1

A Healthier Choice

Milk, a white pale liquid substance humans have now taken for granted -- is part of the reason

why humans, along with other mammals, and milk-drinking animals are alive. Humans and

animals alike would die of malnourishment without milk. This substance called milk, is what

newborns survive off of until they develop the capability of consuming and digesting other types

of food, but until then infants must rely on the mothers breast milk. Feeding from the breast, is a

vital stage in an infant's life. Moreover, womens breast milk is a vital source that contains many

important vitamins and nutrients that are crucial to the infant's growth and survival.

Unfortunately, breast milk has been replaced by dairy milk and other milk-like substances like

baby formula. Reason being is because it is convenient for many mothers who cannot find the

time or simply do not want to breastfeed. Furthermore, it is convenient for mothers who simply

cannot produce enough milk to sustain their infants life. The fact of the matter is, breastfeeding

has become less and less popular in todays society and the consumption of dairy milk such as

cows milk is now a way of life and is an essential part of the human diet.

Since about the early 1990s, scientists have seen a decrease in breastfeeding. However, there

has been a popular alternative known as Baby Formula that has been replacing breastfeeding

for the past ten years. Mothers have found this alternative convenient, but in some parts of the

world breastfeeding is crucial due to the fact that formula is not an option. In almost all western

societies, mothers have replaced their own breast milk with baby formula and almost

immediately after the infant is able to digest other types of food he or she is switched over to

dairy milk. Is dairy milk needed for human consumption? Dairy milk should not be a part of the

human diet and is not needed in humans lives. If the need for milk after the weaning stage is of
 2

such high importance to human-beings, there should be a healthier consumable choice. That

choice is almond milk.

Over the last several years, almond milk has become increasingly popular in the United

States. More Americans are choosing the dairy-free route. In an article published in Fortune by

Mark Koba in 2015, he states that American consumers are drinking almond milk in record

numbers. [Sales,] are now more than $700 million a year -- up to 40 percent in 2014 from 2013.

Furthermore, almond milk accounts for 4.1 percent of all milk sales. Almond milk has been

outselling all other non-dairy milk (Fortune). In another article published in Foodnavigator-USA

by Elizabeth Crawford in 2016, she expresses the rise in milk sales over the past five years: In

the past five years, sales of almond milk have grown 250% to more than $894.6 million in 2015

(Foodnavigator-USA). Americans are now choosing a healthier choice to gain their vitamins and

nutrients -- which has also turned out to be very beneficial to many consumers. However,

according to an article published in The Atlantic, which discloses that the USDA claims that

dairy milk has declined by 37% since the 1970s. Almond milk is increasing in consumption and

in popularity, but there is still uncertainty as to why dairy milk -- cows milk is declining in

consumption.

One explanation for the decline in consumption of dairy milk is that American consumers

are becoming more conscious of what they are consuming, more specifically about dairy milk

and are asking themselves if it truly is a healthy choice. The American consumers today, are

more aware than ever of what they put into their bodies. All across the nation clean healthy

eating is being promoted. Water is on the rise and is replacing high sugary drinks like soda and

juices rich in high fructose corn syrup. Consumers are now more interested about their products

and are making an effort to find the best possible healthiest route. In an article published in 2017
 3

on Food Dive, titled Moo-ve over milk: Dairy alternatives are becoming more prevalent Keith

Loria discusses Daniel Nicholsons information on the American consumer and claims:

Consumers today are more educated than ever. They care about what they put into their

bodies (Food Dive). It is evident that consumers are choosing more plant-based milk products

and leaving dairy milk behind. Due to a better healthier feel and choice as a consumer. Dairy

milk is definitely an unhealthy choice especially since it has to go through a very complex

process to end up on grocery store shelves.

Another explanation for the decline in consumption of dairy milk is that consumers are

aware of the process milk goes through to end up on market shelves. It all begins with the mother

cow at the dairy farm carrying her calf in her belly. Just like humans, cows carry their babies for

nine months and in order for them to produce milk they have to give birth. Just like all the videos

surfacing all over social media and the internet, there is a horrifying unethical truth to it all.

