Got Milk? Rice Milk and Soymilk1x
 Ads for milk that picture celebrities showing their milk moustaches are everywhere -- "milk is a natural." But what about those who can't, or won't, drink cow's milk?
There are several reasons why someone may not want to drink "regular" milk, says Michael Adams, a manager of Integral Yoga Natural Foods in Manhattan. Some people are lactose-intolerant; others are vegetarians, called vegans, that feel any use of animal products for food is unethical. There are also, those who believe pasteurization destroys important enzymes.
Soymilk, says Adams, sells the most among substitutes. "It has been around for years, and has improved over the years," says Lisa Cosman, a Manhattan nutritionist in private practice. "Many brands now are adding barley, since bean products like soy need to be combined with grain to form a complete protein [To this end, Edensoy now makes a soy-and-rice beverage]. They've added more calcium, which is one of the reasons people drink milk."
Soymilk is so accepted that hospitals often use it. "In our pediatrics unit, we use a lot of soy milk, and soy-based formulas for infants," says Elaine Kuperstein, dietitian and nutritionist with Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, N.Y. "A patient might have an allergy to the protein in milk or intolerance to the sugar in milk." The Indiana Soybean Producers' Web site has a good rundown on soymilk, complete with nutritional information and recipes.
Although her hospital does not use rice milk, Ms. Kuperstein says both soy and rice milk are good substitutes, providing that people who drink them also consume other protein sources.
Drinking cow's milk and rice or soymilk needn't be mutually exclusive. "I drink no-fat [cow's] milk because I'm dieting," says Rhea Lewin, a Manhattan mental health counselor. "But some of the vitamins I take are fat-soluble, not water-soluble. I take them with soy or rice milk -- although both beverages have some fat, vegetable fat doesn't contain cholesterol. I like rice milk because it tastes like milk, but soy milk has a nut-like taste that I also love."
Let's compare nutrients. A serving (240 ml) of Beyer whole milk contains 8 grams of protein, 30 percent of RDA calcium requirements, and 25 percent of RDA Vitamin D requirements. A serving of Edensoy Original Extra soy milk has 10 grams of protein, 20 percent of RDA calcium requirements, 30 percent of vitamin A requirements, 25 percent of Vitamin E requirements, 15 percent of magnesium requirements, 50 percent of Vitamin B-12 and 15 percent of phosphorous.
And a serving of Rice Dream Original Enriched contains 1 gram of protein, 30 percent of RDA calcium requirements, 25 percent of Vitamin D requirements, 15 percent of phosphorous and 25 percent of Vitamin B-12.
Most people who buy soy and rice milk desire a nice cold drink or something for their cereal. However, these products are also good as basic ingredients in recipes, just like "regular" milk. Jill Nussinow's excellent article " Moove Over Milk" gives a good overview of these milk substitutes, as well as recipes like Sweet Potato Pie, Squash Custard, Cream of Sorrel Soup, Flageolet Bean Soup and more. For still more recipes, see "Vegan Comfort Foods" at
Or if shakes and elaborate drinks are your thing try Vegweb where you'll find such offerings as Cozy Mug of Soy, Nanny's Simple Soymilk, Almond Milk and Yummy Soymilk Chai.
Oreo anyone?
By Raanan Geberer
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