Whole Milk
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Whole milk is probably the most popular milk of choice here in the US and despite it being the fattiest of the milks available, one 8oz glass of the stuff contains around 12% of your daily value. Although research is actually ongoing, its believed that full fat milk can play a great role in ensuring you receive the nutrients and calories you need across your day!
2% Milk
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You'll probably realise that your 2% milk is pretty much exactly the same as your whole milk, except with 2% milkfat, which is down from the 3.25% (ish) that you'll get in your whole milk. Other than that though, 2% milk actually offers the same benefits as it contains the exact same nutrients that whole milk has to give you too. Do you want to try and cut a little fat out of your diet?
1% Milk
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1% milk, also known as low-fat milk, is again just a lowering of the amount of milk fat within your daily milk consumption. It might be worth picking one of these options if that you're a heavy milk drinker or you consume a lot via cooking or baking too! In regards to calories however, an 80z glass of 1% milk only has 50 less calories than your whole milk glass would provide!
Skim Milk
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This is the last of the traditional dairy milks to feature in this list and is probably the least popular of the four. This is because, for many, it appears quite watered down which diminishes the taste of the milk. But would you believe that there is no water added to the product? They actually contain the same nutrients just without the unhealthy stuff like fats and calories.
Coconut Milk
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Coconut milk is one of the most popular plant-alternatives out there, but they do have a very distinctive taste that some people love and some others hate! One positive is that it offers a pretty similar texture to whole milk and that's because its made from the white flesh of a coconut! It's believed it can help with weight loss and can taste great if added to a curry!
Organic Milk
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Organic milk will come for a premium price, but on the whole, it's probably worth your while if you don't consume a lot of the stuff. On average, organic milk will last around 2 months and that's because they're sterilized at a higher temperature than the regular. Alongside that, an increased temperature is believed to help increase the amount of Omega-3 which is great for your cardio.
Lactose-Free Milk
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Some of us are fortunate enough to be able to drink milk or use milk within our cereals or whatever else we need it for without suffering from any issues. However, if you're lactose intolerant lactose can remain in your digestive system to ferment which can cause a number of issues like diarrhoea, cramps and nausea. I'd definitely consider investing in a bottle of lactose-free milk instead.
Oat Milk
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You'd struggle to find a milk alternative as celebrated as oat milk is across the vegan and lactose free community. It has a considerable amount of protein but it's better known for its high fibre levels which are great for helping the digestive system as well as high levels of potassium which support your blood pressure. Plus, it tastes great, especially in your coffees or you can double oat with some porridge.
Buttermilk
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Although the name suggests that this milk is actually made using butter, you might be surprised to hear that it's actually just regular milk (whole, 2% etc) with some added sugar and stabilizers and fermented. This results in it getting that tangy taste which you might often find used to bread your chicken or as its most popularly used in making pancakes. Fermented makes it sound weird though doesn't it?
Condensed Milk
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So condensed milk isn't particularly healthy for you, if you've had it before then that probably won't surprise you all that well, it's loaded with sugar! However, that doesn't mean that it isn't a delicious addition to numerous desserts around the world and that's by far it's best usage. It's basically whole milk without a lot of the water content to create a thick, viscous milk variety.
Soy Milk
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Soy milk is popular in the milk-alternatives community thanks to it being one of the few creamy milk alternatives on the market. Soy milk is definitely one of the big boys and that's down to its delicious taste as well as its high levels of protein as well as its levels of Omega-3 which are great for helping protect the body from suffering from brain and heart problems.
Almond Milk
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Almond milk has probably lost its spot as the top non-dairy milk by now, but it was incredibly popular when it first arrived on the scene. There is less protein in almond milk compared to a cow's but it has less calories and offers Vitamin E which is beneficial for the body's immune system as well as helping ensure the skin and eyes remain healthy; they're fortified with calcium too!
Camel Milk
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Okay, so you're not going to be getting your hands on camel milk here in the US, but over in the Middle East, Asia and Africa its a very popular option. In comparison to cow's milk, its very low in sugar but still offers a range of antioxidants and calcium too. Supposedly, its the closest you can get to a mother's breast milk too, so it's great for young children!
Sesame Milk
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Sesame milk has grown in popularity thanks to it being suitable for people who are avoiding dairy as well as being allergic to nuts! Although you probably wouldn't want to be drinking a full glass of this stuff, it offers quite a high level of protein as well as being a great alternative to use in food and drinks with coffees, smoothies and cereals all said to work well with this variety.
Goat Milk
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Goat's milk is something that you'll probably see in many stores around you, but you might not have tried before now! Supposedly, the fats within goat's milk can be broken down much easier than a cow's milk and for that reason many people have chosen to turn to goat's milk as they're trying to lose weight. They also contain a lower amount of lactose per glass too!
