Writing for health and wellness website body+ soul, dietitian Melissa Meier has taken some of the guesswork out of picking milks by comparing almond and soy.
The original dairy alternative, soy milk has been around for years. It comes from the soybean and is packed with protein to support lean muscle growth.
Soy doesn't naturally contain calcium, though many brands are fortified with it. At least 100mg of calcium per 100ml of soy milk should do the trick.
"An added bonus with soy is that you're in for a little boost of fibre – and given that most people don't get anywhere near enough, that's a really good thing," Meier says.
One cup (250 millilitres) of regular soy milk has:
615 kilojoules (147 calories) 9.3g of protein 4.3g of sugar 6.8g of fat 1.5g of fibre 288mg of calcium (if fortified)
Soy and almond milk are the most popular non-dairy milks on the market. Photo / 123rrf
Almond milk
According to Meier, trendy almond milk isn't all it's cracked up to be. Almond milk is actually made mostly of water as a result of soaking almonds in it and then blending the mixture together.
Some brands of almond milk have as low as 2 per cent actual almonds, so reading the ingredients to find the highest percentage is a good idea.
Almond milk is also fairly low in protein.
"On the plus side, almond milk does contain some natural calcium [around 15 per cent of your daily needs], along with a tiny boost of fibre," says Meier.
Here's what you'll find in one cup (250ml) of almond milk nutrition-wise:
358 kilojoules (86 calories) 1.5g of protein 4.8g of sugar 6.8g of fat 0.8g of fibre 168mg of calcium
The verdict
Both soy and almond milk are easy to find and very convenient for non-dairy drinkers, but when it comes to nutrition there's a clear winner.
"If dairy is off your menu, soy milk is always my first recommendation. It's naturally high in protein, and there are many brands that come fortified with calcium," says Meier.
