A Simple Switch: Going Dairy-Free With Innocent

June 19, 2018

A Simple Switch: Going Dairy-Free With Innocent

A simple switch that will make your diet healthier and your lifestyle more compassionate is to ditch dairy and buy non-dairy milk instead. Switching from dairy milk to plant milk doesn't necessarily have anything to do with veganism; more and more people are choosing to make the change for health reasons and to achieve a more varied diet.

The fact is dairy milk just isn't meant for humans, it's meant for calves. If you're not particularly bothered by the cruelty of dairy farming, perhaps you care more about your health. The negatives of drinking dairy milk far outweigh the nutritional 'benefits'. Dairy consumption plays a role in the increased risk of heart disease, cancer, bone fractures, asthma, Parkinson's disease, and other health concerns; coupled with the fact that up to 65% of the global population has difficulty digesting dairy milk, the addictive nature of casein, and the presence of hormones such as estrogen, it's not surprising more and more people are making the switch to plant milks.

A Simple Switch: Going Dairy-Free With Innocent

Most of us were raised to drink only one type of milk: dairy. How boring. When every non-dairy milk has a unique flavour and can be used in different ways; why drink one milk when you could try a whole range?

There are so many options available to you so if you're tried a popular plant milk and didn't like it, try again! With so many options from soya, hemp, oat, rice, hazelnut, flax, almond, and coconut (to name only a few) it can be tricky finding the right ones for you. Whether you're looking for a non-dairy option for your coffee, something for your smoothies, or a milk to use when cooking, there will definitely be a suitable alternative that's healthier and more compassionate than dairy milk. Here is my quick guide to three of the most popular non-dairy milks and how you can introduce them into your diet.

Oat Milk

Oat milk is one of the most nutritious and sustainable plant milks available. It has a rich, creamy flavour and can be switched, like-for-like with dairy, in almost anything from hot drinks to baking. It doesn't curdle in tea and tastes great in porridge and smoothies. Oat milk is my personal favourite and it's the one I recommend to anyone who who wants to add plant milks to their diet.

The Best Ways To Use Oat Milk

  • Pour it in your coffee and tea
  • Make nice cream with it
  • Whip up some pancakes

Hazelnut Milk

Hazelnut milk is rich and creamy, it has a strong taste that might not be for everyone. If you want something a little extra than the other 'plain' plant milks, hazelnut is a great choice - it packs a lot of flavour! I like to use it in lattes or make hot chocolate with it. It's exceptionally good used in baking or you can pour it on your museli and granola for a nutty kick. You can straight up drink this milk it's so delicious. Hazelnut milk is packed with carbohydrates and calcium making it as healthy as it is tasty.

The Best Ways To Use Hazelnut Milk

  • Make hot chocolate with it
  • Pour over museli or granola
  • Eat it in overnight oats

Almond Milk

Almonds are packed with protein, minerals, vitamins, healthy fats, and fibre; they're one of Dr. Greger's Daily Dozen because they're so good for you. Despite the controversy surrounding almond milk, it's still a more sustainable and environmentally friendly option than dairy milk. Almond milk has a subtle taste making it ideal for using in sweet recipes or for breakfast options. I find it works best when used in porridge or smoothies, and in baking.

The Best Ways To Use Almond Milk

  • Drink it in smoothies
  • Make porridge with it
  • Use it in baking recipes

The one thing I would be careful of when making the switch to non-dairy milk is to pay attention to the ingredient labels. Some plant milks can be packed with additives and preservatives, and contain very little of the plant it was supposedly made from. That's why I like Innocent's new dairy-free range; they're made using only 3 or 4 ingredients, don't contain any additives or stabilisers, and are low in saturated fat. The bottles are plastic, however, they're fully recyclable and made using non-toxic plastic making them more environmentally friendly than Tetra-Pak cartons, which other brands use. I've tested out all three of Innocent's plant milks* - oat, almond, and hazelnut - in a variety of different ways, and I highly recommend them.

Switching to plant milk is easy to do and gives you a peace of mind that you're making the choice to live in a more compassionate, sustainable, and environmentally-friendly way.

Have you ditched dairy yet?
What's your favourite plant milk?

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A Simple Switch: Going Dairy-Free With Innocent

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