Vegetarian Journal's Guide to Non-dairy "Milks"
By Reed Mangels, Ph.D., R.D.
Trying to cut down on or cut out dairy products? There are numerous alternatives available. You can choose milks made from soybeans, rice, oats, other grains, and almonds. These milks come in different flavors, including plain (unflavored), vanilla, chocolate, and carob. They can be nonfat or lowfat, sweetened or unsweetened. Many have vitamins and minerals added in order to provide some of the same nutrients found in cow's milk. Milks are commercially available in aseptic shelf-stable cartons, in the dairy case, and in powdered form.
Generally these products contain no animal-derived ingredients. Sovex does make a powder which contains casein (a milk protein), but they also produce a product which is labeled as caseinate-free and which does not contain animal products. Even beverages which contain added vitamins and minerals do not contain animal ingredients.
Many beverages are made with organic ingredients. Products which contain organic ingredients are identified in the table accompanying this article.
Calcium content of fortified plant milks
(ranked from highest to lowest; cow's milk included for comparison purposes)
| Product | Calcium (milligrams in 1 cup) |
| Better Than Milk? Caseinate Free: Light | 500 |
| Health Valley Fat Free Soy Moo | 400 |
| Better Than Milk? Caseinate Free | 350 |
| White Wave Silk and Rice Silk, Westsoy Plus, Pacific Lite, Pacific Ultra, Rice Dream Enriched | 300 |
| Cow's Milk | 300 |
| Westbrae Rice Beverage | 250 |
| Pacific Fat Free, EdenSoy Extra, Westsoy Lowfat, Westsoy Nonfat | 200 |
| Pacific Rice Beverage Fatfree and Lowfat, Pacific Multi-Grain Original | 150 |
- Calories
- Calorie content of regular soy beverages ranges from considerably less than whole cow's milk (which has 150 calories in 8 ounces) to slightly more. Rice beverages generally are lower in calories than whole cow's milk. The lowfat and fat-free beverages are usually pretty close to skim cow's milk in calories (86 calories in 8 ounces) but flavored lowfat milks (vanilla and chocolate) may be higher in calories because of the added sweetener.
- Protein
- Many beverages are lower in protein than cow's milk. This is not worrisome for those vegetarians whose diets contain other good protein sources. For those vegetarians who rely on plant-based milk for a significant portion of their daily protein needs or for those vegetarians who need some extra protein (growing children, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and some athletes, for example), beverages which are higher in protein can be chosen. These include EdenSoy Extra, EdenBlend, Health Valley Fatfree Soy Moo, Westsoy Unsweetened, Westsoy Plus, Pacific Foods Ultra, and Vitasoy (all flavors except light versions). For those whose diets have generous amounts of protein from other sources and who want a beverage which does not supply extra protein, rice and nut milks are generally quite low in protein.
- Fat
- Whole cow's milk has a hefty 8 grams of fat per cup. Skim cow's milk has no fat. None of the milks we examined had as much fat as whole cow's milk. Most regular soy beverages have a fat content like lowfat (2%) cow's milk. Beverages labeled nonfat, lite, and lowfat, as well as rice-based beverages are lower in fat, ranging from 0 to 3 grams of fat per cup.
- Vitamins and Minerals
- Cow's milk is a significant source of calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B-12, and riboflavin. Many non-dairy beverage makers add these vitamins and minerals to their products to make them more closely resemble cow's milk. Other sources for these nutrients exist, but these beverages do represent options for those whose diets do not otherwise have enough of these vitamins and minerals.
While these products are popular with many adults and children, none should be used to replace breast milk or infant formulas. They are not suitable for use by infants as a main food since they do not resemble breast milk or infant formula in composition.
Each brand of non-dairy milk tastes different and each has its fans. If you're new to these products, try several, considering their nutrient profile and your needs, and see which ones suit you.
Vitamin B-12 content of fortified plant milks
(ranked from highest to lowest; cow's milk included for comparison purposes)
| Product | Vitamin B-12 (micrograms in 1 cup) |
| White Wave Silk and Rice Silk, EdenSoy Extra | 3.0 |
| Cow's Milk | 0.9 |
| Better Than Milk? Caseinate Free: Plain and Lite | 0.6 |
Vitamin D content of fortified plant milks
(ranked from highest to lowest; cow's milk included for comparison purposes)
| Product | Vitamin D (IU in 1 cup) |
| Pacific Rice Beverage Fatfree and Lowfat; Pacific Lite, Ultra, and Fatfree; White Wave Silk and Rice Silk | 120 |
| Westsoy Plus, Lowfat, Nonfat; Westbrae Rice Beverage; Rice Dream Enriched; Health Valley Fat Free Soy Moo | 100 |
| Cow's Milk | 100 |
| EdenSoy Extra | 40 |
Plant Milks
Products are listed alphabetically by type.
