As more and more people take plant-based milk alternatives such as oats, soy and almonds, can plant-based products provide the same nutrition as cow’s milk?
Milk is an important source of calcium and vitamin D, both of which have been identified in the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans as nutrients of public health concern inadequate intake. Milk is also a major protein source in the American diet.
To assess how the nutritional content of plant-based milk alternatives compares to cow’s milk, researchers surveyed more than 200 plant-based dairy alternatives sold in the United States in 2023. More products were included than had been included in previous studies. Compared to milk, only 12% of milk alternatives contained equal or greater amounts of all three nutrients studied (calcium, vitamin D, and protein).
Abigail Johnson, assistant professor and associate director of the Center for Nutritional Control at the University of Minnesota Graduate School of Public Health, will present the findings at NUTRITION 2023, the annual flagship meeting of the American Academy of Nutrition, July 22-25 in Boston.
Our results provide evidence that many plant-based milk alternatives are not nutritionally equivalent to cow’s milk. Based on these findings, consumers should look for plant-based milk alternatives that list calcium and vitamin D as ingredients. You may also want to consider adding other sources of calcium and vitamin D to your diet. ”
Abigail Johnson, Assistant Professor and Deputy Director, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota
The Center for Nutritional Control at the University of Minnesota maintains a database of approximately 19,000 foods for evaluating dietary intake in human studies. “Dietary assessments for nutrition studies show that consumers are choosing more plant-based alternatives to milk,” Johnson said. “This project was intended to increase the number of milk alternatives available in the Center for Nutrition’s food database.”
The study included nutritional information from Nutrition Facts labels and ingredient information for 233 plant-based dairy alternatives from 23 different manufacturers. For each product, researchers applied a nutrient calculator program to extrapolate complete nutrient information. We then compared the nutritional content of various products within the same category. For example, almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, etc. each other and milk. Only 28 plant-based alternatives had the same or higher levels of calcium, vitamin D and protein compared to milk.
Nearly two-thirds of the products included in this study were made from almonds, oats, or soybeans. The researchers found that 170 plant-based milk substitutes were fortified with both calcium and vitamin D, with fortification levels trending similar to cow’s milk. Specifically, 76% of oat-based products, 69% of soy-based products, and 66% of almond-based products were fortified with both calcium and vitamin D. The median protein content was 2.0 grams (g) of protein per 240 milliliters (ml) of liquid, with variation ranging from 0 to 12 g. Of the dairy alternatives studied, only 38 (16%) contained more than 8 g of protein per 240 ml of milk protein level. Soy- and pea-based alternatives were likely to be higher in protein.
“Our findings demonstrate the need to ensure that consumers are aware that many of the plant-based dairy alternatives on the market today are not nutritionally equivalent to cow’s milk,” Johnson said. “Product labeling requirements and dietary guidance for the general public are among the approaches that may help inform and educate consumers.”
Next, researchers plan to investigate other nutrients in plant-based milk alternatives that differ from cow’s milk. For example, many of these products contain fiber, suggesting that they may help meet some nutritional needs not found in cow’s milk.
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