Pea Milk
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Although it might seem quite difficult to believe, considering it comes from a pea, pea milk is supposed to be the most similar milk-alternative in terms of taste! If you're looking to find a nutritional option for your daily intake then pea milk is probably one you'd want to avoid as it doesn't contain any fibre, sugar or carbs, only protein! It's a great option for diabetics however!
Rice Milk
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Rice milk is popular thanks to it being one of the least likely to cause any problems in terms of allergies. As an alternative, rice milk is the best when it comes to adding carbs to the diet and its one of the more naturally sweet options, meaning that it doesn't need any additional sugars to be added to them. Not suitable for people with diabetes though!
Walnut Milk
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Walnut milk isn't always readily available in stores and you might be better off finding some to order from online instead. Walnut milk is typically high in antioxidants which is great for protecting the digestive tract which gets emphasised even more when taking in to account the high levels of fiber it offers too! You could even make some ice creams or smoothies with this stuff.
Flaxseed Milk
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Flaxseed milk is another great option for people who are avoiding dairy but ALSO have a nut allergy, there are more people like that than you might think! You might have added flax seeds to stuff like your oats before, but as a milk base they are great for adding protein and fibres to your diet too! Would this be a milk alternative that you'd be willing to add to your diet?
Cashew Milk
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As you might realise from going down this list, it turns out that nuts are a great way to develop and create different varieties of milk for those who choose to avoid the dairy kind. Cashew milk is made via soaking and blending them in water; its believed that these taste the least 'nutty' too. Fortunately too, they contain zinc which is great for the body's immune system.
Flavored Milk
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Although most kids are fairly easy to persuade when it comes to drinking or eating milk, if you have one of the fussy ones, a great way to get them to drink that white goodness is, well to make it not white! If your child maintains a healthy lifestyle then it should be no problem for them to indulge in a flavored milk now and again. What's your favourite flavor? Chocolate? Vanilla? Strawberry?
Hemp Milk
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Hemp milk doesn't have a huge following, with many people suggesting that the taste of the product comes across a little off-putting. However, its extremely high in protein which makes it a popular nutritional choice (the protein level is higher than beef!) and it also contains more calcium than you'd find in dairy milk. If you can get past the taste this might be the option for you!
Hazelnut Milk
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Hazelnut milk is one of the newer dairy-free alternatives to hit the market and one that has developed quite a following too! As with some other nut milks, they are usually fortified with calcium; but they are heavy in Vitamin E which can be beneficial for improving your cholesterol. Besides that, it offers a great taste when it comes to adding it to coffees or even when baking.
Pistachio Milk
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You might be a little put off when you open up a carton of pistachio milk; this is because the milk itself actually comes out with a slightly green tinge. Despite this, many people believe that this is one of the best tasting options out there and they contain a lot of healthy fats and fibres too! If you want to remain healthy though, avoid buying the sweetened varieties!
Buffalo Milk
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Buffalo milk is obviously much harder to come across than cow's milk is, but it offers greater levels of both calcium and protein which means it can be great for protecting your bones. Buffalo milk also naturally lasts longer than cow's milk and is actually great for cooking thanks to its thick, creamy texture. You might have had buffalo cheese before so why not try the milk!
Macadamia Nut Milk
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Macadamia nut, in comparison to most of the others on this list hasn't really taken off yet and you might struggle to find it on the shelves of most stores. And macadamia milk, alongside oat, contain the most Vitamin D which is great for the health and strength of your bones. On the whole, this is a great alternative to introduce to your diet thanks to its good fats which can help with inflammation and cholesterol too!
Peanut Milk
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Peanut butter is by far the most popular product made with the peanut, but maybe (definitely not) peanut butter might be able to catch up soon. This milk has caused some arguments in the community as its thicker than most alternatives and tastes very much like a peanut. It's even a very popular drink over in Africa especially mixed with some cinnamon!
Banana Milk
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You might be thinking that we've already looked at flavored milks and how they're great for kids, but you might not be aware that you can actually make a banana-based milk. This has grown in popularity more in Australia and is essentially blended banana mixed with water and some additional nutrients. It offers a boatload of Vitamin B12 too! Banana coffee anyone?
Quinoa Milk
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You wouldn't be alone in thinking that quinoa milk sounds a bit grim and to be honest, I didn't know it existed before this! It's become a popular nutritional choice thanks to its high levels of protein and equally high levels of fibre meaning it's one of the best options. Not only that, but it offers a huge amount of magnesium too, so you should be able to absorb some more calcium!
Raw Milk
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Raw milk isn't widely sold and that's because the governing bodies don't believe it is overly safe for consumption. This is because they aren't pasteurized which is done to regular milk to kill off bacteria and molds that can cause illness. However, many people believe that raw milk is a superfood and can help with some issues like asthma and can be more nutritious!