[ifonly]

The almond milk can be a little harder to find. Maybe that's why it's not spoken of nearly as much. And, if you do find it at the general grocery store, they might not have unsweetened, vanilla, plain, etc. I've only tried one Almond Milk, that's Breeze.
Of the alternatives, rice milk has horrible taste and aftertaste. Soy has a very non-milk-like taste and sometimes bad aftertaste. The almond milk was the only thing I've found that I'll drink by itself. It's the most milk-like, imo. And to me, that was important. I wanted it to resemble milk as much as possible. Some folks don't care though, and they expect it'll be very different.

I'm from Seattle, can you imagine giving up your daily (and sometimes 2-3x daily) latte? Ugh. Coffee & milk seem to be my worst triggers (IBS). If I breakdown and have a starbucks frap bottle drink, I really pay for it almost immediately. It is a little reinforcing to avoid something if you get sick from it everytime you have it! Ugh.

[Misti in Seattle]

Hi Ifonly... for some reason I had forgotten about the almond milk, wow! But since you are from the Seattle area you will recognize the Fred Meyer name... that is where I found it. I agree that the rice milk is horrid... but the almond is fine. I bought both Vanilla and Chocolate for my lattes. It is Blue Diamond Breeze so probably what you are referring to...???

I almost never buy lattes any more... I go to Cash N Carry and get my own sugar free syrups (the ones with Splenda) and make my own. I normally don't use artificial sweeteners but do make an exception for my coffee syrup! You are right... in Seattle when it rains, we pour! I never even drank the stuff until I moved here... but then I got hooked. BUT if I make it myself I know exactly what goes into it... plus a huge bottle of the syrup is $3.29 at Cash N Carry so I save a LOT of $$$ and mine is better.

Oh yah those bottled Starbucks ones are good. Except really too sweet for me. BUT I almost never drink one!! Actually I am much more a Tully's fan than Starbucks... but often the little stands make them better and far cheaper. I can't even remember the last time I bought one anywhere though.

[Elanajel]

Overall, I agree with Walter Willett (from Harvard School of Public Health--wrote Eat, Drink and Be Healthy) and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine group--cow's milk is basically "breast milk for calves". Human adults don't need to drink cow's milk and it's basically the heavy lobbying of the dairy industry that keeps it so prevalent and in the food pyramid.

That said, I do think we need some calcium in our diets. I try to get it from calcium-processed tofu, leafy greens, fortified cereal and beans. The Vegetarian Resource Group has a good website with non-dairy sources of calcium listed and described.