Believe it or not, it’s been 20 years since one of Australia’s most iconic TV ads posed an Aussie bloke with the ultimate milk predicament: low fat, no fat, full cream, high protein, high calcium, soy, lite, skim, Omega 3, high calcium with vitamin D and folate, or extra dollop?
So in 2024, have our preferences and needs changed – or do we still want milk that tastes like real milk?
Rusty Dust Cafe barista Sam said full fat is the cream of the crop for his customers, with almond a close second.
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“What we’re finding is a lot people will choose their cafe based off what alternate milks they have,” Sam said.
“And it’s no longer just the different alternatives, but what brand is making that alternative.
“We occasionally get people who ask for a mixture of alternative milks, which is interesting.”
Supermarket shelves are now flooded with alternatives to cow’s milk, but nutritionist Amelia Phillips said full cream milk is still one of the most nutrient-rich options.
“It’s really high in protein, and the protein that it’s high in contains all nine essential amino acids, so it’s great for those of us wanting to build and protect our muscle,” Phillips said.
Full cream milk contains micronutrients like calcium, vitamin D and B12.
But it’s also high in saturated fat, meaning skim or lite milk could be a better option for weight and cholesterol management.
Phillips said milk drinkers who find it hard to tolerate dairy can opt for lactose-free milk, or milk that does not contain the A1 casein – such as A2 milk.
“For a lot of people if you remove those two culprits, then you can tolerate dairy much better,” she said.
But if you’re looking for a plant-based option, Phillips said her go-to options are soy milk and almond milk.
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“They tend to be a little lower in calories, a little bit higher in protein, they both are good for cholesterol management … but they’re a lot lower in protein than cows’ milk,” she said.
Soy could be best for women in menopause.
“Soy milk contains phytoestrogen, so this means they have an estrogen-mimicking quality to them.
“So as we’re in that peri-menopause – so the one to three years before we hit menopause – our estrogen levels are dropping, and that’s what causes some of those symptoms – headaches, hot flushes.
“So soy milk’s good in that situation.”
Other cow’s milk alternatives like coconut milk are tasty, but high in saturated fat, while oat milk is high in sugar.
“If blood sugar control is an issue for you – so you might be pre-diabetic, insulin resistant, type 2 diabetic – avoid oat and rice milk because they will spike your blood sugar levels,” Phillips said.
Watch the full video in the player above.