Non-Dairy Milk Alternatives for Green Smoothies

There are a lot of different non-dairy milk alternatives on the market which provide many flavorful and nutritious options for your green smoothies. While I don’t advocate using cow or goat milk in a smoothie, “milk” made from hemp seeds, almonds, rice, soy, oats and coconuts are delicious alternatives.

The Advantages of Blending with Milk Alternatives

Commercially-produced hemp, almond, rice, soy and oat milk may be fortified with calcium as well as B-vitamins (including B12), vitamin D (usually non-animal sourced D2) and E. Just one cup of fortified hemp milk added to your green smoothie can add up to 40% of your daily value of calcium and provide a rich source of Omega-3 fatty acids depending on which brand you get.

Hemp and almond milk tend to be thicker and creamier, so they help add a smooth, milky creaminess to a smoothie. You can also try hemp, coconut, rice or even soy-based yogurts as well.

Plant-based milks tend to be low in calories with one cup providing as little as 60 calories depending on what the milk is made from.

The Disadvantages of Blending with Milk Alternatives

Hemp, almond, rice, soy, oat and coconut milk are all processed foods and contain additives and sweeteners. One such additive is carrageenan which is used as a thickening agent but recent studies show might actually cause harm to humans. Not all milks have carrageenan, so make a habit of checking the ingredients before you buy.

I recommend using only unsweetened milk in a green smoothie, but if you are just getting into green smoothies and need the added sweetness, go for the sweetened varieties but wean yourself off of them as soon as you can. You can also make your own almond or coconut milk very easily.

Allergens are present in plant-based milks as well. If you have a tree nut allergy, you’ll have to steer clear of almond milk. Likewise with soy.

The fat calories from these milks can be high. For example, one cup of unsweetened Almond Breeze brand almond milk has 40 calories and 3 grams of fat. Each gram of fat is 9 calories, so 27 of the 40 calories in one cup of this milk comes from fat.

Plant-Based Milks For Green Smoothies

Hemp Milk: Hemp milk (made from hemp seeds) is increasing in popularity and can be found at some mainstream grocery stores. It’s richer and thicker than soy and rice milk. It usually comes in plain, vanilla and chocolate and is naturally a good source of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.

Almond Milk: Made from almonds (and fairly easy to make yourself), almond milk has a subtle almond flavor which adds a slight “nuttiness” to your smoothie. It’s great used with banana, durian, apple, pear or other fruit combinations where a slight nutty flavor would be desired.

Rice Milk: Rice milk is slightly sweet with a light, crisp texture. It’s a great addition to green smoothies, but the brands I am familiar with are not fortified with calcium and vitamins like hemp, almond and soy milks. Rice milk tends to be higher in calories and carbohydrates so it’s good if you’re active or making a meal-replacement smoothie and need the extra calories. One cup of the original classic Rice Dream brand rice milk has 120 calories versus almond or hemp milk which may have as little as 60 calories per cup.

Oat Milk: Oat milk has a neutral flavor. It’s not sweet on it’s own so it won’t make your fruit smoothie too sweet, nor will it interfere with the flavors.

Soy Milk: Personally, I steer clear of soy milk except for rare occasions due to the health controversy surrounding processed soy products. Nevertheless, soy milk is readily available everywhere and comes in many flavors. Many brands are fortified with vitamins and minerals.

Coconut Milk: Coconut milk is made by blending the meat and water from coconuts. You can do this yourself by purchasing young, Asian coconuts at your local Asian market and adding them to your smoothies. You can also find commercial coconut milk in the supermarket, but if I had to choose, I’d go with fresh coconut.

Alternatives to Milk Alternatives

I prefer to use filtered water, coconut water or sometimes fresh squeezed orange juice in my green smoothies instead of processed, plant-derived milk products. I get enough calcium from the leafy greens I add and all of the vitamins and minerals I need each day are supplied by the fresh fruits and veggies that go in my smoothies. There is nothing wrong with trying these products and using them on occasion in certain smoothie recipes. Sometimes, a little almond milk finishes a smoothie recipe nicely!

Tags: almond milk, coconut milk, Green Smoothies, hemp milk, non-dairy, Nutrition, oat milk, rice milk, soy milk, Vegan