# "Non-dairy milk" isn't milk! Argh

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-dairy-milk-isnt-milk-argh/564481>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [December 17, 2010, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-dairy-milk-isnt-milk-argh/564481 "2010-12-17T05:33:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-dairy-milk-isnt-milk-argh/564481/21 "2010-12-20T00:54:29Z")

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> [@Acorns.but\_not\_Bacon](#):
>
> And as for the tea thing, it’s the only name that works, what other name could it have? Leaf flavoured water?

I see them called infusions, in places that care about these things. Works for me.

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**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-dairy-milk-isnt-milk-argh/564481/22 "2010-12-20T00:58:14Z")

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> [@Mangetout](#):
>
> Meh. Words have more than one meaning, applying to different things that are, or are not similar. Whipped cream is not the same as cold cream is not the same as cream of tartar.
> 
> Being white and milk-like _does_ make it appropriate to call it milk. That’s just how language works.

Only if usage _allows_ it. I’m trying to influence usage so it doesn’t. It’s a completely unnecessary and anti-informative slurring of meaning that ought to be fought. Ought to be fought, I say!

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**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-dairy-milk-isnt-milk-argh/564481/23 "2010-12-20T20:40:42Z")

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> [@Askance](#):
>
> [This thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=589421) asks the non-question “Best non dairy milk?”. I hate designating anything that didn’t come from a mammary gland as “milk” - if it came from a plant it’s juice, dammit. Soy juice, almond juice, coconut juice - what’s wrong with that? Just because it’s whitish doesn’t make it milk.
> 
> And don’t get me started on “tea” that doesn’t come from a tea bush.

I’d suggest you take your complaint to [zoologists](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crop_milk) first. Then, once the scientific community has stopped referring to non-mammalian products as milk, we can talk about soy and rice based products.

(Consumption of other animal’s milk is weird. Consumption of any animal’s milk past an age when consumption of solid food is possible is really pretty gross.)

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