GOT MILK? BY LILY LEVINE PHOTOS BY ANGELA FUNG Enter any grocery store and you will see boxes of non-dairy milk alternatives lining the tall shelves and permeating the cold aisles of the refrigerated section. The previous limitations of almond, coconut, and soy milk have been creatively expanded to include newer, trendier, and more nutritious milk alternatives that were not on the market 10 years ago. Flashback to 2009: the only people drinking non-dairy milk beverages are those who are lactose intolerant. At cafes, and restaurants, baristas only knew 2%, whole, or at most, skim. According to a 2018 study by the University of Virginia School of Medicine, however, worldwide sales of non-dairy milk doubled between 2009 and 2015 to reach $21 billion in revenue, while consumption of cow’s milk decreased by 13%. There are many factors that can be attributed to these numbers, including people’s increased awareness of personal health, plant-based diets, and recently, the environment. Conventional cow’s milk has at least 3 times more of an environmental impact than nondairy substitutes. This is because cows emit large amounts of greenhouse gases and require lots of land and water. Surprisingly, almond milk is not much better: it takes approximately 15 gallons of water to produce just 16 almonds, making the production of almond milk a water-intensive and environmentally-damaging process. Fortunately, these 4 tried and true milks are tasty, sustainable options that you can incorporate into your coffee, smoothies, and cereal! 16
bite | fall 2019