Meditation and Health – Which type of milk has the most natural nutrients?
Years ago, milk came almost entirely from cows or goats but, in recent years, plant-based options have appeared, particularly soy and oak milk – but which milk contains the most natural nutrients?
Worldwide people still consume more goat’s milk than cow’s milk. Goats are smaller, need less space and consume less food than cows, making them much easier to keep in developing countries.
Goat’s milk is thicker and creamier than cow’s milk and, because it is naturally homogenised, it is easier to digest as the fat globules are smaller and spread evenly throughout the milk. It has more sodium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous and potassium than cow’s milk. It also contains Vitamin C. (Cow’s milk contains negligible vitamin C.)
Both cow’s milk and goat’s milk are good sources of protein, but goat’s milk is higher in fat and calories.
Goat’s milk has a different (stronger) taste than cow’s milk and can take some getting used to.
Cow’s milk
As well as protein and carbohydrate, cow’s milk contains Sodium, Potassium, Calcium, Phosphorus, Chloride, Folate, Iodine, Vitamin A, Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) and lots of beneficial trace elements.
Skimmed and semi-skimmed milk contain the same amount of carbohydrates and protein but all or some of the fat is removed meaning it contains less calories. However, the removal of fat decreases the nutrient content.
There are lactose-free versions of cow’s milk for people with an intolerance – lactose is a natural sugar found in milk. Goat’s milk contains slightly less lactose than cow’s milk.
Soy Milk
Soy milk is made by soaking and grinding soybeans, the resultant mixture is boiled and then filtered. Commercial soy milk often contains thickeners to improve consistency and shelf life. Soy milk originated in China and became common in Europe and North America in the late 20th century.
It is low in saturated fat and contains no cholesterol or lactose. It’s a good source of protein, fibre and potassium and also contains calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and thiamine (vitaminB1).
Point to note: most of the soy produced in the United States comes from genetically modified (GM) plants but there are 100% organic alternatives.
Oat Milk
Oat milk was developed in the 1990’s by Swedish scientist Rickard Oste, founder of Oatly.
Oat milk is made from oats soaked in water, then blended and strained through cheesecloth. It contains no lactose and is virtually fat-free. It contains fibre and protein, and naturally occurring sodium, calcium and vitamins B12 and B2 plus trace elements. It is high in carbohydrates but these come from fibre rather than fat.
Other types of milk:
Almond milk is made by soaking and grinding almonds in water and filtering.
Almond milk dates back to at least the 13th century in areas that followed strict Catholic fasting laws (in recipes for meat free and fish free days.)
Although almonds are a good source of protein – almond milk is not, nor does it contain much calcium. However, many brands of almond milk are supplemented with calcium, vitamin A, and vitamin D.
Coconut milk is made from filtered water and coconut cream made from grated coconut flesh (plus additives). It doesn’t naturally contain calcium, vitamin A or vitamin D and it’s not a good source of protein.
Rice milk is made from milled rice and water (plus additives). It is high in carbohydrates, contains a very small amount of protein but no naturally occurring calcium or vitamin D.
To sum up – goat’s milk is the best source of protein and calcium and is more easily digested than cow’s milk but, if you can’t get used to the taste, then cow’s milk is an excellent alternative. If you prefer a plant-based diet then soy milk or oat milk are good substitutes but, in order to obtain the same level of nutrients, they need to be fortified with vitamins and minerals.
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