by Emily Falshaw

Created on: January 16, 2009   Last Updated: January 28, 2009

Milking the Competition: What's Best?

Why do kids hate anything healthy? Whether it's
finishing their veggies or drinking their milk, getting it into them is like trying to break into Fort Knox. Kids (and adults) need milk as it provides nutrients that aren't available elsewhere in their diet. But are there alternatives when it comes to the white stuff?

Cow Milk

Cow milk is the most widely consumed variety in the Western world. Vitamins and minerals it contains assist several bodily systems:

-Vitamin A immune system

-B vitamins energy

-Vitamins D & K bone structure

-Iodine thyroid function

-Potassium & magnesium
cardiovascular system

-Thiamine memory

-Calcium bone density

Cow milk is suitable for anyone, including infants and toddlers. However, people with lactose intolerance (the inability to break down lactose, milk's sugar), or a cow milk allergy (the inability to break down proteins found in milk) will find drinking cow milk gives them indigestion.

Goat Milk

Goat milk is the most common type of milk in the rest of the world. It is higher in essential fatty acids than cow milk; however fewer low fat varieties are available. Compared with cow milk, the goat variety boasts:

-13% more calcium

-25% more vitamin B-6

-47% more vitamin A

-134% more potassium

-300% more niacin

Goat milk contains lower levels of lactose and its proteins are more easily digested than the cow equivalent, making it a suitable alternative for lactose intolerance and cow milk allergies. However, since goat milk is deficient in
folic acid and thiamine, it is unsuitable for infants and babies.

Soy Milk

Soy milk is made by soaking dry soy beans and grinding them with water. It has few saturated fats and no cholesterol, and the unsaturated fats it contains are good for the heart. When compared with cow milk, soy has:

-slightly more protein

-less fat

-fewer carbohydrates

This variety is suitable for vegans and people with lactose intolerance and cow milk allergies. Soy milk isn't suitable for infants or toddlers as it is low in fat, minerals, vitamins and carbohydrates.

Rice Milk

Rice milk is made by pressing brown rice through a mill stream. This variety has more carbohydrates than cow milk and is cholesterol-free, but is not a significant source of calcium or protein. It must be enriched with vitamins and minerals, as few naturally occur in it. As it contains no lactose, rice milk is the most non-allergenic variety; however it is not suitable for infants or babies. It is not recommended for middle-aged women or others at risk of osteoporosis. Rice milk is suitable for vegans.

Taste

With cow milk, higher milk fat gives a creamier taste. Skim will have a more watery taste. Goat milk is sweet, and sometimes almost salty. It tastes very similar to cow milk. Soy milk has an earthy taste, like roots or rice.
Rice milk is much sweeter than soy, and has a consistency closer to cow milk.

Cost

All of these varieties of milk are similar in price, with soy being the cheapest:

-Soy: 8.8 cents/100mL

-Cow: 11.1 cents/100mL

-Rice: 14.7 cents/100mL

-Goat: 18.6 cents/100mL

If you are considering switching your source of milk, most of the above varieties are available in individual drinking box sizes, which is a great way of trialling a new product. So, there is some choice when it comes to getting picky eaters to drink their milk, as long as you think outside the cow.

Word count: 567

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