Milk alternatives: are plant-based milks better than dairy?

BHF dietitian Victoria Taylor says:

Non-dairy milks vary in the nutrients that they provide, and don’t have the same combination of nutrients as dairy. However, there are other food sources of all the nutrients that are found in dairy products, so any differences aren’t necessarily a problem as long as you plan your diet so that it includes other sources.

There are differences between brands as well as between different types of plant milk, so it’s a good idea to check the nutrition label. Try to choose one that has been fortified with calcium, B vitamins (riboflavin and B12), vitamin D and iodine. That’s because for most of us, dairy products are a source of these nutrients. If you choose unfortified plant milk (organic plant milks for example) these will not generally contribute as many nutrients to your diet as dairy milk.

Dairy milk contains more protein than some other plant milks, although most of us get more protein than we need so this isn’t necessarily a big consideration. Soya and pea milks have more protein than most other plant milks, and a similar amount to cow’s milk.

Try to avoid plant milks that have added sugar and/or salt. (While dairy milk does contain natural sugars, these are milk sugars which are not the kind that we’re recommended to cut down on.)

There may be no harm in switching to plant milks, but there is no nutritional reason to stop drinking cow’s milk either. Dairy milk is nutritious and while protein and calcium content is well known, we are still developing our understanding of how its unique package of nutrients can affect our health.

So, in short, from a nutrition point of view there isn’t a strong reason why any specific milk is “best”. It’s about the nutrients in each and whether you will have other sources of them in your diet.