(non) Dairy Queen

I have crowned myself a non-Dairy Queen. No coronation, ballgown, nor tiara, heralded the occasion. (Curses! Someday I'm going to get a tiara!) I have discovered that keeping dairy off my plate and away from my stomach helps minimize my symptoms. The challenge came when I wanted to find substitutes for cooking with, and adding to coffee, which I talked about in the Critical Mass post. There are lots of alternatives, but which is the best choice, packs the most protein and contains the least amount of sugar? Then, of course, I must ponder what is satisfying, too.

I'm a bit of a show me the data kind of gal, so I searched the interwebs for facts and figures. Wow! There's a lot of stuff out there, from manufacturer's nutrition data to blogger's personal findings, to recipe re-dos using milk alternatives. While all that data can be overwhelming, I slogged through a great deal of it. I decided that I, personally, needed to focus on what works for my lifestyle, digestive track, and personal taste preferences. Oh, and I focused on milk alternatives that are high in protein and low in sugar. Soy has become my go to milk substitute. However, when it comes to satisfying my sweet tooth, I head for the Almond milk. I'm not a fan of Coconut milk, not even remotely. That said, I keep it on hand as I can use it to add a lot of sweet to whatever I'm making without inducing a sugar spike.

Beverage	Calories	Sugar	Fat	Protein
Almond Milk	40	0	3.5g	1g
Coconut Milk	50	0	5g	1g
Soy Milk	80	1g	4g	7g

My figures are for the brands I use, based on an 8 oz serving. Your values may vary.

Related Links

• 21 FAQ about Almond Milk
• Coconut Water
• Nutrition Facts: Soy Milk