk, making it an excellent choice for vegans. 

Lower Saturated Fat

It has 90% less saturated fat, is low in calories, and has all of the necessary vitamins. Vegan milk contains less saturated fat than the dairy milk. Consumption of saturated fat has been related to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.

High Antioxidant Value

Lots of vegan milk like almond milk and oat milk have plenty of antioxidants. These protect your cells and lower the chance of long-lasting illnesses. They have a good selection of lactose-free options and are casein-free.

Vegan milk is a healthy non-dairy milk choice for people especially those, who are lactose intolerant or milk-allergic. 

Why Choose Vegan Milk?

For a variety of reasons, people prefer vegan milk to cow’s milk. Among those reasons, some are mentioned here:

Cruelty-Free

Many vegan milk users are opposed to the brutal treatment of animals in the dairy business. This treatment is cruel to the animals. 

They also overpopulate them to meet rising demand, resulting in unsustainable and immoral dairy farming techniques. Like using excessive antibiotic usage, artificial insemination, and so on.

On the other hand, no such methods are required for producing dairy alternatives such as plant-based milk. 

Eco-Friendly And Better For Planet

Cow’s milk production has been connected to deforestation, water pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. 

In general, they produce more methane which is contributing to climate change. Cows and other cattle animals produce about 14.5% of global greenhouse emissions.  

Dairy farms emit more methane and consume more water compared to any other industries. In addition, the methane from cows is 28 times more dangerous than carbon dioxide from fossil fuels. 

Vegan milk, however, on the other hand, is less harmful to the environment. It has a lower carbon footprint in comparison to other dairy companies. They are environmentally friendly, devoid of unethical tactics, and vegan-friendly.

Lactose Intolerance

Lactose-intolerant individuals are unable to digest milk or lactose, a sugar present in cow’s milk substances. Vegan milk is frequently lower in calorie content, fat content, and cholesterol substances than cow milk. 

It is also high in terms of vitamins, mineral content, and anti-oxidants, which are good for lactose intolerants.

Taste So Good

Vegan milk is creamy as well as tasty. They are very flexible and can be used for creating anything from cakes to tea and coffee.

The nice part about vegan milk is that it comes in a variety of flavors. According to a poll in the US, 82% of people preferred the taste of vegan milk to dairy milk.

How To Choose Your Vegan Milk?

Here are the three factors to consider while selecting the ideal milk for each occasion:

• The foundation milk (soy, almond, cashew, coconut, rice, oat, flax, hemp, and so on)
• Sweetened vs. unsweetened (if it isn’t indicated, look for extra sugar in the ingredients or assume it’s sweetened)
• Vanilla vs. unflavored (or “original”)

When using vegan milk in savory meals, it’s good to use unsweetened original/plain variants. However, when used in sweet baking recipes, cereal, smoothies, and other applications, any type is fine. 

There are several uses for these vegan milks. But what they are best at is tabulated as follows.

Milk Type	Best Functionality
Soy Milk	It is best for baking purposes, for eating with cereal or granola, and for making iced coffee.
Almond Milk	Can be used for baking goods like cakes, cookies, muffins, cinnamon buns, and brownies.
Coconut Milk	It is good for making soups and sauces because of its strong consistency.
Cashew Milk	It is best for serving with tea
Oat Milk	It is used as foamable milk for coffees and lattes. It is also used for baking goods like cakes, cookies, muffins, cinnamon buns, and brownies. Also is best for serving with tea.
Hazelnut Milk	It is good for eating with cereal or granola.

You can make some delicious desserts using vegan milk, like milk chocolates for vegetarians and vegan ice creams. 

Popular Vegan Milk Brands

Some popular vegan milk brands are- 

• MALK 
• Oatly Original 
• Califia Farms 
• Mooala 
• Elmhurst
• Pacific Foods
• Ripple 
• Westsoy, etc

Here are some popular products from each of the above milk brands.

Popular Products From Popular Milk Types	Product Features
Westsoy Organic Unsweetened Soymilk Original	USDA Organic Certified and Non-GMO Verified. Best brand for soy or soya milk.
MALK Unsweetened Almond Milk	Vegan, Gluten-free, USDA organic, and Paleo-friendly certified. Considered as Best brand for almond milk.
So Delicious Organic Unsweetened Vanilla Coconut Milk	Organic and dairy free certified. It is unsweetened and has a strong flavor.
Pacific Foods, Cashew Beverage Original Unsweetened Organic	Vegan, keto and paleo friendly. It is a 0 cholesterol and unsweetened product.
ELMHURST Unsweetened Cashew Milk	Vegan certified. Delicious with coffee, sauce, and soups with no added sugar. Best brand for cashew milk.
Oatly Original Oat-Milk	Plant-based, vegan and kosher certified. Best brand for oat milk.
Pacific Foods Hemp Original Unsweetened Plant-Based Beverage	Vegan, kosher and paleo certified. Best brand for hemp milk.
Ripple Plant-Based Milk, Unsweetened Original	Plant-based and unsweetened original certified. It has zero sugar and contains DHA omega 3s.
Milkadamia Macadamia Milk	Unsweetened, lactose-Free Milk, Vegan, Plant-Based, Non-Dairy Milk, organic, and Dairy Free certified.
Elmhurst 1925 Milked Hazelnuts Unsweetened Hazelnut Milk	Vegan, kosher, and Non-GMO certified. It is unsweetened.

These companies provide a range of non-dairy milk choices, including almond, soy, oat, coconut, and other milks. 

Vegan milk has risen in popularity in these or recent years. This is because of concerns about animal welfare, environmental effects, and health advantages. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion Line

So, now you know what is vegan milk and how it has changed the way we eat dairy alternatives. 

You can select the finest vegan milk, depending on your preferences and nutritional needs, from a variety of substitutes. Incorporating these vegan milk options into your diet can have a slew of health advantages. It would also encourage a more sustainable and compassionate way of life.