There's no single "healthiest" milk, as it depends on your needs, but cow's milk (especially low-fat) and soy milk (unsweetened, fortified) are top contenders for protein and nutrients, while fortified plant milks (like pea, hemp) offer great dairy-free alternatives, with soy often being the best plant-based swap due to protein content. Always check labels for added sugars and ensure fortification with calcium and Vitamin D for the best nutritional value.
Choosing a lactose-free milk is essential for individuals with lactose intolerance and IBS. Almost all alternative milk choices are lactose-free. Dairy-free milk is ideal for gut health for individuals sensitive to or allergic to cow's milk. These include unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk, and hemp milk.
Skim milk has less cholesterol than whole milk and is better if you want to lower your cholesterol. Soy milk is a good choice because it is cholesterol-free and has important nutrients like protein and calcium.
Almond Milk
While it's naturally cholesterol-free and low in saturated fat, it's also relatively low in protein and nutrients. Unsweetened almond milk is generally the best choice.
I switched from full-fat milk to skimmed in the 1980s, amid fears that saturated fat could impact my heart health and my waistline. The trouble was, I found skimmed milk (which is about 0.3 per cent fat) so watery I couldn't stomach it, so chose semi-skimmed (1.6 per cent fat) instead.
While dairy milk can contribute to gut issues, inflammation, and other health concerns, there are plenty of. Coconut milk and hemp milk stand out for supporting a healthy inflammatory response and being nutrient-rich, while almond and hazelnut milk provide delicious, low-carb options.
Spotlight the Super Six:
When it comes to the plants you eat, you want to eat from across the six different plant groups: vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, legumes (beans and pulses), nuts and seeds, and herbs and spices.
Dr. Gundry recommends unsweetened coconut milk or hemp milk as top plant-based choices, avoiding most nut milks like almond/oat due to lectins; if dairy, he suggests A2 dairy (goat, sheep, or A2 cow milk) from specific breeds, or fermented dairy, emphasizing fermented sheep yogurt, and lists specific brands like Pacific Foods Hemp on his site.
Low-fat, skim or 1% cow's milk are healthier options compared to 2% or whole milk. They contain less fat. “If you can't have cow's milk, soy milk and rice milk are often the healthiest milk for gut health – especially for people with celiac disease, an autoimmune disease that can cause inflammation,” Park said.
People are quitting oat milk due to concerns about highly processed ingredients like seed oils and emulsifiers, its impact on blood sugar (due to broken-down starches and added sugars), low protein content, potential inflammation, and gut health issues, with some wellness influencers shifting to cow's milk or other alternatives like almond or soy. The trend reflects a growing awareness that while convenient, many commercial oat milks aren't as "natural" or nutritionally complete as initially perceived, leading consumers to seek whole foods or dairy for better protein and fat balance.
Plain milk has no added sugar and are therefore lower in total sugar compared with flavoured milks. It's important to remember that when you read the label of a plain milk carton and see “sugars” that this is referring to the naturally occurring lactose sugar in milk.
Key Takeaways. Oat milk is higher in fiber and iron, while almond milk is lower in calories and fat. Both are often fortified with essential vitamins and minerals like calcium and vitamin D. Almond milk offers heart-healthy fats and is lower in carbs, making it ideal for weight management.
Top 10 Milk Brands in India by Consumption
Oat milk is generally good for you, especially as a dairy-free option, offering heart-healthy beta-glucan fiber that can lower cholesterol, plus being fortified with calcium and vitamins, but it's often lower in protein and can have added sugars, so check labels for unsweetened, fortified versions for the best benefits. It's great for vegans, those with lactose intolerance, and has less oxalates than nut milks, but may cause blood sugar spikes due to starch and less fiber than whole oats, making it a balanced choice.
Here are some of the best fruits for your gut health this summer.
Signs of bad gut health include digestive issues like bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, and heartburn; skin problems such as acne or eczema; mood changes like anxiety or depression; fatigue; sugar cravings; and unintentional weight changes, all stemming from an imbalance in your gut microbiome (dysbiosis). These symptoms can signal that your gut isn't processing food and eliminating waste effectively, impacting overall well-being, notes Healthdirect and GoodRx.
The gut microbiome promotes healthy digestion, boosts the immune system, and may even affect mood. Drinks that promote a healthy gut microbiome have been used for centuries. Fermented drinks — like kombucha and kefir — and ginger and green teas contain nutrients that can help the microbiome thrive.
To maintain strong bones and joints, you should include the following drinks in your daily diet:
Anti-inflammatory diet
To reduce levels of inflammation, aim for an overall healthy diet. If you're looking for an eating plan that closely follows the tenets of anti-inflammatory eating, consider the Mediterranean diet, which is high in fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, fish, and healthy oils.
Possible gluten cross-contamination: Unless made with certified gluten-free oats, oat milk may not be safe for people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. Higher in carbohydrates: Oat milk contains more carbs than most plant milks, which may not be suitable for people who follow low-carb diets.
In written findings, senior coroner for Buckinghamshire Crispin Butler said the cause of Dr Mosley's death was "indeterminate" and "unascertainable" - and "was most likely attributable either to heatstroke (accidental) or non-identified pathological cause".
Daily: The most common form of intermittent fasting is a daily fast for 12 to 16 hours. For a 16-hour fast, this would result in an 8-hour feeding window during a 24-hour period. A “16:8” fast might look like eating breakfast at 11am and finishing dinner by 7pm.
However, Dr Mosley did advise that if you do eat breakfast “opt for eggs, cottage cheese or Greek yoghurt and combine them with low-starch, fibre-rich vegetables or fruit.