Nutrition Comparison: Milk and The Alternatives

Whether you believe people should or should not drink milk or whether you are allergic to milk or have lactose intolerance, here are some alternatives with nutritional information as well as what these options have to offer:

Milk
• The best source and absorption of Calcium and Vitamin D (out of all options noted below)
• Contains a good amount of protein (8 grams/8 oz)
• Contains about 12 grams of sugar, however, it is from a natural source called lactose
• Contains a good amount of phosphorus, magnesium, riboflavin and B12

Soy Milk
• Second best to milk. Typically fortified with Calcium and Vitamin D
• Contains a very similar content of protein (7 grams/8 oz)
• Sugar content is typically added
• Contains antioxidants and phytochemicals that have been shown to decrease heart disease, lower cholesterol and decrease certain types of cancers

Almond milk
• Can be a good alternative to milk if you are looking to cut the calorie content
• Hardly contains any protein (1 gram/8 oz)
• Sugar content is typically added
• Rich with Vitamin E, A and B12

Rice, oat or hazelnut milk
• Not the best milk alternative
• Hardly contains any protein (1 gram/8 oz)
• Typically contains a high amount of added sugars
• Compared to the other milk alternatives it’s nutritionally poor
• Fortified with Vitamin A, D and B12

Coconut milk
• Contains as much fat as whole milk (in most products)
• Contains hardly any protein (<1 calcium="" gram="" or="" oz="" p="">• Not much added sugars
• Typically fortified with Vitamin D and B12

Hemp milk
• A good alternative for people with allergies
• Protein content is closer to half that of milk (3 grams/8 oz)
• May contain a minimal or a high amount of added sugar
• Contains a good amount of omega 3
• Rich with B12, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Riboflavin and
fortified with Calcium and Vitamin D

What to choose? Choose higher protein content, no (or low) added sugars (stick to original or unsweetened) and fortified with vitamins and minerals (at least 30% Calcium and 25% Vitamin D of daily value, per 8-oz serving)

Type of Milk (1 cup)	Calories	Fat	Sat. Fat	Chol.	Protein	Carbs	Sugars
Whole cow's milk	150	8 g	5 g	35 mg	8 g	12 g	12 g
2% cow's milk	130	5 g	3 g	20 mg	8 g	13 g	12 g
1% cow's milk	110	2.5 g	1.5 g	15 mg	8 g	13 g	12 g
Skim cow's milk	90	0 g	0 g	<5 mg	8g	13 g	12 g
Soy, unsweetened	80-90	4-4.5 g	0.5 g	0 mg	7-9 g	4-5 g	1-2 g
Soy, plain/original	70-130	2-4 g	0-0.5 g	0 mg	5-8 g	8-16 g	6-9 g
Almond, unsweetened	30-50	2.5 g	0 g	0 mg	1 g	1-5 g	0-1 g
Almond, original	50-60	2.5 g	0 g	0 mg	1 g	6-8 g	5-6 g
Hemp, unsweetened	70	6 g	0.5 g	0 mg	2 g	1 g	0 g
Hemp, original	100-140	5-6 g	0.5 g	0 mg	2-4 g	8-20 g	6-14 g
Rice, plain	80-130	2-2.5 g	0 g	0 mg	1 g	16-27 g	8-14 g
Oat, original	110-130	1.5-2.5 g	0 g	0 mg	4 g	24 g	19 g
Hazelnut, original	110	3.5 g	0 g	0 mg	2 g	18 g	14 g
Coconut, unsweetened	50	5 g	5 g	0 mg	1 g	1 g	0 g
Coconut, original	80	5 g	5 g	0 mg	1 g	7 g	6 g

·        Table  Taken from Spark People website

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Vitamin D and Athletic Performance

Vitamin D has been talked about quite a lot in the past several years. Most commonly it comes up when talking about bone health. However, Vitamin D does have many other functions besides bone health, including sports performance. So, let’s break it down:

• Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that is also a hormone.
• There are two main forms of Vitamin D: D2 (ergocalciferol) which is the inactive form and D3 (cholecalciferol) which is the active form.

• People get Vitamin D mainly from exposure to the sun or ultraviolet B (UVB).
• The recommendation for sun exposure is 5 -30 minutes per day between the hours of 10am -3pm. Age, skin tone, location and what season it is may change sun exposure required. Therefore, people that train inside, partake in winter sports and live in northern latitudes might be more lacking in exposure.
• Vitamin D is also found in certain foods including: fatty fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel, etc.), dairy products and fortified foods and beverages. However, it’s fairly difficult to reach the recommended daily allowance (RDA) with food alone (the RDA is 400-800 IU/day).

• Vitamin D has been shown to play a role in prevention of: cancer, heart disease, autoimmune disease, infection, diabetes and bone disease (including fractures and stress fractures).
• In addition, Vitamin D plays a role in muscle strength, muscle mass, muscle function, balance control, endurance, speed, reaction time and inflammation.
 • Interestingly enough, more than 77% of Americans are Vitamin D deficient which probably includes athletes.
 • Deficiency may cause muscle injuries, stress fractures and respiratory infections. Therefore, it is very important to check what our Vitamin D levels are.

 • Vitamin D is tested by taking a blood sample of 25(OH)D.
 • Deficiency is defined as < 20 ng/dL of 25(OH)D, insufficient is 20.1-29.9 ng/dL and sufficient is > 30 ng/dL. However, it seems that the optimal level for athletes is higher at 40- 50 ng/dL. There is no apparent benefit of having levels higher than 50 ng/dL.
 • Supplementation of Vitamin D is recommended in case of deficiency. To know exactly how much, consult with your physician and registered dietitian.

 So, since summer is just around the corner, make sure you play outside and get at least 10-15 minutes of sun exposure during the peak hours with no sun screen to get some good quality Vitamin D. And don’t forget to apply sun screen, if you are going to be outside for a long time. In addition, make sure you eat high sources of Vitamin D including fish, dairy products and fortified foods and beverages. You can get your Vitamin D level tested and consult with a professional for further guidance.

Written by: Noaa Bujanover - MS, RD, CSP, LD/N, CSCS

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