Just head to any supermarket today and you’ll see shelves stocked with plant-based milk – perfect for those with lactose intolerance, or simply for the health (and environmentally) conscious. Everyone knows that high sugar intake is linked to increased risk of obesity and diabetes. Singaporeans are consuming on average 12 teaspoons (or 58g) of sugar daily, with more than half coming from beverages, of which pre-packaged beverages contribute 64%.
Whether you’re a regular plant-based milk consumer or simply want to try alternative flavours, it’s easier than ever to try a range of healthier options. The best part is that whether it’s almond, oat, or hazelnut milk, they all can help you improve your blood sugar levels.
We got our hands on three types of certified organic plant-based milk beverages from Australia’s Own: Oat Milk, Chocolate Hazelnut Milk, and Almond Milk. Here’s what they taste like:
Unsweetened Organic Almond
If you’re not used to drinking unsweetened almond milk, it can take some getting used to because of its watery texture. The Unsweetened Organic Almond contains no added sweetener, no cane sugar, no gluten, and no lactose. This makes it one of the more healthier options out there – it only contains 20 calories per 100ml (for comparison, skimmed milk has 35 calories) and almonds are a natural source of vitamin E, which is a fat-soluble antioxidant.
Since almond milk is so versatile, you can enjoy it with your cereal, or add it to your coffee or tea. You can also add it to your morning smoothie – it blends well with banana and blueberries, or banana and peanut butter. Organic almond milk (this one is made with 2.4% organic almonds) has hints of natural, slightly woody flavours.
Unsweetened Organic Oat
If you’re allergic to tree nuts or simply want a more environmentally-friendly plant-based milk (almonds require a lot of water to reach maturity), oat is the way to go. It’s a great alternative to milk, as it’s a great source of B vitamins and calcium.
Oat milk has a creamier texture, so it’s closer to the mouthfeel of full-fat dairy milk but with less fat and calories (it does, however, have more calories than almond milk, at 50cals per 100ml). Even though organic oat milk is unsweetened, there’s a natural sweetness of oat that comes through. This means it’s not only good with cereals, it also gives your coffee or tea a fuller texture. And, of course, it also goes well with smoothies and is even a decent substitute for milk if you’re baking. If you’re more used to drinking dairy milk, oat milk is probably an easy switch to make.
Less Sugar Chocolate Hazelnut
If you’re the type who loves drinking chocolate milk, then the Less Sugar Chocolate Hazelnut milk is a plant-based alternative! It has 30% less sugar than other Australian chocolate plant-based beverages (according to their website), and still only contains 40 calories per 100ml.
The chocolate flavour blends well with the hazelnut milk like a gelato flavour, and while it’s not exactly ideal for cereals or tea, it’s surprisingly good with coffee (it literally makes hazelnut mocha latte). While chocolate hazelnut milk is delicious chilled on its own, you can easily turn it into a smoothie (just add bananas). If you’re feeling like going on a cheat day, you can also turn it into a cocktail – add a shot of coffee liqueur (like Bailey’s or Kahlua), and top with whipped cream for some indulgence.
So who says plant-based drinks can’t taste good? All you have to choose is how you like to consume it – with breakfast, in your caffeine, or on its own.