Products containing some organic ingredients are italicized.
| Beverage | Calories (per 8oz) |
Protein (gm/8oz) |
Fat (gm/8oz) |
Added Vitamins & Minerals* |
| Soy-based Beverages: EdenSoy Extra: | ||||
| Original | 130 | 10 | 4 | A, D, E, B12, Ca, Thia |
| Vanilla | 150 | 6 | 3 | A, D, E, B12, Ca, Thia |
| EnerG Soy Quik | 50 | 6 | 2.5 | Thia |
| Health Valley Fat Free | ||||
| Soy Moo | 110 | 7 | 0 | D, Ca |
| Pacific Foods: | ||||
| Plain | 100 | 4 | 3 | Ir |
| Vanilla | 120 | 4 | 3 | Ir |
| Lite Plain | 100 | 4 | 2.5 | A, D, Ca, Ribo |
| Lite Vanilla | 110 | 4 | 2.5 | A, D, Ca, Ribo |
| Ultra Plain | 160 | 6 | 5 | A, D, Ca, Ir, Ribo |
| Ultra Vanilla | 170 | 6 | 5 | A, D, Ca, Ir, Ribo |
| Fat Free Plain | 70 | 3 | 0 | A, D, Ca |
| Fat Free Vanilla | 90 | 3 | 0 | A, D, Ca |
| Sovex Better Than Milk?: | ||||
| Caseinate Free, Plain, powder form | 100 | 2 | 2.5 | B12, Ca |
| Caseinate Free, Plain, liquid form | 86 | 2 | 2 | B12, Ca |
| Caseinate Free, Plain, Light | 80 | 2 | 0.5 | B12, Ca |
| Caseinate Free, Chocolate | 98 | 1 | 2 | B12, Ca |
| Caseinate Free, Carob | 114 | 2 | 2 | B12, Ca |
| Sovex Solait | 100 | 5 | 3 | Ca |
| Vitasoy: | ||||
| Creamy Original | 160 | 9 | 7 | |
| Vanilla Delight | 190 | 7 | 6 | |
| Rich Cocoa | 210 | 8 | 6 | |
| Light Original | 90 | 4 | 2 | |
| Light Vanilla | 110 | 4 | 2 | |
| Westbrae Lite: | ||||
| Plain | 100 | 3 | 2 | |
| Vanilla | 120 | 3 | 2.5 | |
| Chocolate | 150 | 3 | 2.5 | |
| Westsoy Unsweetened | 80 | 7 | 4 | |
| Westsoy Original | 140 | 5 | 5 | |
| Westsoy Plus: | ||||
| Plain | 130 | 6 | 4 | A, D, Ca, Ir, Ribo, Thia |
| Vanilla | 150 | 6 | 4 | A, D, Ca, Ir, Ribo, Thia |
| Westsoy Low Fat: | ||||
| Plain | 90 | 4 | 2 | A, D, Ca |
| Westsoy Nonfat | ||||
| Plain, Vanilla | 80 | 3 | 0 | A, D, Ca |
| White Wave Silk: | ||||
| Plain | 80 | 4 | 2.5 | A, D, B12, Ca, Ribo |
| Chocolate | 100 | 4 | 2.5 | A, D, B12, Ca, Ribo |
| Rice-Based Beverages: | ||||
| Amazake Light Almond | 110 | 2 | 2 | |
| Pacific Fat Free: | ||||
| Plain | 60 | 1 | 0 | A, D, Ca |
| Vanilla | 70 | 1 | 0 | A, D, Ca |
| Cocoa | 80 | 2 | 0 | A, D, Ca |
| Pacific Lowfat: | ||||
| Plain | 70 | 1 | 1.5 | A, D, Ca |
| Vanilla | 80 | 1 | 1.5 | A, D, Ca |
| Cocoa | 170 | 3 | 2 | A, D, Ca, Ir |
| Rice Dream: | ||||
| Original | 120 | 1 | 2 | |
| Vanilla | 130 | 1 | 2 | |
| Carob | 150 | 1 | 2.5 | |
| Rice Dream Enriched: | ||||
| Original | 120 | 1 | 2 | A, D, Ca |
| Vanilla | 130 | 1 | 2 | A, D, Ca |
| Chocolate | 170 | 1 | 3 | A, D, Ca |
| Sovex Rice Moo: | ||||
| Original | 84 | 1 | 0 | |
| Vanilla | 80 | 1 | 0 | |
| Westbrae Rice Beverage: | ||||
| Plain, Vanilla | 120 | 1 | 3 | A, D, Ca, Ribo |
| White Wave Rice Silk | 90 | 2 | 2.5 | A, D, B12, Ca, Ribo |
| Miscellaneous Beverages: | ||||
| EdenBlend (soy/rice) | 120 | 7 | 3 | |
| EnerG Nut Quick | 110 | 4 | 9 | |
| Mill Milk Oat Drink: | ||||
| Vanilla | 110 | 2 | 2.5 | |
| Pacific Multi-Grain | ||||
| Original | 150 | 3 | 2 | Ca |
| Pacific Naturally Almond: | ||||
| Original | 70 | 2 | 2.5 | |
| Vanilla | 90 | 2 | 2.5 | |
| Pacific Naturally Oat: | ||||
| Original | 110 | 4 | 1.5 | |
| Vanilla | 130 | 4 | 1.5 | |
| Whole Cow's Milk | 150 | 8 | 8.2 | A, D, B12, Ca, Ribo |
| Skim Cow's Milk | 86 | 8.4 | 0.4 | A, D, B12, Ca, Ribo |
*Indicates vitamins and minerals which are present at a level 10% or higher than the Daily Value; A=vitamin A; D=vitamin D; E=vitamin E; B12=vitamin B-12; Ca=calcium; Ir=iron; Ribo=riboflavin; Thia=thiamin
