Nut Milks (Almond, Rice and Coconut) which is best?

Posted on February 8th, 2017

Nut milks are an alternative milk source for many who experience the negative side effects of drinking cow’s milk. Nut milks can be a healthy staple in your diet, however it is much healthier for you to make them yourself.

If you are going to buy nut milks, I have put together a quick caparison for Rice, Almond and Coconut Milks to make shopping a little easier 🙂

Rice Milk

Serving Size 250ml

Protein (g) Sugars (g) Sodium (mg) Ingredients

Australia’s Own

 1.5 10.5 150 Filtered Australian Water, Organic Rice Flour (10%), Organic Sunflower Oil, Aquamin (Organic Calcium), Salt.

Coles

 0.8 10.5 150 Water, Australian Rice Flour (11%), Canola Oil, Mineral Salts (341, 509, 501), Salt.

Freedom Foods

 Filtered Water, Rice Flour (10%), Canola Oil, Mineral Salts (Calcium Phosphate, Potassium Carbonate, Calcium Chloride).

Macro Organic

 2.0 9.2 168 Filtered Water, Organic Whole Brown Rice (15%), Organic Sunflower Oil, Plant Calcium, Sea Salt.

Pureharvest (Unsweetened Original – added calcium)

 1.5 7.1 188 Filtered Water, Organic Whole Brown Rice (15%), Organic Sunflower Oil, Organic Plant Calcium, Sea Salt

Pureharvest (Unsweetened Original)

 1.1 14.4 159 Filtered Water, Organic Whole Brown Rice (14%), Organic Sunflower Oil, Sea Salt

Vitasoy (Original)

 0.7 14.5 162 Filtered Water, Whole Brown Rice (min 13%), Sunflower Oil, Calcium Phosphate, Sea Salt.

Vitasoy (Enriched)

 3.7 14.5 162 Filtered Water, Whole Brown Rice (min 11%), Chick peas (min 5%), Sunflower Oil, Calcium Phosphate, Sea Salt.

Woolworth Select

 0.8 9.0 155 Water, Rice Flour (13%), Canola Oil, Mineral Salts (341), Salt, Acidity Regulator (501).

Overall there isn’t a huge difference in the ingredients of all the brands of rice milks. There is at least 10% whole brown rice used. The main thing to really look for here is the sugars. Rice milk is naturally higher in sugar than other nut milks and you can taste this. Rice milk is often the easiest milk for people to adapt too once they find out that they need to re-frame from drinking cow’s milk.

When buying nut milks look out for ‘Canola Oil’ and re-frame from purchasing brands with this ingredient as the trans fats found in this oil has been linked to many serious health problems. You might also be surprised to see Chickpeas used in Rice Milk.

Best Brand

  • Pureharvest (Unsweetened) Original – added calcium)

It has the least amount of sugar per serve. Coming in second was ‘Marco Organic’ that contains a little more sugar per serve.

Almond Milk

Serving Size 250ml

Protein (g) Sugars (g) Sodium (mg) Ingredients

Almond Breeze (Original)

 1.5 20.5 130 Filtered Water, Ground Whole Almonds (2%), Calcium Carbonate (Ground Limestone), Tapioca Starch, Sea Salt, Carrageenan, Sunflower Lecithin, Natural Flavour.

Almond Breeze (Unsweetened)

 1.3 0.3 129 Filtered Water, Ground Whole Almonds (2%), Calcium Carbonate (Ground Limestone), Tapioca Starch, Sea Salt, Carrageenan, Sunflower Lecithin, Natural Flavour.

Australia’s Own (Original)

 1.5 4.8 150 Filtered Australian Water, Organic Almonds (3%), Organic Agave Syrup, Organic Sunflower Oil, Salt.

Australia’s Own (Unsweetened)

 1.5 0.3 98 Filtered Australian Water, Organic Almonds (3%), Organic Sunflower Oil, Salt.

Coles Brand (Unsweetened)

 1.5 0.5 98 Water, Ground Almonds (2.5%), Tapioca Starch, Natural Vanilla Flavour, Mineral Salt (170), Vegetable Gum (418, 415), Salt, Vegetable Emulsifier (322) (Sunflower)

Macro Organic

 1.5 4.8 150 Filtered Water, Organic Almonds 3%, Organic Rice Syrup, Organic Sunflower Oil, Sea Salt.

Nutty Bruce

 2.0 5.0 N/A Filtered Water (84.5%), Activated Organic Almonds (10%) (almonds that have been soaked in water for 12 hours), Organic Rice Syrup, Sea Salt.

Pureharvest (Original)

 0.7 6.0 150 Filtered water, Organic Activated Almonds (10%), Organic Rice Syrup, Sea Salt.

Pureharvest (Unsweetened)

 1.6 2.7 92.5 Filtered Water, Organic Activated Almonds (7%), Organic Brown Rice. Sea Salt, Natural Almond Essence.

Sanitarium So Good (Original)

 1.4 8.6 80 Filtered Water, Cane Sugar, Almonds (2.5%), Mineral (Calcium), Emulsifier (Sunflower Lecithin), Natural Flavour, Salt, Mineral Salt (Sodium Bicarbonate), Vegetable Gum (Gellan), Antioxidant (Ascorbic Acid), Vitamins (B12, B2, B1).

