Whether you’re someone whose digestive system simply can’t stomach lactose or you’re just looking to enjoy a healthier and more wholesome kind of milk, then you may have thought about getting a glassful of plant-based milk instead of your usual animal-based dairy. If you have, then you should definitely go for it—because not only does plant milk have its own nutritional advantages, it’s also perfect if you’re trying to get into the whole plant-based diet routine.

However, just like with everything else you add to your daily food intake, you have to choose your plant-based milk carefully. Otherwise, you might end up buying an inferior product that will not really do anything much for you in terms of nutrition.

To that end, here are some things you should consider when choosing plant-based milk products.

Is it cold-milled?

There are many ways to make plant-based milk products, each one with its pros and cons. However, one of the best procedures is cold milling, wherein the plant matter—for example, almonds, walnuts, or oats—is ground into a pulp and then milked without any application of heat. Heat has the tendency to remove a significant portion of nutrients when used in a plant-based milk manufacturing process, which results in a final product that isn’t as healthy and nutritious as it should be. Conversely, cold-milling ensures that all nutrients are intact and ends up in your glass the moment you pour the milk out of the carton.

Does it have industrial additives?

Many plant-based milk products you may see on your local grocery shelves today use industrial additives such as stabilizers, emulsifiers, or gums to make the texture of their milk extra-smooth and creamy. While this may sound harmless, the simple fact of the matter is that these leading brands are using additives to raise the supposed quality of their product—additives that you, the customer, will be consuming when you down a glass of their milk. Go the healthier and more natural route by choosing a brand that does not add these unnecessary substances into their product. Your body will thank you in the long run.

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Does it use more natural ingredients per serving?

Many healthy food products that are labeled to have natural ingredients usually only have a meager amount of these ingredients per serving. The same is lamentably true when it comes to some plant-based milk products out there. This not only results in a significantly lower quality and taste to the milk, but as the consumer, you’re not getting the most nutrients and health benefits with every glassful as well. Therefore it’s ideal that you pick a brand that uses more than the usual amount of natural ingredients in their product.

Does the brand offer variety?

All plant-based milk products, regardless of their source, usually has a very mild and very subtle taste. While it’s perfectly fine to enjoy them as they are, unflavored and unsweetened, sometimes you just want to have a bit of flavor variance to your milk. To that end, consider a brand that offers alternative variants like sweetened or chocolate-flavored products. It’s also great if you have a choice of plant milks from a variety of sources, whether nuts like almonds, walnuts, peanuts, and hazelnuts or grains like rice and oats.

Does the manufacturer have the environment in mind?

While not necessarily essential to your picking of plant-based milk products, it’s always a good thing when the brand or manufacturer you’re buying a product from is also thinking about the environment. If the brand of plant-based milk you’re looking to purchase sports certain earth-friendly practices such as sustainable and recyclable packaging, or ensuring that their product is certified by credible environmental organizations, then you may have a winner on your hands.

By keeping these five considerations in mind as you browse the plant milk section of your grocery, you ensure that you’re not only getting the healthy milk substitute that your body deserves, but you’re also making a choice that’s good for your budget and the environment.