Milk, that refreshing beverage that reminds you of childhood. The sweet drink usually paired with fresh baked cookies. Nowadays, it seems as if there isn’t just the plain white dairy milk that fills the shelves but a variety of milk that now replace those refrigerated spaces in the store. 

Dairy milk is no longer the only type of milk to be found. Now with vegan milk, there seems to be options for everyone’s dietary restrictions. Companies are coming out with almond, cashew, coconut, hazelnut and rice milk, just to name a few. The choice between which milk to drink all comes down to what’s inside. The nutrients, animal welfare and, most importantly, the taste. 

“I drink almond milk because I don’t like to support the dairy industry,” senior Emma Lindsay said. “But I also prefer the taste and I like how there are different flavors like chocolate.” 

Starting with the dairy milks; there is whole, 2%, Skim, Fat free and Lactose to name a few. For some people who have allergies to dairy or have dietary restrictions they have options, too.

For many people, it’s not the taste of milk that drives consumers away but lactose issues or allergies to regular milk, so these companies try to provide numerous different milk options.

Both milks, however, provide nutrients while the vegan milks tend to have more fat and less protein than regular milk. The vegan milks have lots of pros. Some of which deal with aiding in heart, diabetic and brain issues and aid in building the heart and brain. 

Cow’s milk is still proven to provide the vital nutrients for people by helping us grow. But some people can’t seem to drink the milk that comes from animals as they fear the harm the cows go through. 

The vegan milks provide a lot of the nutrients while being low in fat. Starting with Almond milk, it’s  a low calorie option that’s high in magnesium and iron, Coconut milk is low in fat and really good for strengthening the immune system. The regular dairy milks are all high in protein and vitamins a lot of them contributing to good bone health. 

Another good health benefit for vegan milks is that most of them are really easy on the digestive system, and good for people with slow systems. 

“My favorite vegan milk is almond milk,” senior Haley Mitchmore said. “Because it tastes the most similar to the regular milk, it also has fewer calories than the others which makes me feel healthy.”