# Mmm-mmm, fishy milk! Thanks, Smart Balance! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** soda-softdrinks\ **Created:** [February 28, 2008, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-mmm-fishy-milk-thanks-smart-balance/439497 "2008-02-28T13:07:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2008, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-mmm-fishy-milk-thanks-smart-balance/439497/1 "2008-02-28T13:07:57Z")
I’m a bit lactose-intolerant, but I love milk on my cereal. So I normally buy LactAid brand lactose-free milk. But in the supermarket the other day, they had a new brand: Smart Balance. I picked up a carton just to try it. I noticed it said something about Omega-3 fatty acids, but didn’t read the ingredients. That night, I decided a bedtime snack of Fruity Cheerios would be just right. Opened the milk, poured it, tasted it – fish. Not sour or curdled, but fishy. I looked on the ingredient label; sure enough, it contains “purified fish oil”. I guess purifying fish oil doesn’t involve removing any of the taste. Possibly I could get used to it, but I’m not going to. Poured it out, threw away the bowl of cereal, and got some LactAid next time. Has anybody else tried this stuff? I know those happy fatty acids are supposed to be good for you, but does it have to be fish oil? ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2008, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-mmm-fishy-milk-thanks-smart-balance/439497/2 "2008-02-28T13:16:41Z")
How would anybody think fish oil in milk is a good idea? Eat some flax seed. ---
**Author:** ![Tabithina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f04885/32.png) [@Tabithina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabithina)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2008, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-mmm-fishy-milk-thanks-smart-balance/439497/3 "2008-02-28T13:25:58Z")
Oh, yuck! Thanks for the warning. I thought about buying some of that last time I went shopping. I’m being naughty this morning, and eating some of my kids’ froot loops. I’m just imagining what they would taste like with a fishy note added. Yummm! A bowl of fish-candy for breakfast! ---
**Author:** ![Martha\_Medea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@Martha\_Medea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martha_Medea)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2008, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-mmm-fishy-milk-thanks-smart-balance/439497/4 "2008-02-28T13:53:53Z")
I bought Omega3-enriched eggs once. Bleeuugh! Never again. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2008, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-mmm-fishy-milk-thanks-smart-balance/439497/5 "2008-02-28T14:36:04Z")
[QUOTE=Harmonious Discord] How would anybody think fish oil in milk is a good idea? Eat some flax seed. [/QUOTE] Apparently the oils in flax aren’t nearly so beneficial (in terms of what people are trying to achieve in putting Omega 3 in everything) as those in fish. I’ll see if I can dig up a cite. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2008, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-mmm-fishy-milk-thanks-smart-balance/439497/6 "2008-02-28T17:40:25Z")
Yeah, I eat flax seed for the fiber, but still use fish oil supplements for the omega 3 fatty acids. I had thought that the omega 3 enriched eggs were produced by feeding chickens flax seed. I don’t see how that could affect the taste, flax seed has kind of a pleasant, almost nutty flavor. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2008, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-mmm-fishy-milk-thanks-smart-balance/439497/7 "2008-02-28T17:48:08Z")
That’s odd, I use the Smart Balance margarine and I like it, no fishy taste, but I do use the one made with flax seed. I wonder why they decided to go with fish oil instead of flax seen with the milk? I don’t think I could have tolerated that on cereal either but I wouldn’t have dumped it, sounds like it would be ideal to use in a fish or clam chowder. It would be a good excuse to make a big pot of chowder, which would be great right now since it’s all cold and stuff again, it’s about 50 degrees F here! Brrrr! ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2008, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-mmm-fishy-milk-thanks-smart-balance/439497/8 "2008-02-28T19:55:39Z")
I really like flax seed in bread and it would be fine in cereal. Save the fish oil for gel caps that you swallow, and then it’s a problem for some people. Fish oil in food would ruin the taste of any food. It reminds me of a bread that they started putting pea flour into, to make it higher fiber. Everything had a pea taste in it. Pea flavored toast and jelly is terrible. Yuk. ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2008, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-mmm-fishy-milk-thanks-smart-balance/439497/9 "2008-02-28T20:15:38Z")
[QUOTE=Wile E] I don’t think I could have tolerated that on cereal either but I wouldn’t have dumped it, sounds like it would be ideal to use in a fish or clam chowder. It would be a good excuse to make a big pot of chowder, which would be great right now since it’s all cold and stuff again, it’s about 50 degrees F here! Brrrr! [/QUOTE] Chowder; didn’t think of that. Good idea. Tough it out; soon Florida will be back up to armpit temperature! ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2008, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-mmm-fishy-milk-thanks-smart-balance/439497/10 "2008-02-28T20:55:04Z")
