By: Reina Black, CSUN Dietetic Intern Cohort 2021-2023

There has been a huge influx of plant-based/non-dairy milks in recent years. From more traditional soy and almond milks to others like oat and flax milks, the non-dairy milk industry has skyrocketed. The USDA’s Economic Research Service reports that sales of plant-based products increased 36% from 2013 to 2017, while sales of cow’s milk declined by 12% during the same time period.¹ As of 2019, plant-based milk is an estimated 14-billion-dollar industry and growing.² Reasons for increased consumer demand may include lactose intolerance, milk allergy, following a vegan diet, environmental concerns, or personal preference. In addition, plant-based milk has been promoted by some as a healthier alternative to cow’s milk; but, are these milk alternatives really better than their dairy counterpart? 

According to recent research, the answer is no. While milk alternatives may have some “health promoting properties,” they do not contain the full nutritional value that cow-derived milk provides. ^2,3,4 Those who use cereal-based milk alternatives such as oat or rice milk are at greater risk for nutritional deficiency. In fact, cereal-based milks are “not suitable as a complete milk replacement for children under 5 years old” if their protein content is not equivalent to cow’s milk.³ Cow’s milk is a major source of calories, protein, fat, and calcium. The amount of these nutrients in plant-based milk varies greatly depending on the type of plant-based milk and the brand.⁴

Calorie content of non-dairy milks may be greater than that of cow’s milk – even more than whole fat cow’s milk. Increased calorie consumption could potentially have impacts on weight, possibly leading to obesity.⁴ Additionally, more of the calories in plant-based milks tend to come from carbohydrates/sugars compared to cow’s milk. This may be important, especially to those with diabetes, due to the impacts on blood sugar.⁴  

In general, the milk alternatives have lower amounts of protein than cow’s milk. This is significant because lack of protein can lead to “stunted growth, muscle wasting, weakened immunity, osteoporosis, …and other health-related challenges.”⁴ For young children, getting the necessary amount of protein is essential to growth and development.³ 

As for calcium, many fortified plant-based milks have calcium amounts that exceed that of cow’s milk. Yet, consumers of these milk alternatives are likely not getting the advertised amount of calcium per serving, as calcium supplements in milk alternatives tend to settle at the bottom of the container. Even when shaken to mix the settled calcium, consumers may only be getting 59% of the calcium that is advertised on the label of plant-based milks, which could result in less calcium intake than cow’s milk.⁴  

Positively, there tends to be higher proportions of unsaturated fats in plant milk compared to cow’s milk. This is beneficial for limiting intake of saturated fats, which are less healthy than unsaturated fats. Nonetheless, this possible benefit of non-dairy milks does not make them nutritionally superior when taking into account the other concerns previously mentioned. Also, lower saturated fat intake can be achieved by drinking 1% or non-fat cow’s milk, while maintaining nutritional quality. 

However, if a person wants to try a plant-based milk alternative, the milk should be as nutritionally similar to cow’s milk as possible. Soy milk is an optimal choice for a non-dairy milk alternative, as it seems to be the most nutritionally comparable to cow’s milk.⁵ However, with soy being one of the major allergens, some still may need other options. It is best to look for milk alternatives without added sugars (unsweetened), that are a good source of protein (at least 6g per 250 ml³) and are high in calcium (close to 300 mg per 250 ml). 

Overall, nothing can replace the original. Therefore, if you are without a milk allergy or are not lactose intolerant, you may want to consider sticking with the naturally sourced, minimally processed cow’s milk. 

You can use the table below as a quick and easy visual comparison of the nutrient values in different types of milk. If you are still uncertain about which type of milk is best for you or if you are looking for other ways to include dairy or calcium in your diet, reach out to the Marilyn Magaram Center by emailing magaram.center@csun.edu or calling 818-677-3102. 

References

1. Stewart H. Plant-based products replacing cow’s milk, but the impact is small. USDA Economic Research Service. 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2020/december/plant-based-products-replacing-cow-s-milk-but-the-impact-is-small/  
2. Park YW. The impact of plant-based non-dairy alternative milk on the dairy industry. Food Sci Anim Resour. 2021;41(1):8-15. doi: 10.5851/kosfa.2020.e82  
3. Sethi S, Tyagi SK, Anurag RK. Plant-based milk alternatives an emerging segment of functional beverages: a review. J Food Sci Technol. 2016;53(9):3408-3423. doi: 10.1007/s13197-016-2328-3  
4. Chalupa-Krebzdak S, Long CJ, Bohrer BM. Nutrient density and nutritional value of milk and plant-based milk alternatives.” International Dairy Journal. 2018;87:84–92. doi: 10.1016/j.idairyj.2018.07.018 
5. Vanga SK, Raghavan V. How well do plant based alternatives fare nutritionally compared to cow’s milk?. J Food Sci Technol. 2018;55:10–20. doi: 10.1007/s13197-017-2915-y