STORY: Almond milk kills bees, dairy milk heats the planet: So, what kind of milk should we drink?

MILK WARS:

Almond milk kills bees, dairy milk heats the planet:

So, what kind of milk should we drink?

It may be the perfect companion to a plate of warm cookies, but a recent study by researchers at the University of Oxford ⁽¹⁾ determined that a glass of dairy milk produces almost three times more greenhouse gas than any plant-based milk and required nine times more land for grazing and growing feed.

We have evolved to a point in the natural food and beverage industries where nutritional value and sustainability play co-equal roles in the development of products for environmentally aware consumers, says Steve Gelerman, founder and CEO of Banana Wave, makers of the first non-dairy milk made from whole bananas.

Here are some facts Gelerman says that educated millennial's are factoring into their purchasing decisions when searching for alternatives to dairy milks:

ALMOND MILK

Almonds require more water than any other dairy alternative, consuming 130 pints of water to produce a single glass of almond milk, according to the Oxford study. Satisfying continual demands for larger almond crops is also placing unsustainable pressures on US commercial beekeepers. Nearly 70% of commercial bees in the US are drafted every spring to pollinate almonds. as a result of these pressures.over one-third of them -- died by seasons end--Last year, a record number

COCONUT MILK

An exceptionally rich source of nourishing fatty acids for both diet and skin, the world-wide demand for coconut is causing exploitation of workers and destruction of rain rain forests.

RICE MILK

Although rice milk is inexpensive and widely available dairy alternative, it offers little in the way of nutrition or environmental benefits. Rice is a water hog, according to the Oxford study, plus it produces more greenhouse gas emissions than any other plant milk. Bacteria breeding in rice paddies pump methane into the atmosphere and large amounts of fertilizer pollute waterways.

SOY MILK

Soy is the only plant milk that comes close to offering a protein content comparable to dairy. The primary environmental drawback to soy milk is that soybeans are grown in massive quantities around the world to feed livestock for meat and dairy production. Large swaths of rain forest in the Amazon have been burned to make way for soy farms.

OAT MILK

According to Bloomberg Business, retail sales of oat milk in the US, have surpassed almond milk as the fastest-growing dairy alternative. Oats are grown in cooler climates such as the northern US and Canada and are therefore not associated with deforestation in developing countries. Oats are high in soluble fiber like beta-glucan, which benefits blood sugar, as well as digestive and heart health.⁽²⁾

BANANA MILK

The first non-dairy milk made from bananas as an alternative to dairy, nut, and rice milks. www.bananawave.love

ABOUT STEVE GELERMAN

A veteran of the natural foods industry for more than 20 years, Steve Gelerman
(AKA Mr. Banana) is the founder of Ians Natural Foods, makers of a wide variety of allergy-friendly meal solutions for kids.He is also the CEO of Banana Wave, makers of the first non-dairy milk made from whole bananas.

REF:(1) https://science.sciencemag.org/content/360/6392/987