Plant milk with HIT: how I replaced cow's milk

The kinds that usually work well for me:

• Rice milk — the most neutral and gentle, the first one I tolerated without any trouble.
• Coconut milk (the drinkable kind, not the thick tinned one) — creamy, good in coffee and for cooking.
• Hemp milk — subtle in taste, easy to digest.

The ones I'm careful with:

• Soy milk — it's fine for some people, not for others; I tolerate it poorly, so I avoid it.
• Nut milks — almonds usually work for me, but I'm cautious with other nuts (some can set off reactions).
• Additives — many store-bought plant milks contain gums, flavourings and sweeteners. I choose the unsweetened versions with a short ingredient list. The fewer additives, the better.

My practical tips:

• Read the label: ideally just the base (rice/coconut/hemp) + water + maybe a little salt/calcium.
• Introduce only one new kind at a time and see how you react over a few days.
• If you want even more control, there are homemade versions (e.g. rice milk) that are surprisingly simple.

Switching to plant milk was, for me, one of the changes with the biggest impact and the least effort.

If you want even more control: make it at home

Rice or oat milk is surprisingly simple to make at home — basically just base plus water, blended and strained — and you know exactly what's in it, with no additives. I keep it in the fridge and use it within 2-3 days (fresher is always better). For busy days I buy the unsweetened versions with a short ingredient list.