FitSugar

Got Something Else Besides Milk? 5 Delicious Milk Substitutes

Heather Dale — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 04:00:19 PST

With my sensitive stomach and a lactose intolerant fiancé, you won't find any dairy milk in my fridge. What you will find instead is goat's milk, rice milk, and almond milk, and I'm fully satisfied with all of the above - ice cream on the other hand is a slow work in progress. Thankfully with all the dairy free options on store shelves today, it's easy to steer clear of milk and choose some yummy alternatives. Whether you're vegan or trying to give up cow's milk for health reasons, here are some delicious substitutes.

Milk Wars: Cow, Soy, Rice, Almond, Hemp, Oat, Oh My!

FitSugar — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 03:47:06 PDT

Regular cow's milk was the only kind of milk you'd find in my fridge when I was a kid, but as I grew older (and discovered lactose wasn't my best friend), I switched over to nondairy alternatives like soy and rice milk. Now they have so many different milk variations (one of the reasons the Dairy Federation wants to restrict use of the word "milk"), so how do you know which is the most nutritious choice for you? Check out the chart below.

Serving Size: 1 cup	Calories	Tot. Fat (g)	Sat. Fat (g)	Chol. (mg)	Sod. (mg)	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Sugars (g)	Protein (g)
Skim Milk	80	0	0	less than 5	125	13	0	12	8
1% Milk	110	2.5	0	15	125	13	0	12	8
2% Milk	130	5	0	20	125	13	0	12	8
Whole Milk	150	8	5	35	125	12	0	12	8
Plain Soymilk	100	4	.5	0	120	8	1	6	7
Vanilla Soymilk	100	3.5	.5	0	95	11	1	8	6

To see how these compare to rice, almond, hemp, and oat milk,

You Know You're a Mother When: Midnight Meltdown

LilSugar — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 10:00:00 PST

My son had been sleeping like an angel since eight o'clock and then around midnight, restlessness made way to a couple blood curdling screams once he realized we were out of rice milk. Attempts to calm him with other beverages in a cup with a lid didn't work and he pitched a full fledged fit.

As I attempted to rock our lil guy, my husband slipped on some shoes, fumbled for his keys and fled the house in search of an open grocery store. My son didn't settle until ten minutes later when his dad returned with a half gallon of milk. After a few swigs, our tot was back in a sound slumber. Does your child have a poison that puts him back to sleep?

Milk Breakdown

FitSugar — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 14:45:00 PST

Isn't it amazing how many types of milk are available? You can get cow's milk, but if you're lactose intolerant or vegan, you can use soy milk instead. If you're worried about the possible health risks of eating too much soy, you can pick up some rice milk. If you're not into the watery consistency, then there's always almond milk. Basically, you have a lot of options.

Nutritionally speaking, ever wonder how all these types of milk compare? If so then

Serving Size = 1 cup	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Saturated Fat (g)	Cholesterol (mg)	Carbs (g)	Sugars (g)	Protein (g)
Skim Milk	90	0	0	less than 5	13	12	8
1% Milk	110	2.5	1.5	15	13	12	8
2% Milk	190	16	2	20	7	3	8
2% Chocolate Milk	170	5	3	20	24	23	8
Whole Milk	150	8	5	35	12	12	8
Half and Half	320	28	16	80	8	8	8
Heavy Cream	800	96	56	320	0	0	0
1% Buttermilk	100	2.5	1.5	15	12	12	8
Plain Soy Milk	130	4	.5	0	13	7	11
Vanilla Soy milk	150	3	0	0	23	15	7
Chocolate Soy Milk	180	4	1	0	28	14	8
Plain Rice Milk	120	2.5	0	0	24	11	1
Vanilla Rice Milk	120	2.5	0	0	23	10	1
Chocolate Rice Milk	160	3	0	0	34	28	2
Almond Milk	90	2.5	0	0	16	14	1

Well there you have it. If you're watching your calorie intake, skim milk or almond milk are definitely the way to go. If you're trying to lower your cholesterol, I'd stick with cholesterol-free soy, rice, or almond milk. If you're trying to get more protein in your diet, than surprisingly enough, plain soy milk is the best choice. When choosing which one, it all comes down to your dietary or ethical preference, but I'd only use heavy cream in small quantities.

Mooooove Over Cow's Milk: Soy and Rice Milk Explained

FitSugar — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 02:30:00 PST

There are many beverage choices for people who are lactose intolerant. We're lucky enough in this day and age to be growing up with delicious and nutritious non-dairy, milk alternatives.

So the 2 main ones to choose from are soy milk and rice milk. What's the difference?

Soy milk originated in China and is made, obviously, using soybeans. They are soaked and then ground up with water.