I always figured the reason fish oil supplements are sealed inside 3mm thick gelatin capsules is to minimize the risk of someone having to actually taste the stuff. ---
**Author:** ![mshar253](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@mshar253](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mshar253)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2008, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-mmm-fishy-milk-thanks-smart-balance/439497/11 "2008-02-28T22:25:36Z")
That’s odd that your grocer just started stocking the Smart Balance milk; I had worked at a grocery store for years, and I remember stocking that stuff in 2006–maybe even earlier. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-mmm-fishy-milk-thanks-smart-balance/439497/12 "2008-02-29T02:37:38Z")
I don’t know if it gets a wide distribution since it’s based in New England but [Garelic Farms](http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0820/is_n231/ai_18810448) does the same thing to their milk and has for at least the last 15 years. I wonder if the Smart Balance chololate milk has it, though, because I didn’t notice it, and I hate Garelic Farms’ milk. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-mmm-fishy-milk-thanks-smart-balance/439497/13 "2008-02-29T02:50:10Z")
Garelic Farms doesn’t happen to be in Gilroy, California, does it? ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-mmm-fishy-milk-thanks-smart-balance/439497/14 "2008-02-29T04:03:34Z")
[QUOTE=elfkin477] I don’t know if it gets a wide distribution since it’s based in New England but [Garelic Farms](http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0820/is_n231/ai_18810448) does the same thing to their milk and has for at least the last 15 years. I wonder if the Smart Balance chololate milk has it, though, because I didn’t notice it, and I hate Garelic Farms’ milk. [/QUOTE] Sheesh, if it’s not McDonalds basting their fries and hash browns with beef broth, it’s dairies sneaking fish oil into milk. ☹ Being an ovo-lacto vegetarian can really be a pain in the ass. ---
**Author:** ![Crocodiles\_And\_Boulevards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ee7513/32.png) [@Crocodiles\_And\_Boulevards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crocodiles_And_Boulevards)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-mmm-fishy-milk-thanks-smart-balance/439497/15 "2008-02-29T04:56:45Z")
That sounds disgusting. Bleh! My favorite brand of lactose-free milk is Land O’ Lakes. Lactaid tastes way too chalky for me =/ ---
**Author:** ![BaneSidhe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c5a1d2/32.png) [@BaneSidhe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaneSidhe)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-mmm-fishy-milk-thanks-smart-balance/439497/16 "2008-02-29T05:01:57Z")
Hint from my eye dr—if you can’t stand the taste of fish oil capsules or get “fishy burps”, put your caps in the freezer. Hubby does that to his and it works like a charm. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-mmm-fishy-milk-thanks-smart-balance/439497/17 "2008-02-29T10:58:35Z")
[QUOTE=Harmonious Discord] Fish oil in food would ruin the taste of any food. [/QUOTE] Except, oddly, fish. And that’s how I prefer to get it - smoked mackerel! Yum. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-mmm-fishy-milk-thanks-smart-balance/439497/18 "2008-02-29T11:03:36Z")
[QUOTE=Wile E] That’s odd, I use the Smart Balance margarine and I like it, no fishy taste, but I do use the one made with flax seed. I wonder why they decided to go with fish oil instead of flax seen with the milk? [/QUOTE] From [this BBC food webpage](http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/food_matters/omega.shtml): > [@](#): > > Fish oils are the best source of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. Soya, hemp, flax and pumpkin seeds and oils, walnuts and leafy green vegetables - all healthy foods with other benefits too - contain omega-3 fatty acids - but they are the shorter-chain ones. > > Our bodies can convert these into the long-chain EDA and DHA fatty acids that do most good, but not very efficiently, according to independent nutritionists. ---
**Author:** ![dbuzman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de0a6/32.png) [@dbuzman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dbuzman)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-mmm-fishy-milk-thanks-smart-balance/439497/19 "2008-02-29T11:12:46Z")
When I was stationed in Okinawa, the military would dehydrate milk and ship it to Okinawa then rehydrate it using coconut oil. Eventually you got used to the taste. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-mmm-fishy-milk-thanks-smart-balance/439497/20 "2008-02-29T17:00:28Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] From [this BBC food webpage](http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/food_matters/omega.shtml): [/QUOTE] Yeah, but certainly it would dawn on someone that it would make the milk taste fishy and best to go with something less flavorful. Even if it doesn’t provide as much benefit they can still put “contains flax seed oil” and people would think it’s good for them. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-mmm-fishy-milk-thanks-smart-balance/439497.md?page=2)