Some people accuse this truth of merely being pure speculation with no means or truth at all to

all the videos. However, there is truth to all this speculation. Cows today are manipulated and

abused to produce twelve times their natural capacity of producing milk that is supposed to be

given to their calf which it is not given to their calves. The milk is taken to give to humans for

their consumption. Even so, when the calf is born just like in those videos, they are immediately

separated from their mother and placed in hutches for up to three months since the moment of

birth. The calves are taken away from their mother within seconds and or hours after birth

because they are seen as competition to the dairy farmers for the mothers milk. Some of those

female calves will most likely end up joining their mothers later in life at the dairy farm that is if

the mother is still alive after all that stressful work dairy farmers put their bodies through. As for

the male calves, some will be slaughtered for cheap beef and some will be sold and taken to
 4

ranches or cattle farms to grow denser and heavier so the amount of meat is more and then later

taken to slaughterhouses. However, after the calf is born and is suppose to be consuming its

mothers milk, the amount of breast milk decreases substantially.

Since cows need to keep producing milk, they are abused, forced and repeatedly

impregnated. This method is known as artificial insemination and this is what keeps the dairy

market going and accounts for nearly more than half of all dairy cow pregnancies. However

according to the USDA, reproduction practices on dairy operations are crucial to maintaining

consistent milk production. Unfortunately, this horrifying unethical practice is protected and

allowed since it keeps milk production going. Calves should not be separated from their mothers

and it is sad to say that they are forced to overwork their bodies in order to keep producing milk

for humans to consume. There are many individuals who know these facts and are heartless and

rather look the other way because they still want their milk. Dairy milk is not the only substance

out there. There are other alternatives like almond milk that are of higher quality and do no harm

to other living beings. After the milk is extracted from the cows, the milk then goes to the dairy

factories for the refining process to then soon be sold at grocery stores. The milk is not sold raw

since the milk contains bacteria and needs to be processed. Once in the Dairy, the milk is

categorized as whole milk, one percent fat in milk, two percent fat in milk, and then there is

fat free milk. The milk is agitated so that the fat content remains together with the liquid

substance. Then the milk goes through a process that separates the cream content from the milk

content and after that both the milk and the cream content are remixed but the cream content is

added in certain portions to get whole milk, one percent, two percent, and fat free milk and then

finally ships off to grocery stores.

 5

A third explanation as to why dairy milk has declined is due to the fact that so many

consumers are lactose intolerant. Lactose is a sugar present in milk. This sugar contains glucose

and galactose. Lactose intolerance is the stomachs inability to digest dairy milk and other dairy

products properly when consumed. There is an enzyme located on the surface of cells within the

small intestine called lactase. This enzyme is responsible for breaking up lactose into glucose and

galactose. There are many Americans that are lactose intolerant due to the fact that their digestive

system does not produce a sufficient amount of the enzyme responsible for breaking down

lactose into glucose and galactose. In an article published in 2005, on the Cornell Chronicle, the

author states that there are about 30 to 50 million Americans who are lactose intolerant: some

30 to 50 million Americans are lactose intolerant (Cornell Chronicle). This number could be a

lot higher today considering the fact that so many consumers are choosing the non-dairy route.

The symptoms of lactose intolerance according to an article published on MedicalNewsToday

titled Lactose Intolerance: What You Need to Know, ranges anywhere from bloating of the

stomach, to abdominal pains, to nausea, and even diarrhea (MedicalNewsToday). Nonetheless,

the inability to drink another non-human mammals milk is definitely an inconvenience to milk

lovers all across the nation.