Nutritionally, its protein content is naturally close to cow's milk. Most soy milk is enriched with added vitamins such as B12. Manufacturers also add calcium. Soy milk has very little saturated fat, making it a healthy chose for people watching their cholesterol.

Some popular brands are Silk and Edensoy.

Rice milk is mostly made with brown rice and sweetened with sugarcane syrup.

Compared to cow's milk, it contains more carbs, but not a significant amount of protein or calcium. It's a good alternative for people who are trying to avoid cholesterol, because rice milk has none. It is fortified with vitamins and minerals, including calcium, vitamin B12 and iron.

Rice Dream and Pacific Rice Milk are common brands.

Soy Milk is healthier for you, but rice milk is more like cow's milk in taste and consistency. It's really a matter of personal preference so give them both a try to see which one you like.

NurturMe's Caroline Freedman: An Easy Way to Get Lil Ones to Eat Their Fruits and Veggies!

Kate Stahl — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:02:14 PST

As a soon-to-be first-time mom, a pregnant Caroline Freedman was obsessed with all things baby (sound familiar?), including what she would eventually feed her new lil one once she advanced past breast milk and bottles. "I was shocked at how little innovation there had been since I was a baby. It was still Gerber jarred foods," says Austin, TX-based Freedman, now mom to a 3-year-old and a 4-month-old. "Considering how parents are eating a lot differently now, it seemed so out of sync."

Freedman, along with her business partner Lauren McCullough (a former culinary arts teacher) decided to do something about the discrepancy. The result: NurturMe, the first certified organic, all-natural, gluten-free baby food made from quick-dried fruits and veggies. If a dehydrated baby food isn't inventive enough - each pouch is light as a feather and makes about 2.5 ounces of baby food when mixed with water, breast milk, or formula - NurturMe has yet another selling point: it's also an easy way to sneak fruits and veggies into older tots' meals. Keep reading for more from our interview with Freedman.

7 Popular Chowders Across the US

YumSugar — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 04:23:30 PST

Traditionally, "chowder" is considered a catch-all word for a variety of seafood and vegetable soups, but several regions have their own spin on the classic dish. Here's a rundown of the most popular chowders across the US, from classic New England clam chowder to San Francisco's Cioppino fish stew.

Boston - New England Clam Chowder: Made with chopped clams, potatoes, and onions, this classic chowder is known for having a heavy cream base. For a healthier clam chowder recipe, use almond milk, rice flour, and celery seeds.
New York - Manhattan Clam Chowder: For this variety of fish stew, tomatoes replace the milky cream base. There are also no potatoes, so the seafood sits in a much thinner vegetable broth.
Rhode Island - Rhode Island Clam Chowder: In addition to its traditionally clear broth, quahogs (hard clams) and bacon set this chowder spin-off apart.

Keep reading for more types of chowder.

6 Ways to Take Your Soup Up a Notch - Without Adding Actual Cream

Camilla Salem — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:25:13 PST

Clear-broth soups are delicious in their own right, but sometimes we just want something a little heartier and more indulgent. Cream-based soups are pretty simple to put together, but you can incorporate different elements - grains, lighter dairy products, or cruciferous vegetables - and end up with a delightfully creamy soup that doesn't actually contain a pint of cream.

Add a cup of almond milk to your recipe, as seen here with this lighter take on clam chowder.
Toss in some steamed cauliflower and mash or blend everything together.

Four more different ways to thicken up your soups, when you keep reading.

A Lighter Take on New England Clam Chowder

Susannah Chen — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:35:34 PST

You know what they say: if it's too good to be true, then it probably is. For a while, the weather was unseasonably warm, and I started to think there might not be a Winter in the Bay Area. But then this week hit, and boy, was I wrong. Not only is it cold, but the sky's poured rain incessantly, and the bleak forecast continues all week. So I did what I'm wont to do in cold weather: I made clam chowder.
I'm partial to the New England kind, the traditional version that calls for copious amounts of salt pork and more heavy cream than you want to know about. It tops tomato-based Manhattan and broth-based Rhode Island versions as my favorite, but recently I spotted another creative take on the soup that I just had to try.

Keep reading for the most creative clam chowder recipe you've seen yet.

Bring Bangkok to Your Taste Buds: A Tasty Thai Primer

Lizzie Fuhr — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:34:34 PST

If you've never been exposed to tasty Thai cuisine, the time to check it out is now. Thai food is known for its spicy, seductive flavors influenced by Chinese traditions, beautifully blended with other cuisines from Southeast Asia including Burmese, Laotian, and Cambodian food. One size does not fit all when speaking about traditional Thai dishes. Vast differences between regions correlate to neighboring states and climate. Interested in learning more about all the tastiness Thai food has to offer? Prepare to salivate as you keep reading.