Milk Substitutes Now Give Your Bones A Fortified Punch

Milk substitutes.

What if you have a food allergy to dairy.  Then lactose free products are not an option.  Here are the three most popular milk substitutes:

Almond milk: 

Almond milk is made from ground almonds and water.  You can even make this in a high-end blender like Vitamix or Blend-tec.  Almond milk now is naturally high in protein, fiber and vitamin E.  You will also find other vitamin Bs (folic acid, riboflavin, niacin) in almond milk.  Almond milks are fortified with calcium and vitamin D.

Rice milk: 

Rice milk is actually made from boiled rice with some additives to improve taste and consistency such as starch or syrup.  

Rice milk is lower in protein than almond and soy milk but it comes fortified with calcium, vitamin D, and B12.

Soymilk: 

Soy milk is made from extracting the liquid from soybeans.  Soy milk is a great substitute for cow's milk.  Soy is high in protein and is a good source of fiber and healthy fats (omega 3 fatty acids.)  You will find that most soy milk is fortified with calcium and vitamin D as well as other nutrients such as riboflavin, B12 and vitamin A.

Nourish Thought for the Day:  

The body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium.  Choose milk substitutes that have both vitamin D and calcium.

A nice infographic summary of the various milk substitutes available in the market.