I know as Vermonters, we like to support our local farms and have a tall glass of local milk. But for some, dairy milk is simply not an option, whether for dietary, environmental, or lifestyle reasons. 

Luckily, there are tons of other choices, including soy, rice, almond, and hemp milks.  

 Soy milk is one of the most common replacements. Beth Mullen of Vermont Soy, a Vermont-owned and operated company that produces soy milk from organic soy beans grown in our region, believes it is a completely adequate substitute.

In fact, Mullen argues soy milk is actually better for the body than dairy milk. In conjunction with a healthy diet and lifestyle it can reduce your risk of heart disease, she said.

“It has a much lower fat and cholesterol content than dairy milk, and contains isoflavones- natural plant chemicals that help the body lower LDL cholesterol- the "bad" cholesterol,” Mullen said.

A major concern for many people that don’t drink dairy milk, however, is whether soy milk is adequate in nutrients.  

“Dairy milk provides a whole protein, which means it provides your body with all the necessary amino acids to form proteins," Mullen said." Soy is also a complete protein — in fact, the only one in the entire plant family.” 

 Protein isn't the only thing you should consider, however. 

Carlie Geer, pediatric dietician at the Fletcher Allen Hospital in Burlington, suggested looking for other nutrients in dairy milk, such as calcium and vitamin D.

"Most of those (non-dairy) products now have extra calcium, vitamin D added in, but not always," Geer said. "So that’s another thing, that one has to look at the label to see what they’re getting in terms of replacing the nutrients you would get from milk.”

 Caroline Homan, head of food and nutrition education at City Market in Burlington, addressed an issue with soy milk currently being debated by health experts.

 “It's very high in phytoestrogens (estrogen-like hormones) that you're getting a mega dose of when you drink straight soy milk, as opposed to small quantities of fermented soy products, like miso, tofu, or tempeh,” she wrote in an e-mail.

Geer, though she does not have a straightforward stance on this issue, does not believe it is an issue.

“I am not particularly concerned about that," she said. "There aren’t any studies out there yet that tell me there’s a red flag.” Geer said many Asian diets contain a lot of soy, and there have been no issues that she knows.

 Lesser-known milk substitutes include almond milk, rice milk, and hemp milk.

 Homan suggested looking for a product that is as natural as possible, with minimal additives and sugar, warning that many milk alternatives are quite sweet. 

Hemp milk and almond milk can be good for their levels of Omega-3 fatty acids. “People doubt its having Omega-3 fatty acids because they are the plant-derived Omega-3 fatty acids,” Geer said. Geer confirmed the presence of fatty acids, and said is good for you, though slightly less efficiently digested than other sources.

 Geer expressed some concern with rice milk’s lack of protein.  

 “Rice milk is very low protein, so while it can serve as a vehicle to have something to put over your cereal, it may not give you the same protein you would get from milk,” she said.

 Regardless of what non-dairy milks may be lacking, it is certainly possible to make up for it in other parts of your diet.

 “Think about if your breakfast is going to be oatmeal and you’re going to use almond milk or rice milk that’s very low-protein,” Geer said. “Think, ‘How could you get a little more protein in that bowl of oatmeal?’ You could put some soy nuts on it.”

 Finally, for the environmentally and body conscious, Mullen warns to watch the labels.

 “Some types of soymilk these days contain genetically modified soybeans that are grown in China, and some foods containing soy only use the soy protein- a tiny part of the plant that isn't as healthy when it's isolated like that,” Mullen said.

 Look for the organic seal of approval, such as a Vermont or USDA seal. Organic labels that claim to use no pesticides or other chemicals can come in many shapes and sizes depending on the product and region.

 No matter what substitute you choose, check for protein, calcium and vitamin D levels, which you might need to bump up in other parts of your diet.

 Drinking dairy-free is without a doubt a viable option, and one worth giving a try.