Plant-based milk alternatives, like almond, soy, and oat, have taken grocery stores by storm in recent years. With some people removing cow’s milk entirely from their diets, the question arises, does plant-based milk offer the same nutritional benefits as cow’s milk? Let’s think twice.
The nutritional value of plant-based (PB) milk alternatives is variable compared to cow’s milk, particularly in terms of protein. Research indicates that PB milk alternatives generally have lower protein content than cow’s milk. A 2022 systematic review of PB milk alternatives (1) found that only 7.7% of PB milks met USDA standards for protein. Furthermore, a 2021 study (2) reported that almond and soy milk provide less than half the protein content of cow’s milk.
Despite differences in protein content, PB milk alternatives can provide other nutrients, such as calcium, Vitamin A, and Vitamin D, and B12, in sufficient amounts. For example, the same 2021 study reported that almond milk contained the highest calcium content compared to oat, soy, goat’s, and cow’s milk (2). Fortification of PB milks with nutrients can help them meet the necessary standards (1). In a 2021 study by Johnson et al. (3,4), analysis of 233 PB milks revealed that half were fortified with vitamin D and 2/3 with calcium.
Additionally, some PB milk alternatives, especially almond milk, are desirable for their lower calories (5). For example, according to Baylor College of Medicine (6), almond milk is a lower-calorie option than cow’s milk due to its low protein and carbohydrate content, and it can provide small amounts of unsaturated fats.
Though fortification and other strategies can increase the nutrient content of PB milks, some research refutes their nutritional value. The same study by Johnson et al. found that only 12% of milk alternatives contained comparable or greater amounts of calcium, vitamin D, and protein when compared to cow’s milk (3). This result demonstrates a need for further research investigating nutritional outcomes of PB milks and the roles that the various key nutrients play.
While there is a long way to go before we fully understand the differences between milk products, it remains important to read milk labels and educate ourselves on the milks that are best for us.
References
Drewnowski A. (2022). Most Plant-Based Milk Alternatives in the USDA Branded Food Products Database Do Not Meet Proposed Nutrient Standards or Score Well on Nutrient Density Metrics. Nutrients, 14(22), 4767. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14224767
Collard, K. M., & McCormick, D. P. (2021). A Nutritional Comparison of Cow’s Milk and Alternative Milk Products. Academic pediatrics, 21(6), 1067–1069. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acap.2020.12.007
American Society for Nutrition (2023, July 4). Nutritional content of most milk alternatives doesn’t measure up to cow’s milk. https://nutrition.org/nutritional-content-of-most-milk-alternatives-doesnt-measure-up-to-cows-milk/#:~:text=Compared%20to%20cow’s%20milk%2C%20only,%2C%20vitamin%20D%2C%20and%20protein
Lamotte, S. (2023, July 25). Good or bad? Plant-based and cow’s milk are not always nutritionally equal, study says. CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/2023/07/25/health/plant-milk-nutrition-labels-wellness/index.html
Vanga, S. K., & Raghavan, V. (2018). How well do plant based alternatives fare nutritionally compared to cow’s milk?. Journal of food science and technology, 55(1), 10–20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-017-2915-y
Warren H. (2023, October 4). Cow milk vs. Alternative milk: what’s the best? Baylor College of Medicine. https://www.bcm.edu/news/cow-milk-vs-alternative-milk-whats-the-best#:~:text=Almond%20milk%20is%20a%20lower,with%20calcium%20and%20vitamin%20D.
