What Milk Alternative is Right For Me? A Plant Milk Guide

With so many plant milks on the market, there's never been a better time to experiment. But, with so much choice, comes the question: Which Milk Alternative is right for me? So I created this comprehensive plant milk guide to give you a good starting point. Whether you're new to plant milks or you've been avoiding dairy for a while and you're simply looking to switch things up, there are probably a few options in this guide you hadn't even considered, as I've strived to include almost every milk alternative available!

Oat Milk

Oat milk is an enduringly popular option, with a natural sweetness that makes it blend nicely with tea and coffee. Personally, it's been my favourite plant milk for years due to its clean, tasty flavour. Its healthiness is often debated, however, due to even unsweetened versions containing natural sugars.

Oat Milk Pros

• Creamy consistency
• Nice in coffee, tea and hot chocolate
• Tastes good on its own
• Easy to cook with and bake with
• Suitable for those with nut allergies
• Low in saturated fat

Oat Milk Cons

• Slightly calorific (though this may be a plus if you're trying to gain weight!)
• High in sugars
• Prone to price markups
• Not always coeliac-safe

Hemp Milk

Store-bought hemp milk can be hard to come by, but you can actually make it at home. Either way, there's good reason to try it as hemp seeds are rich in omega fatty acids. This milk alternative has slightly nutty flavour makes for a pleasant drinking experience both on its own and in coffee.

Hemp Milk Pros

• Fatty acid content
• Fairly environmentally friendly.)
• Easy to make yourself
• Can have a very creamy consistency similar to cows milk

Hemp Milk Cons

• Hard to find and can be expensive
• Low in protein

Almond Milk

Almond milk is much less calorie-dense than oat milk. And as it's been around for hundreds of years, no plant milk guide would be complete without it. It can have quite a watery consistency, but as long as you're not drinking it on its own or in cereal this might not be an issue.

Almond Milk Pros

• A good source of vitamin E
• Low in calories
• Higher sodium content than most other plant milks, making it a decent post-exercise drink
• Can be less expensive than oat and soy milk

Almond Milk Cons

• Thin consistency
• Some brands are prone to splitting in hot drinks
• Cheaper almond milks can taste bitter or bland
• Sodium content may be a con for some individuals
• Not ideal for cake batter due to high water and low fat content

Coconut Milk

Not to be confused with the thick, creamy coconut milk you buy in cans for your Thai curries, coconut milk sold in cartons as a cow milk substitute is a little on the thinner, lower in fat and more versatile. 'Barista' versions of coconut milk make exceptionally good coffee froth. (Not to mention how well it goes with chocolate!)

Coconut Milk Pros

• Great for making vegan chocolate pudding
• Very refreshing for iced coffees
• Fairly low in fat
• Nice on its own

Coconut Milk Cons

• Not as nice in hot coffee (although barista versions are an exception)
• Less brand variety on the supermarket shelf
• Distinct flavour can stand out in tea
• Not frequently stocked in cafes and coffee shops

Soy Milk

For many plant milk beginners, soy milk is the first thing they reach for. And for good reason! Soy milk - particularly sweetened soy milk - has a very pleasant flavour and goes nicely in tea and coffee. It's also widely available, even in smaller shops. Alpro soy milk is particularly creamy and tastes lovely in tea and cereal.

Soy Milk Pros

• Wide brand variety
• May ease menopause symptoms
• Available in most coffee shops and cafes
• Easy to cook and bake with
• Pleasant, neutral flavour profile

Soy Milk Cons

• Some people find it upsets their stomach
• Some people are allergic to soy

Hazelnut Milk

If you're looking for a milk alternative for your hot chocolate, this may be the one for you. When researching for this plant milk guide, hazelnut milk probably surprised me the most as something that should be more popular than it is.

Hazelnut Milk Pros

• Great with granola, shakes and hot chocolate
• Nutty flavour is pleasant and not overpowering when drunk on its own
• Rich and creamy
• Doesn't tend to be more expensive than oat and soy

Hazelnut Milk Cons

• Flavour doesn't gel well with some cereals
• Doesn't work as well in tea as more neutral tasting plant milks such as soy or oat
• Can be hard to find in mainstream supermarkets

Pea Milk

Definitely one of the lesser-known contenders in this plant milk guide, pea milk can be a hard sell. However it's a good choice for those looking for a more nutritious plant milk. Not to mention that digestion-wise, it's widely tolerated, and has a nice texture.

Pea Milk Pros

• Good source of protein
• Suitable for those with soy, oat, gluten and nut allergies
• Creamy texture

Pea Milk Cons

• Can have a chalky taste
• Can have a distracting aftertaste in cooking
• Difficult to find in the shop

Rice Milk

Like pea milk, rice milk isn't incredibly popular but is still a nice option for those allergic to soy and nuts. It has a thin consistency but benefits from an inoffensive, slightly sweet taste and is easier to find than pea milk. If the taste of even soy doesn't agree with you, give rice milk a try.

Rice Milk Pros

• Low in fat
• Neutral yet sweet flavour devoid of aftertaste

Rice Milk Cons

• Not ideal for diabetics due to high carbohydrate content
• Thin consistency
• Low in protein
• Not suitable for young children due to arsenic content

Cashew Milk

I didn't actually know cashew milk existed until I started researching this plant milk guide. And what a pleasant surprise it was! As cashews are among the creamiest "milkiest" nuts out there. They are expensive however, making cashew milk a bit of a premium plant milk.

Cashew Milk Pros

• Great for cooking things like roux
• Creamy consistency
• Nutritious and a source of healthy fats

Cashew Milk Cons

• Can be expensive
• Harder to find than more mainsteam plant milks

Homemade Mixed Nut Milk

If you fancy something more exciting than what's on the shelves, and you're committed to being in control of exactly what goes into your food, you can actually make your own concoction at home with a plant milk maker.

These handy machines, sometimes called vegan milk makers, are quick and easy to use and are a nice way to avoid ultra processed alternatives. Combine nuts - or oats - with water and your sweetener of choice (dates, for example), and there you have it!

Homemade Mixed Nut Milk Pros

• Complete control over ingredients and quality
• You can experiment to find the perfect combo and flavour for you

Homemade Mixed Nut Cons

• Can be more expensive
• A time consuming way to get something you drink every day
• Can be hard to replicate the sweetness of store-bought brands

Tiger Nut Milk

The tiger nut market is a small one, and in the UK it's largely dominated by a brand called Rude Health who do several of the more interesting nut milks. You may have come across it before in Spain or Mexico where it's often sweetened with things like cinammon and vanilla. However, the drink has struggled to gain a foothold in the UK, probably because the nut itslef - which is in fact not a nut but a tubor - isn't well known about here.

Tiger Nut Milk Pros

• Creamy consistency
• A naturally sweet taste that's pleasant in tea and coffee
• "Nutty" flavour is less overpowering than in some other nut milks

Tiger Nut Milk Cons

• Expensive and hard to find outside of the internet
• Some brands like can be hard to foam

If you think I've missed anything in this plant milk guide, please let me know!

Any questions or comments? I'd love to hear from you!Fire me an email at evie@petruc.ci!