In the past few years, it seems that plant milks have taken over the world. But, with so many to choose from, it can be hard to figure out which one you should pour in your coffee or even drink straight from the glass. But don’t worry — as a vegan of many years, I’m here to rank all of the plant milks (or the ones that matter, anyways).
- Oat milk
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This is, by far, the best plant milk that exists. It shouldn’t even be a competition, really. Oat milk is smooth, creamy, and ever-so-slightly sweet. There’s a variety of brands to choose from, from Oatly to Planet Oat to Happy Planet. And, it’s at Dunkin’ now. Score.
- Almond milk
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Coming in second we have almond milk. Popularized in large part by YouTuber Emma Chamberlain’s iconic iced almond milk lattes, this was the milk that made “plant-based” cool. Slightly more bitter and smoother than both oat milk and cow’s milk, it tastes great in a latte or smoothie. And even though oat milk may have overtaken the plant milk throne, almond milk will always have a special place in every plant-based person’s heart.
- Coconut milk
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This is an interesting one. Although coconut milk is not as cool in the L.A. coffee scene as oat or almond, it does have its fans. Because of its sweet flavor and creaminess, it’s used as the milk-of-choice in the famous Starbucks “Pink Drink” (which combines coconut milk with an Açaí Refresher).
- Soy milk
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And we’re onto soy milk, which is pretty controversial in the plant-based community. While soy milk could be considered the “OG” plant milk, it has recently fallen out of popularity. It just doesn’t have the same “coolness” factor or the creamy, smooth taste of the other plant milks. Next.
- Other milks?!
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Okay, so those are the most popular plant milks — but they aren’t the only ones out there. There’s a whole world of other possibilities — like rice milk, cashew milk, hemp milk, flax milk, pea milk, macadamia nut milk, and more. Try some out, and see which one you like best!
Okay, so there’s my ranking. But, in all seriousness, no matter what your milk of choice is, you are welcome in the plant-based community! And now that it’s fall, we can all celebrate with a good old-fashioned pumpkin spice latte (with plant milk, of course).