Does milk give you problems? A guide for choosing milk alternatives

Cara Stewart, RD, LDN, member of the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery team, provides a list of healthy milk alternatives.  

Milk is not the beverage of choice for everyone. Despite its nutritional benefits and popularity as a complement for everyday foods like coffee and cereal, cow’s milk is actually problematic for many people, especially those suffering from lactose intolerance or milk allergies and those who are vegans.

In fact, some patients become lactose intolerant after gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy surgery.

But the good news is that there are more lactose-free milk options available today than ever before. Follow this guide to choose the best milk alternative for you.

Lactose-free Milk - Lactase enzyme is added to regular cow’s milk to break the lactose down into a simpler sugar.

• Protein per cup: 8 grams
• Flavor: Slightly sweeter than regular milk.
• Where to purchase: Grocery store refrigerated section; available in low-fat, conventional and organic varieties; refrigerated cartons.

Goat and Sheep Milks - Milk from other animals contains lactose with a high degree of cross-reactivity, meaning that people with an allergy to cow’s milk have a high chance of reacting to these milk varieties as well.

• Protein per cup: Goat milk - 9 grams; Sheep milk - 14 grams
• Flavor: Sweeter than cow’s milk; grassy undertones.
• Where to purchase: Whole Foods or local farm market; refrigerated cartons.

Soy Milk - Made from cooking and pressing soybeans.

• Protein per cup: 7 grams
• Flavor: Nutty, beany flavor with thick consistency.
• Where to purchase: Grocery store; shelf stable and refrigerated cartons in variety of flavors.

Nut Milk - Made by soaking and grinding nuts into pulp, then straining the creamy liquid. Almond milk is the most readily available, but there are other nut milks including hazelnut and cashew as well.

• Protein per cup: 1 gram
• Flavor: Nutty with thin consistency.
• Where to purchase: Grocery store; shelf stable and refrigerated cartons in a variety of flavors.

Hemp Milk - Made from the seeds of cannabis plants, hemp milk does not contain psychoactive substances. It is a good source of omega-3 and -6 fatty acids.

• Protein per cup: 2 grams
• Flavor: Nutty, earthy flavor with thick texture.
• Where to purchase: Natural foods store, Whole Foods; shelf stable cartons.

Grain Milks - Made from cooked grains such as oats or barley.

• Protein per cup: 4 grams
• Flavor: Mild, grainy and nutty.
• Where to purchase: Whole Foods or natural foods store; shelf stable cartons.

Rice Milk - Made from cooked rice.

• Protein per cup: 1 gram
• Flavor: Sweet with watery consistency.
• Where to purchase: Grocery store; shelf stable cartons.

Coconut Milk - Made from coconut meat and the water inside the coconut.

• Protein per cup: 4 grams
• Flavor: Slight coconut flavor; creamy texture.
• Where to purchase: Grocery store; refrigerated cartons.

- Cara Stewart, RD, LDN

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Organic Produce: Is it worth the price?

Cara Stewart, RD, LDN, member of the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery team, explains when the higher cost of organic produce is a good value.

Incorporating a variety of fruits and vegetables into your daily eating plan is an essential component of a healthy diet. Organic produce has become more widely available in major grocery stores, but it is often sold at a higher price. When is organic produce worth the price?

The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit research and advocacy organization, developed lists of the most and least important fruits and vegetables to buy organic. The “Dirty Dozen” lists the produce containing significant amounts of pesticides even after high-pressure washing. The higher price of organic produce is worthwhile for all of the items on this list.

Choosing organic for produce on the “Dirty Dozen” list can reduce pesticide exposure by as much as 80 percent, according to the EWG. Pesticide exposure has been linked to cancer, nerve damage, reproductive problems, birth defects and more.

The “Clean 15” refers to the fruits and vegetables containing the least amount of pesticides. The EWG recommends foregoing the higher price of organic produce for these items since they are safe to eat even when conventionally grown.

Next time you’re in the produce section at the grocery store or farmers’ market, refer to the “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean 15” lists to determine when it is worthwhile to buy organic and when it is not. For quick reference, download the EWG’s “Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides.”

Dirty Dozen

• Peaches
• Apples
• Sweet bell peppers
• Celery
• Nectarines
• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Pears
• Grapes (imported)
• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Potatoes

Clean 15

• Onions
• Avocado
• Sweet corn (frozen)
• Pineapples
• Mango
• Asparagus
• Sweet peas (frozen)
• Kiwi fruit
• Bananas
• Cabbage
• Broccoli
• Papaya

- Cara Stewart, RD, LDN

reade more... Résuméabuiyad