It is safe to say the Alternative milk industry has been born, and is booming, as is the number of Alternative milk suppliers. Hallelujah!
And the great thing is that there is so much choice when it comes to choosing the alternative milk, or as we like to say, the drink of choice, for you. So how do they all compare?
Soy milk caught on near the end of the 20th century, but rightly or wrongly, the anti-soy movement quickly followed, headlining potential health concerns. This boosted the creation of nut milks, coconut milks, seed milks, oats milks and of course the trending pea milk.
Whilst it’s great that there is a real variety of plant milks, they can be thin and chalky in texture and not many of them are nutritionally balanced. Almond milk can have less than a gram of protein per cup and it takes approximately 1.1 gallon of water to grow 1 almond, that’s 100 times as much water per ton of crop as dry peas.
Coconut milk contains very little protein and is rich in saturated fat, which has mixed evidence when it comes to impacts on heart health. They also have to be transported from tropical locations, which is not great in terms of carbon footprint.
Shop Now!Hemp milk and quinoa milk have a nutty, creamy texture but similarly to rice milk have very little nutritional value. Whilst oat milks are popular due to the pleasing taste and textures, it can be difficult to find an oat milk super low in sugar and they can be nutritionally poor.
Pea milk is the latest trend to hit the market and for good reason, it has a third of the saturated fat and 50% more calcium than cow’s milk. It’s also more eco-friendly, as peas use little water or fertilizer compared to almonds, dairy, or soy. Peas fix nitrogen by taking it from the air and convert it to a usable fertiliser. With the reduction in applied nitrogen, fertiliser run-off can be reduced keeping our waterways, lakes and oceans cleaner.
Shop Now!Yellow Split Peas are also nutritionally dense; they are naturally high in protein and fibre, and are low in calories (bonus!). Did you know? Field Peas are the only crop that provide an abundant, inexpensive and sustainable source of Nitrogen.
At The Good Pea Co., we’ve created the ‘Original’ with 8g of protein and 50% more calcium than cow’s milk per 240ml serving. Oh, and we’ve fortified it with Vitamins B12, D and Iodine, so you can rest easy knowing you and your family are getting the nutrients you need, whilst enjoying our lip-smacking drinks and saving the planet!
Alternative drink? More like the drink of choice.
