Most plant-based milks have less protein and calcium than cow’s milk

Plant-based milks made from almonds, oats, rice and soya beans generally contain fewer nutrients than cow’s milk

By Carissa Wong

24 July 2023

Swapping cow’s milk for a plant-based alternative could cause people to miss out on key nutrients

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Most plant-based milks have lower amounts of protein than cow’s milk, with nearly a third also lacking calcium and vitamin D compared with the dairy option.

Plant-based milks have previously been shown to be low in four key minerals: phosphorus, magnesium, zinc and selenium.

Now, Abigail Johnson at the University of Minnesota and her colleagues have analysed the nutritional labels of 237 milk alternative products made from almonds, oats, rice and soya beans that are currently available in the US or were until recently.

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They then compared these milks’ protein, calcium and vitamin D levels to those of cow’s milk, using information from a nutritional database. The findings were presented at Nutrition 2023, the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, in Boston, Massachusetts.

The researchers found that just 19 per cent of the plant-based milks matched or exceeded cow’s milk when it came to protein, which is important for muscle growth, energy and digestion.