Under those circumstances, dairy milk is on the decline and will most likely continue to

decline since plant-based milks are becoming more and more popular. Almond milk on the other

hand, is lactose-free. There is absolutely no lactose content in almond milk. However, almond

milk may even be an inconvenience to those with a food allergy to almonds, but even then there

are alternatives to almond milk as well. Some of those substitutes are soy milk, rice milk,

coconut milk, hemp milk, oat milk, hazelnut milk, flax milk, and cashew milk. All of these plant-

based milks can be found at almost any grocery store and are made with organic non-genetically
 6

modified organisms (Non-GMOs). However, the best of all plant-based milks is is almond milk

but the best commercial brand of almond milk is Silk Almond Milk.

The commercial brand Silk itself, is one the best brands of almond milk out on the

market. Unlike other commercial brands, all of Silks almond milk is organic and non-GMO,

contains absolutely no added hormones, it is lactose free, is gluten free, there is real sugar not

substituted with high fructose corn syrup, and has no carrageenan. Carrageenan, is a common

food additive added to many foods. Carrageenan comes from a type of red seaweed. This type of

seaweed is known as Irish Moss. This food additive is widely used in a variety of foods such as

ice cream, yogurt, cottage cheese, soy milk, and almond milk. The purpose of using carrageenan

is to make food thicker in texture. Even though carrageenan is not life threatening, the additive

still causes some health problems that should be of worry to consumers. Carrageenan is linked to

cancer and causes stomach problems since it is not digestible. On the other this additive is not

like milk, but should still be of concern to consumers. As reported by Melissa Ramos on her

article published on the Huffington Post Living Canada, she claims that this additive is evil and

does intestinal damage: carrageenan, an ingredient found in tetra pak almond milk, was

apparently evil and [promotes] intestinal damage and even cancer (Huffington Post Living

Canada). This food additive is heavily used in almond milk. Some commercial almond brands

use this additive in their almond milk but will not tell their consumer what it is, since they would

like their consumers to continue consuming their product. Silk on the other hand, does not use

carrageenan in their products. However, since other commercial brands use carrageenan and high

fructose corn syrup in their almond milk, the dairy industry has used this to create propaganda

against almond milk and make a claim that all almond milk as a whole is unhealthy and delivers

less daily value of vitamins and nutrients.

 7

Since almond milk has been on the rise over the past six years and dairy milk has been

declining in consumption, dairy farmers and the dairy industry have come together as a whole to

change consumers perception about almond milk and convince them that dairy milk or cows

milk is still a healthier choice over the plant-based milk. In an article published in 2016 on The

Atlantic, titled Milk Producers Go Negative on Almond Milk illustrates how the dairy industry

sees almond milk as a real threat: dairy farmers and the dairy milk industry, the alternatives to

cows have become the source of some beef (The Atlantic). According to the article almond milk

only accounted for 5 percent of the total milk market (The Atlantic); however, it does not seem

like the dairy industry will allow five percent of their market to go to almond milk not after the

milk market shrunk by $1 billion dollars. The dairy industry has even begun an ad campaign

against the plant based product: one recent ad campaign funded by the dairy industry makes an

effort to challenge [almond milk] by portraying [the plant-based product] as less than pure (The

Atlantic). Due to all this propaganda, almond milk is trying to be discredited by the dairy

industry. Also, the industry has spent fifty million in propaganda against almond milk: These

ads are just one component of the $50-million Milk Life campaign which is funded by the Milk

Processor Education Program (The Atlantic). Furthermore, the milk industrys purpose is to

demonize [all] non-milk substitutes. So far, the industry is achieving their goal in demonizing

all non-milk substitutes. There are many articles and blogs on the Internet that demonize milk

and claim it is unhealthy, that dairy milk is the way to go. Even doctors are promoting cows

milk and suggesting their patients to stay away from almond milk and any other plant-based

milk. In an article titled Cant drink dairy? Milk substitutes may also cause problems, doctors

say published in Today in 2014, claims that almond milk does not have an equal amount of

vitamins and nutrients as dairy does: while some of the plant-based milks are fortified with
 8

calcium and vitamin D, dont expect them to have the same amount as dairy (Today). It is clear

that almond milk does have higher levels of vitamins and nutrients and even leaves the

consumers with a cleaner feel and no stomach problems. However, due to propaganda they are

seen as less helpful and beneficial in gaining those essential vitamins and nutrients like calcium

and vitamin D that are essential to the body.

