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We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again (although given this news we really might not need to), but milk’s days are numbered. Over the past few decades, milk has reigned as the go-to beverage for good health, leading with its high protein and calcium content. But as more people have woken up to the fact that milk isn’t the only source of calcium and learned about the potential negative health effects of consuming dairy, their loyalties have changed. After all, why worry about drinking hormones and antibiotics when you could grab a nice glass of almond milk instead?
“U.S. milk consumption has been steadily declining by 25 percent per capita since the mid-1970s. Americans, on average, drink 37 percent less milk today than they did in 1970, according to data from the USDA,” said Nil Zacharias, Co-Founder of One Green Planet, “That’s an astounding fact. What are they consuming instead? Plant-based alternatives like almond, soy, and coconut milk.”
And according to a new study from Nielsen, that’s exactly what people have been doing. In the past five years alone, sales of almond milk have grown 250 percent to more than $894.6 million. As for traditional milk? Well, overall dairy consumption has been on the decline since the 1970s, and milk prices have severely dipped in the past few years alone.
Not to mention, the beverage category is hardly the only place where dairy is losing. The dairy-free dessert market is now worth over $200 million, vegan cheese has reached around $30 million, and it seems like every other day there is a new amazing plant-based replacement for virtually every product that’s been monopolized by dairy in the past (seriously, just check these pizza pockets, this butter, and these amazing ice creams).
Suffice it to say, traditional milk will be waving it’s white flag of surrender soon. With a wealth of dairy-free options ranging from almond, cashew, macadamia, soy, pecan, potato (yes, potato), hemp, rice … literally, we could go on for days … it seems a bit ridiculous to keep relying on cows milk. Given the positive health and amazing environmental benefits of choosing a dairy alternative, really, it is a no-brainer. If you’re looking to get on the plant-based milk train, click here.
Image source: How to Milk an Almond
Steph – we were such great friends miss you joyce
I really can’t see one good reason for not substituting cow milk. Should have done so decades ago! But better late than never, there is such a wide range of alternatives!
Jackie is right- the almond milk that is being sold is a total rip off- VERY little almond in the milk and a lot of “stuff.”Don’t be fooled like everyone else and think you are buying something that’s good for you.