This story is part of our #WellnessWednesday series, where we’ll discuss a healthy eating trend and share our favorite places to try it out in Park City. Catch up on previous posts here.
Plant-based diets are becoming more and more popular. In what seems like an April Fools’ Joke (but wasn’t), Burger King recently announced that they would introduce a meatless burger patty, called the “Impossible Whopper,” at chains across the country.
While not all of us want to give up our burgers — which is understandable — many of us are starting to incorporate non-dairy milks into our diets. Non-dairy milks are usually made from nuts or plant-based foods like soy, oats or coconut.
Research suggests that one in five Americans are turning to these dairy-free options because of health reasons — perhaps lactose doesn’t agree with them, or they want to stay away from saturated fats found in dairy milk.
Benefits of non-dairy milks
If you haven’t yet jumped on the plant-based bandwagon, here are few health advantages to note.
- Dairy milk can mess with your digestion, even if you’re not lactose intolerant.
- Dairy-free milks tend to be lower in calories and fat.
- Most dairy-free milks are cholesterol-free.
- Certain plant-based milks, especially soy milk, offer extra protein.
Plus, there are lots of different types to try out — and no, they don’t taste weird! After I made the switch, I personally prefer the taste of non-dairy options like almond, oat or cashew milk to traditional dairy milk now.
Here’s a rundown of the most popular types of non-dairy milks, and where you can find them around Park City. Note: When purchasing non-dairy milks, look for the unsweetened kinds, which have less added sugars.
A blackboard sign outside Park City Provisions urges you to “Espresso Yourself.”
Soy milk
Soy milk is the O.G. non-dairy milk, and is still the most widely available, found in most restaurants and cafes. It’s high in protein, but some experts have voiced concern over genetically modified soy, which may cause hormonal issues in women. Plus, many people are allergic to soy.
Almond milk
Booming in popularity, almond milk is packed with vitamins and minerals, such as Vitamin E for soft skin, as well as fiber. It’s also very low in calories, with about 40 per cup, compared to the 150 calories found in whole milk. It doesn’t contain much protein, however.
Rice milk
Rice is a tasty alternative option, but it is higher in carbs and calories than other plant-based milks with about 120 calories and 22 grams of carbs per cup
Coconut milk
Unlike soy, almond or rice milk, coconut milk is actually very high in fat. But the kind of fat it contains — saturated fat with medium-chain triglycerides — has actually been shown to help with weight loss and even lower the risk of heart disease. Still, more research is needed, so use in moderation.
Oat milk
One of the newcomers on the non-dairy milk scene, oat milk — when fortified, which most commercial brands are — contains lots of vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, D and B vitamins. It is higher in calories and carbs than almond or soy milk, but it also has a nice, creamy texture that makes it ideal for adding to coffee drinks.
Best places to find non-dairy milks in Park City
Five5eeds’ Beet Latte
Luckily, almost anywhere you choose to get coffee in Park City, you’ll have your choice of alternative milks — although oat and rice milk are typically harder to find than almond, soy or coconut.
One of our favorite Main Street coffee and tea shops, Atticus, has a huge variety of coffee and tea drinks that you can customize to your heart’s content. Whether you want your drink hot, iced or served latte style; with almond, soy, hemp or oat milk; or even infused with CBD, Atticus has you covered.
Further up Main Street, Riverhorse Provisions offers a wide variety of alternative milks to go with their coffees, as does Stoked Coffee. Down in Kimball Junction, Townshend Tea also has oat, soy and rice milk to choose from.
Finally, Aussie-inspired cafes Five5eeds and Harvest also offer many alternative milks to go along with their wide variety of coffee drinks. And if you want to stock up, we highly suggest Fairweather Natural Foods’ strong selection of dairy-free milks!
