The lowdown on dairy, soy, and gluten free milk! (part one)

As my partner and I are no longer having dairy milk in our coffee (or anywhere else for that matter!), we’ve been on the search for a good substitute.  Ms. Wedges cannot have soy, one of the staples of many non-dairy diets, so we have been looking at some other options.  This will be a work in progress, I will update as we try other milks!

Almond Milk

This one has a lovely taste (if you like almonds), if a bit sweet.  The downside of this milk is its expensive price (double the price of other milks).  Almond milk is also grainy.  Ms. Wedges had a latte the other day with almond milk, and the last few gulps were quite grainy indeed.  This milk is not suitable for someone with a nut allergy!

Hemp Milk

Hemp milk has a slight nuttiness and is a source of omega 3.  It helps add a creaminess to beverages – especially nice in tea.  The downsides of this milk are that it is a bit harder to find and it also has a slight grainy texture.  I’ve had this in a mocha before and the nutty taste disappears in the face of a strong taste.

Coconut Milk

This is our favourite of the milks we’ve tried.  It does exactly what you want from a milk in coffee – adds creaminess, takes the edge off of coffee, and does not have a strong taste.  It is not grainy, as the others we’ve tried.  It is sort of high in saturated fats, which causes controversy among people about whether or not it is a good choice.  I am of the camp that it is fine in moderation, but you have to decide what is best for you and your body!

(Possible) Milks to come: Rice milk, Quinoa milk, Hazelnut milk … any others you know of that fit the bill?

(Non-dairy) milk love from Agatha Bakewell xxx