Almond milk contains higher quality content of essential vitamins and nutrients than

cows milk. Almond milk even has fewer calories than cows milk and has no saturated fat.

According an to article published in 2017 on Healthline, titled Comparing Milks: Almond,

Dairy, Soy, Rice, And Coconut according to the article cows milk has more vitamin D and

calcium: For example, people in key development years children older than two years, teens,

and pregnant women need vitamin D and calcium. These are abundant in cows milk

(Healthline). Another source -- Dairy Nutrition, claims that cows milk only has 30% of calcium.

According to Silk, their almond milk contains 45% calcium and 25% vitamin D both are daily

value. The recommended daily value for calcium is 1,000 milligrams for adults and children four

and up. If the food contains more than twenty percent then the food is considered a high source

for calcium. The daily recommended value of vitamin D varies depending on age there is no

specific amount for a large range group in ages, but the same twenty percent rule applies. The

information being given by pro-cows milk doctors and scientists is inaccurate and is part of the

plan to demonize almond milk and all other plant-based milks. Healthline has also compared the

number of calories, carbohydrates, sugars, fat total, and protein between dairy milk and almond

milk. According to the chart, almond milk has less calories compared to cows milk. Cows milk

contains 150 calories for whole milk, 110 calories for one percent milk, and 80 calories for skim

milk. Almond milk only contains 40 calories. Whole milk contains 12 grams of carbohydrates,
 9

12 grams for one percent milk, and 12 grams for skim milk. Almond milk only contains 1 gram

of carbohydrates. Whole milk also contains 12 grams of sugar, 12 grams for one percent milk,

and 12 grams for skim milk. Almond milk contains no grams of sugar. Whole milk contains 8

grams of fat, 2 grams of fat for one percent milk, and no grams of fat for skim. Almond milk

contains no grams of fat. Whole milk contains 8 grams of protein, one percent milk contains 8

grams of protein as well, skim milk contains 8 grams of protein as well. Almond milk contains 2

grams of protein (Healthline). From these statistics, it can be inferred that almond milk is greater

and healthier than dairy milk. Almond milk has fewer calories, carbohydrates, sugar, fat total,

and protein. Even though almond milk has less protein than dairy milk, almonds alone contain 20

grams of protein. They are known for their richness in protein.

Furthermore, for those who are lactose intolerant and consume almond milk, just like

cows milk, one can add it to their favorite coffee beverage, to their favorite cereal, have a glass

of almond milk with cookies before bed or for a late night snack and not have to stay up because

the milk is kicking in. Lastly, one can have a glass of almond milk in the morning if desired and

have a great day full of energy without having a bloated stomach and or diarrhea. Almond milk is

just like cows milk but instead almond milk taste great and has an amazing flavor to it. Almond

milk is not like cows milk with that funky smell and taste. It does not leave that nasty smell

when it goes bad. Almond milk even lasts longer. The average recommended consumption

lifespan for a carton of Silk almond milk is seven to ten days after being opened and the milk

should be refrigerated. An unopened carton of almond milk can last months without being

refrigerated. Cows milk on the other hand, also lasts seven days but has to be kept refrigerated

or else the milk will rot. It also works great for those who love to bake but do not want to use
 10

dairy milk. Almond milk enhances the flavor in baking. One can continue to consume almond

milk and not have that awful experience at the end that cows milk always leaves behind.

