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With so many options available in the supermarket fridge, it’s important to learn about the nutrient comparison of cow’s milk vs. plant-based beverages so you can ably guide patient choices while the grocer’s fridge is filled with different types of cow’s milk and plant-based beverages (PBBs), they do not have the same nutrient composition. Milk is known for containing 15 essential nutrients from vitamin A to zinc. The nutrient content of PBBs has a huge range – some are fortified, some are not, and they all have vastly different Nutrition Facts panels.

There are over 20 PBBs to choose from, which can be made from nuts (almonds, cashews), coconuts, grains (rice, oats), legumes (soy, peas), and seeds (flax, hemp).¹ With a range of possible nutrients, the nutritional quality of PBBs is highly variable.² Milk tends to have more protein and a wider variety of vitamins and minerals compared to PBB.

Since PBBs are often sold in the dairy case in similar packaging to milk, some consumers mistakenly think milk and PBB are interchangeable. That can be problematic if consumers choose a low-protein or unfortified PBB and get fewer nutrients without realizing it.

Choosing a lower-nutrient PBB can be a public health concern if it replaces milk, since milk is a main source of protein, calcium, potassium, and vitamin D in the diet.³ Here’s a guide to help your clients make informed choices.

PROTEIN

Globally, dairy is an important contributor to population nutrition, providing 12 per cent of dietary protein.⁴ Milk has 9 grams of protein per cup – and the protein is particularly high quality, per the Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS). Milk protein concentrate has a DIAAS score of 1.18, compared to 0.94–0.97 for soy protein isolate, 0.54 for oats, 0.4 for almonds, and 0.37 for rice protein.⁵

As shown in this chart comparing milk and PBBs, milk has the most protein, with 9 grams per cup. Soy beverages have the closest protein content to milk (6-8 grams per cup), while the other PBB groups contain about 1 gram of protein per cup.

Several studies have compared the protein in milk and PBBs. One study found that one cup of milk provides a greater contribution toward the recommended daily intake (RDI) of all amino acids considered (29–61 per cent contribution to each amino acid except histidine), while PBBs provide 11 per cent or less.⁶ In another study, researchers found that the protein content of PBBs ranged from 5 to 100 per cent (48 per cent when averaged) of the protein content of milk.⁷

That means it’s important for consumers to carefully read labels if they are looking for a protein-rich milk or alternative. Milk comes out on top, both for protein quality and quantity.

CALCIUM

Calcium in milk is naturally occurring, and milk provides 30 percent of the per cent Daily Value (DV). Calcium is added to PBBs via fortification, and the amount added can range from 23-38 per cent DV.

But there’s one hiccup with calcium in PBBs. Since it’s added as a fortifier, it’s not naturally part of the beverage. Studies show that the added calcium sinks to the bottom of the beverage container as sediment. So, the nutrient content of PBBs depends on whether the product has been shaken.⁸

In one study comparing the calcium content of PBBs based on shaking, researchers learned that unshaken almond and soy samples had 14 and 18 per cent lower calcium contents than their well-mixed samples. Even more troubling, unshaken rice and oat samples had 96 and 97 per cent lower calcium contents than the well-mixed samples.⁹

While there may be comparable amounts of calcium on Nutrition Facts panels, you get more calcium from milk because it doesn’t separate from the beverage and settle on the bottom of the container.¹⁰

OTHER VITAMINS AND MINERALS

Milk contains 14 different vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, vitamin B12, potassium, magnesium and zinc. PBBs don’t have that variety; they range based on what’s naturally occurring and how much they are fortified.

Overall, milk contains more vitamins and minerals than PBBs, including more potassium, phosphorus and zinc.¹¹ Plus, studies show that the bioavailability of phosphorus and zinc is significantly lower in soy PBB products compared to milk. Phytate, an antinutrient found in plant-based foods and beverages, reduces mineral absorption from plant-based foods.¹²

WHOLE VS. ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS

Milk is considered a whole food. The only ingredients are milk and vitamins. Some PBBs are close to nature and the only ingredients they contain are water, vitamins and the plant they are named for (almond, soy, etc.).

But buyer beware. More often, PBBs are considered ultra-processed. Studies show that 90 per cent of PBBs meet the criteria for ultra-processed foods, meaning they contain sweeteners, hydrogenated oils, hydrolyzed proteins, flavour enhancers, emulsifiers, thickeners, and/or bulking agents.¹³ Dietary guidelines recommend eating more whole foods and cutting back on ultra-processed foods to help lower the risk of chronic dis-ease.^14,15

CONCLUSION

When comparing milk and PBBs, milk comes in on top for protein, calcium, vitamin and mineral content. Soy is the nearest substitute, with several caveats: fortification sediment at the bottom of the container, less calcium bioavailability, and slightly lower protein quality. Other PBBs don’t compare, so it’s important that consumers understand that most PBB should not be considered a nutritional substitute for milk.

• PBBs often have low content of the named plant ingredient. For example, a 250 g serving of almond beverage contains 9 grams of almonds, which is around 6 almonds.¹⁶
• Millennials are the largest group consuming PBBs. Seventy-seven percent of millennials buy PBB regularly.¹⁷

For more information, visit Milk.org.

Cara Rosenbloom RD is a registered dietitian, journalist and author in Toronto. 

1. www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/3/842/htm
2. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34746213/
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13. academic.oup.com/advances/article-abstract/12/6/2068/6325326?redirectedFrom=fulltext&login=false
14. food-guide.canada.ca/en/healthy-eating-recommendations/limit-highly-processed-foods/
15. food-guide.canada.ca/en/healthy-eating-recommendations/make-it-a-habit-to-eat-vegetables-fruit-whole-grains-and-protein-foods/
16. www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.957486/full
17. www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/3/842/htm