Got (something other than) milk?

From the Berkeley Wellness Letter, here's some info about various types of non-dairy beverages that can make good substitutes for plain old milk.

Cow’s milk is a good source of protein, calcium, potassium, and vitamin D. But if you are lactose intolerant or just don’t like regular milk, there are other “milks” you can try.

Nondairy beverages—made from soy, nuts, rice, even oats and hemp—are not nutritionally equivalent to milk. Each has something to offer, though.

Soy milk: Made by soaking, crushing, cooking, and straining soybeans, some soy milks provide as much protein as cow’s milk, often some fiber (dairy milk has none), a range of nutrients (including B vitamins and potassium), and isoflavones (potentially healthful plant compounds).

Nut milk: Often made from ground almonds or hazelnuts, nut milks have little protein, but are relatively low in calories and provide vitamin E, manganese, magnesium, copper, and other nutrients from nuts.

Rice milk: Consisting mostly of carbohydrates, rice milk is low in protein and fat (some have added vegetable oil). Though usually made from brown rice, the “milk” has no fiber and is thin in consistency. Rice milk is naturally sweeter than other nondairy beverages and least likely to cause allergies.

Oat milk: Made from oat groats (oats that have been cleaned, toasted, and hulled), oat milk contains about half the protein of cow’s milk. Oat bran may be added as a source of fiber. It’s slightly sweet with a thin consistency, similar to skim or 1% milk.

Hemp milk: From the seeds of the industrial hemp plant (varieties of Cannabis sativa grown for food and textile uses), hemp milk supplies protein, omega-3 fats similar to those in flaxseeds, and other healthful unsaturated fats. Unlike the Cannabis plant that produces marijuana, foods made from hemp contain only trace amounts, if any, of the psychoactive compound.

Keep in mind:

• If you drink nondairy beverages in place of cow’s milk, look for ones with added calcium and vitamin D. Many are also fortified with vitamin B12 (an advantage for vegans who don’t get much B12 in their diets) and other nutrients.

• Most nondairy beverages are sweetened with sugar (such as evaporated cane juice, rice syrup, or barley malt), which increases calories. Chocolate and other flavored beverages have even more added sugar than “plain” or “original” ones—as much as five teaspoons a cup—and up to 170 calories. Unsweetened versions have as few as 35 calories a cup.

• Though the unsaturated fat in these beverages is heart-healthy, nonfat versions have fewer calories.

• Nondairy beverages, including soy milk, are not a replacement for infant formula.

Sardines -- Superfish?

My husband loves these little critters, although I have not been able to develop much of a taste for them. The canned versions seem kind of icky to me, and despite much searching I haven't been able to find fresh sardines in any market.

Nonetheless, they are SO good for us, I'm thinking I ought to try some canned sardines again. I know that Trader Joe's has a few versions, some with mustard sauce and so on.

Here's what the Berkeley Wellness Letter posted this week about the health benefits of sardines.

Sardines: The Can-Do Fish

All seafood has something good to offer. But sardines (a name given to many small fish in the herring family) are a top choice across the board.

Sardines are one of the richest sources of heart-healthy omega-3 fats—richer than canned tuna and many fish oil supplements. And because sardine populations are abundant (after a collapse in the 1950s), environmental groups consider them a good ecological choice. Moreover, contaminants are much less of a concern with sardines than with tuna, swordfish, farmed salmon, and most other fatty fish; you can safely eat sardines at least once a week.

Catching the best

• Sardines typically come canned, but more markets now carry them fresh as well. Restaurants often serve them grilled, which is an easy way to prepare them at home.

• For convenience, keep a few cans of sardines in your cupboard. With their easy-to-open lids, you can take them to work or on the road for a quick, easy meal or snack. They are good paired with hearty breads or crackers, nuts, olives, cheese, and fruit, or mixed with chopped eggs or beets.

• When buying canned sardines, compare nutrition labels. Depending on the type of sardine, where they come from, and what they are packed in (water, oil, or tomato or mustard sauces), they can vary a lot in calories (90 to 350), fat (5 to 30 grams), and sodium (100 to 500 milligrams) per serving.

• Canned whole sardines are a good source of calcium if you eat the bones, which are softened during processing. A 3-ounce serving has about as much calcium as a cup of milk. Sardines are also a natural source of vitamin D—165 IU in 3 ounces.

More canned news: Besides sardines (and, of course, tuna), many other fish come canned, convenient, and healthy. Consider canned herring (with even more omega-3s than sardines), canned salmon (almost always wild, so contaminants are not a problem, and also a good source of calcium if you eat the bones), and canned mackerel (another great choice for omega-3s and calcium), as well as canned shrimp, oysters, clams, and crabmeat. If you are watching your sodium intake, compare labels to find products with lower amounts.