Above all, the best part about almond milk is that the milk can be made right from the

comfort of ones home. No more having to stress out about big commercial brands because they

cannot be trusted. The process is very simple too. The milk is vegan and gluten free. The

following recipe is provided by Minimalist Baker titled How to make almond milk the recipe

yields five cups of delicious almond milk. The ingredients for the recipe are basic all that is

needed is one cup of raw almonds soaked overnight in cool water, five cups of filtered water less

to make the milk thick or less to make the milk thin, two dates, pitted, or other sweetener

(optional), one teaspoon of vanilla extract which is also optional, and lastly a pinch of sea salt.

The instructions for the recipe are as follows: Add your soaked almonds, water, dates, salt and

vanilla to a high speed blender and blend until creamy and smooth. Keep it running for at least 1-

2 minutes so you get the most out of your almonds. Strain using a nut milk bag, or a thin dish

towel. Simply lay a clean dish towel over a mixing bowl, pour over the almond milk, and

carefully gather the corners and lift up. Then squeeze until all of the liquid is extracted. Discard

pulp, or save for adding to baked goods (especially crackers). Transfer milk to a jar or covered

bottle and refrigerate. Will keep for up to a few days, though best when fresh. Shake well before

drinking as it tends to separate. You can also make other flavors, including strawberry, banana

and chocolate (Minimalist Baker). This recipe contains about the same number of vitamins and

nutrients as commercial brands does.

In the end, almond milk has proven to prevail over the consumer norm -- cows milk.

Breast milk has declined due to baby formula and dairy milk. Now, almond milk is above cows

milk due to the fact that consumers want the cleaner healthier option. Almond milk is a consumer
 11

choice that is greater than dairy milk due to its many benefits such as not containing lactose and

leaving consumers with a bloated stomach and diarrhea. Almond milk does not exploit animal

nor does it abuse and manipulate them. Almond milk is by far the healthier choice and it will

continue to prevail.
 12

Works Cited

Koba, Mark. "Almond Milk Sales Are Soaring, but Is It Good for You?" Fortune. N.p.,

26 Mar. 2015. Web. 11 Apr. 2017.

Crawford, Elizabeth. "Almond Milk Sales Continue to Surge, as Dairy Milk Contracts,

Nielsen Data Shows." FoodNavigator-USA.com. N.p., 15 Apr. 2016. Web. 12 Apr. 2017.

Chandler, Adam. "Milk Producers Go Negative on Almond Milk." The Atlantic. Atlantic

Media Company, 12 July 2016. Web. 12 Apr. 2017.

Loria, Keith. "Moo-ve over Milk: Dairy Alternatives Are Becoming More Prevalent."

Food Dive. N.p., 23 Jan. 2017. Web. 12 Apr. 2017.

Lang, BySusan S. "Lactose Intolerance Seems Linked to Ancestral Struggles with Harsh

Climate and Cattle Diseases, Cornell Study Finds." Lactose Intolerance Seems Linked to

Ancestral Struggles with Harsh Climate and Cattle Diseases, Cornell Study Finds | Cornell

Chronicle. Cornell University, 1 June 2005. Web. 13 Apr. 2017.

Nordqvist, Christian. "Lactose Intolerance: What You Need to Know." Medical News

Today. MediLexicon International, 8 Feb. 2017. Web. 13 Apr. 2017.

Ramos, Melissa. "Almond Milk & Carrageenan: Stop the Panic!" The Huffington Post.

The Huffington Post, 05 June 2015. Web. 15 Apr. 2017.

Carroll, Linda. "Can't Drink Dairy? Soy or Almond Milk May Also Cause Tummy

Problems." TODAY.com. TODAY, 13 July 2014. Web. 13 Apr. 2017.

Medically Reviewed by Peggy Pletcher, MS, RD, LD, CDE on March 31, 2017

Written by Brian Krans. "Comparing Milks: Almond, Dairy, Soy, Rice, and Coconut."

Healthline. N.p., 31 Mar. 2017. Web. 13 Apr. 2017.

 13

Nutrition, Dairy. Calcium and Bioavailability. Dairy Nutrition. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Apr.

2017.