Alternative Milk Brands Ranked Worst To Best

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Traditional dairy has met its match in recent years with the accelerating growth of the alternative milk market. It isn't just a passing trend, either. Nowadays, plant-based milk alternatives are part of American households almost as often as cow's milk, with some polling showing that nearly 33% of consumers use alternatives like almond milk on a weekly basis (via Morning Consult). The introduction of plant-based milks in coffee shops like Starbucks and Dunkin', as per Foodbeast, has also helped move the needle, letting consumers sample the goods while getting used to the new tastes and textures available to them.

There are many reasons why cow's milk drinkers may want to shift over to plant-based analogs, according to New Food. Some have made the change for their health, while others cite environmental concerns. By now, the increased demand has generated a great and delicious diversity in the realm of alternative milk. Yet, because of that tasty array of possibilities, choosing the right product can be challenging for the modern shopper. How do you separate the non-dairy cream from the whey when it comes to navigating the new milk market? Here's a rundown of some of the most popular alternative milk brands out there, ranked from worst to best.

Oatly proudly displays a glyphosate-free badge on its website. This may not mean much to consumers, but it should. This troublesome pesticide, otherwise known as Round-Up, is a huge obstacle for oat growers, according to Know Your Pantry. Oatly is one of the few brands that goes the extra mile to avoid glyphosates. That alone should be enough to get it a decent ranking. It's also certified vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO, and kosher, providing a feel-good milk alternative that just about everyone can enjoy.

So, what's not to love? The list of chemical additives, for one. Oatly's recipe includes an alphabet soup of ingredients such as dipotassium phosphate, a chemical that helps Oatly blend well in beverages such as coffee. To be fair, it's approved by the European Union and the FDA has deemed the substance "generally regarded as safe." 

Yet the fact that the Oatly site provides a disclaimer for medical professionals is potentially concerning. For a company that goes to such lengths to declare its healthful nature, having a disclaimer to justify its use of a chemical may turn off some consumers.

Ripple touts its creaminess as a key feature, which simply can't be denied. This is nothing less than one of the creamiest dairy substitutes on the market. The secret is sunflower oil and pea protein, a combination that creates a silky-smooth milk with cane sugar sweetness for a vegan-friendly milk experience. The unsweetened version is equally satisfying, great news for drinkers hoping to avoid additional sugars without losing flavor. Ripple also adds calcium, bringing 50% more of the nutrient in a serving than in an equivalent amount of traditional milk, though at 440 milligrams versus the 306 to 325 milligrams in dairy, that claim may require a bit more scrutiny.

The rest of the ingredients list isn't quite so encouraging, however. The inclusion of dipotassium phosphate takes Ripple's goodness down a notch or two, though the nutritional info notes that it makes up less than 1% of a serving. This may or may not be of comfort to health-minded consumers looking to avoid the additive altogether. The use of pea protein can also an issue for anyone with a pea allergy. For the consumer in search of a well-rounded plant milk, the Ripple effect may not be what you're after.

Planet Oat brings six variations of its oat-based milk to market, with tastes and textures ranging from Extra-Creamy to Dark Chocolate. The latter ramps up the sugar content as you might expect, from a manageable 4 grams per cup in the unsweetened original version to a maybe far-too-generous 12 grams. Not that Planet Oat is passing itself off as a health food; instead, it's billed more as a clean alternative to standard dairy that mindful milk lovers can feel good about drinking. Planet Oat handily lists off the items it's free from, including the now-familiar selection of soy, nuts, and artificial anything.

If one aspect has enough gravity to cause a wobbly orbit, it's Planet Oat's use of dipotassium phosphate, that sticky stabilizer that oat milk brands can't seem to quit. Maybe the company makes up for it in your estimation by supporting a slew of environmental causes, which include everything from tree planting to animal rehabilitation. Of course, those causes are all worthy of time, attention, and investment. If only Planet Oat could figure out a workaround for that additive in its formula, it might just rule the alternate milk galaxy. Or should we call it the plant-based Milky Way?

This smooth and creamy selection from Silk's nut milk line might just solve the problem of alternate milk's lack of protein. With a whopping 10 grams of plant-based protein per serving (that's two more than an equivalent serving of cow's milk), this option is particularly attractive to protein-seeking vegans and vegetarians. The protein in this instance comes from peas, a surprising addition to the nutty blend. The addition of high oleic sunflower oil along with the nut milk base also adds eight grams of fat along with the protein, putting it in competition with a serving of whole dairy milk.

While it solves a great problem for protein-hungry vegans, that pea protein could be a serious issue for people with legume allergies, which includes peas. Legume allergies can cause severe anaphylactic reactions, making it crucial for consumers with allergies to avoid this particular milk. For anyone switching to plant-based milk who isn't sure if they're allergic to peas, consult your physician before taking your first sip.

If you like simplicity, then So Delicious Organic Vanilla coconut milk may be for you. It's ingredients include coconut milk, organic cane sugar, xanthan gum, organic guar gum, and a blend of vitamins — and that's it. 

With a name like So Delicious, it's practically begging for a challenge. So how does it stack up against the competition? With 80 calories, 4.5 grams of fat and zero protein, it's somewhere near the middle of the list nutritionally. Its collection of badges for kosher, vegan, non-GMO and gluten-free certifications is impressive, for sure. It also emphasizes the versatility of So Delicious by publishing recipes that swap out cow's milk for this alternate.

Reviewers on Amazon also note that So Delicious is sold in shelf-stable units, making it a potentially more cost-effective option for many shoppers. Having organic coconut milk that tastes great, works well in the kitchen, and is ready whenever you need it makes So Delicious one of the top alternative milk choices.

With Silk Nextmilk, the company does its best to replicate the taste and texture of dairy milk in an oat-based product, and it comes pretty darn close. The whole fat version has real dairy creaminess, making it a great addition to coffee and cereal for fans of the old-fashioned milk experience. While this does come at a price of 8 grams of fat per one-cup serving, the calories are kept at a trim 110 and the sugar a mere 3 grams. An impressive 4 grams of protein makes this clever formulation as close to dairy as you can get without jumping back to the cow.

In addition to the nutrients, Silk fortifies each carton with vitamins and minerals that offer a profile similar to dairy. The one outstanding difference is the milk's vitamin B12 content. While a serving of dairy milk provides a respectable 46% of your daily allotment (via Healthline), Silk Nextmilk drops a mind-boggling 130%, giving this alternative beverage a distinct edge, especially for herbivores in need of extra B12. Aside from a caveat for soy avoiders (the protein here is soy isolate), Silk Nextmilk is one of the best dairy milk alternatives out there.