Sanitarium So Good (Unsweetened)

 1.4 0.3 90 Filtered Water, Almonds (2.5%), Mineral (Calcium), Emulsifier (Sunflower Lecithin), Natural Flavour, Salt, Mineral Salt (Sodium Bicarbonate), Vegetable Gum (Gellan), Antioxidant (Ascorbic Acid), Vitamins (B12, B2, B1).

So Delicious

 1.0 0 110 Filtered Water, Almonds, Contains 2% or less of: Vitamin and Mineral Blend (Calcium Carbonate, Vitamin E Acetate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin D2), Sea Salt, Natural Flavour, Sunflower Lecithin, Locust Bean Gum, Gellan Gum, Ascorbic Acid (to protect flavour).

Vitasoy (Original)

 1.8 6.3 90 Filtered Water, Whole Almonds (min. 3.8%), Raw Sugar, Minerals (Calcium Phosphate), Emulsifier (Sunflower Lecithin), Sea Salt, Vegetable Gum (Gellan), Natural Flavour.

Vitasoy (Unsweetened)

 1.8 0.3 90 Filtered Water, Whole Almonds (min. 3.8%), Minerals (Calcium Phosphate), Emulsifier (Sunflower Lecithin), Sea Salt, Vegetable Gum (Gellan), Natural Flavour.

Woolworths Select (Unsweetened)

 1.5 0.5 110 Water, Ground Almonds (2.5%), Natural Vanilla Flavour, Stabilisers (460, 466, 418, 415), Mineral Salt (Calcium Carbonate) Sea Salt, Vegetable Emulsifier (Sunflower Lecithin).

Looking at the majority of Almond Milk brands it is very common to only have 2-3% almonds. You want to be looking for brands that contain higher amounts of almonds to get more nutrition from the milk.

Almond Milks and Coconut Milks in particular are comprised of many more ingredients compared to Rice Milks and it can be much harder to make an educated decision when you are grocery shopping!

Best Brands

  • Purehavest

  • Nutty Bruce (located in cold section)

These are the healthiest options, they contain the least ingredients, the highest percentage of almonds and do not contain fillers and oils such as; tapioca starch, carrageenan, and vegetable gum.

Carrageenan is essentially a chemical and is used as a thickener and emulsifier in food products and has been linked to being carcinogenic. It is known for causing digestive problems, inflammation, skin rashes, blood sugar imbalances and other health concerns according to reports if consumed regularly.

Coconut Milk

Serving Size 250ml

Protein (g) Sugars (g) Sodium (mg) Ingredients

Coles (Unsweetened)

0.5 0.5 22 Water, Coconut Cream (9%), Sunflower Oil, Canola Oil, Mineral Salt (341), Stabilisers (418,415), Natural Flavour, Vegetable Emulsifier (322), (Sunflower).

Pureharvest (Coco Quench)

 1.4 9.5 138 Filtered Water, Organic Coconut Milk (20%), Organic Brown Rice

Sea Salt.

Nutty Bruce

 5.0 Less than 1.0 127 Filtered Water, Organic Coconut Milk (11%), Organic Brown Rice, Sea Salt.

Sanitarium So Good (Unsweetened)

 0.5 1.5 63 Filtered Water, Coconut Milk (23%) (Water, Coconut Cream), Vegetable Oils [Sunflower (Contains Soy), Canola], Mineral Salts (Tricalcium Phosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate), Emulsifier (Lecithin), Vegetable Gums (Gellan, Guar, Xanthan, Carrageenan), Salt, Natural Flavour, Modified Starch (1450).

So Delicious (Original)

 Less than 1.0 7.0 30 Filtered Water, Organic Coconut Cream, Organic Cane Sugar, Contains 2% or less of: Vitamin and Mineral Blend (Calcium Phosphate, L-Selenomethionine (Selenium), Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D2, Zinc Oxide, Vitamin B12), Sea Salt, Organic Sunflower Lecithin, Organic Locust Bean Gum, Gellan Gum.

So Delicious (Unsweetended)

 0 Less than 1.0 25 Filtered Water, Organic Coconut Cream, Organic Cane Sugar, Contains 2% or less of: Vitamin and Mineral Blend (Calcium Phosphate, Magnesium Phosphate, L-Selenomethionine (Selenium), Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D2, Zinc Oxide, Vitamin B12), Sea Salt, Organic Sunflower Lecithin, Organic Locust Bean Gum, Gellan Gum.

Vitasoy (Original)

 0.38 6.3 65 Filtered Water, Coconut Cream (min. 8%), Raw Sugar, Minerals (Calcium Phosphate), Emulsifier (471), Stabilisers (407,418), Natural Flavour, Sea Salt.

Vitasoy (Unsweetened)

 0.38 0.5 65 Filtered Water, Coconut Cream (min. 8%), Inulin, Minerals (Calcium Phosphate), Emulsifier (471), Stabilisers (407,418), Natural Flavour, Sea Salt.

Best Brands

  • Pureharvest

  • Nutty Bruce (located in cold section)

With the minimal ingredients they are your best options. Both these brands actually contain Organic Brown Rice which you might be surprised with. ‘Purehavest’ contains a lot more coconut milk over ‘Nutty Bruce’ hence that it is lower in protein but higher in sugar. The ‘Nutty Bruce’ brand does contain a higher amount of organic brown rice as their ingredient lists are the exact same.

I hope this comparison helps make your decision easier 🙂

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