{"id":11545,"date":"2023-09-25T12:42:55","date_gmt":"2023-09-25T11:42:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fei-online.com\/?p=11545"},"modified":"2023-09-25T12:45:42","modified_gmt":"2023-09-25T11:45:42","slug":"do-plant-based-milks-deliver-better-nutrition-than-cows-milk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fei-online.com\/do-plant-based-milks-deliver-better-nutrition-than-cows-milk\/","title":{"rendered":"Do plant-based milks deliver better nutrition than cow\u2019s milk?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Do plant-based milks deliver better nutrition than cow\u2019s milk?<\/h1>\/ in E-News<\/a> <\/span><\/span><\/header>\n<\/div><\/section>
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More people are drinking milk alternatives made from plant sources such as oats, soy, or almonds, but do plant-based products deliver the same nutrition as cow\u2019s milk? Results from a new study suggest that most don\u2019t.<\/h3>\n

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Cow\u2019s milk is an important source of calcium and vitamin D, both of which are identified in the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans as nutrients of public health concern for underconsumption. Cow\u2019s milk is also a major source of protein in the American diet.<\/p>\n

To assess how the nutritional content of plantbased milk alternatives compares to that of cow\u2019s milk, researchers examined more than 200 plant-based milk alternative products being sold in the U.S. in 2023 \u2014 many more products than were included in previous studies. Compared to cow\u2019s milk, only 12% of the milk alternative products contained comparable or greater amounts of all three nutrients studied: calcium, vitamin D, and protein.<\/p>\n

Abigail Johnson, assistant professor and associate director of the University of Minnesota School of Public Health Nutrition Coordinating Center, presented the findings at NUTRITION 2023, the annual flagship meeting of the American Society for Nutrition held July 22-25 in Boston. \u201cOur results provide evidence that many plantbased milk alternatives are not nutritionally equivalent to cow\u2019s milk,\u201d said Johnson. \u201cBased on these findings, consumers should look for plant-based milk alternative products that list calcium and vitamin D as ingredients. They may also want to consider adding other sources of calcium and vitamin D to their diets.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>
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The University of Minnesota\u2019s Nutrition Coordinating Center maintains a database of approximately 19,000 foods for assessing dietary intake in human research. \u201cWe know from our dietary assessments for nutrition studies that consumers are choosing more plant-based milk alternatives,\u201d said Johnson. \u201cThis project aimed to increase the number of these milk alternatives available in the Nutrition Coordinating Center\u2019s database of foods.\u201d<\/p>\n

The study included nutrition information from nutrition facts labels and ingredient information for 233 plant-based milk alternative products from 23 different manufacturers. For each product, the researchers applied a nutrient calculation program to estimate full nutrient information. They then compared the nutritional content of different products within a category \u2013 for example, almond milk, oat milk, and soy milk \u2013 to each other and to cow\u2019s milk. Compared to dairy milk, just 28 of the plant-based alternatives had similar or more calcium, vitamin D and protein.<\/p>\n

Almost two-thirds of the products included in the study were made from almonds, oats, or soy. The researchers found that 170 of the plant-based milk alternatives were fortified with both calcium and vitamin D and that the level of fortification tended to be similar to dairy milk. Specifically, 76% of the oat-based products, 69% of soy-based, and 66% of almondbased alternatives were fortified with both calcium and vitamin D. The median protein content was 2.0 g of protein per 240 ml of liquid, with a large variability that ranged from 0 to 12 g. Only 38 (16%) of the milk alternatives studied had a protein level greater than or equal to the 8 g per 240 ml found in cow\u2019s milk. Soy- and pea-based alternatives were more likely to have higher protein.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur findings point to a need to ensure that consumers are aware that many plant-based milk alternative products in the marketplace today are not nutritionally equivalent to cow\u2019s milk,\u201d said Johnson. \u201cProduct labelling requirements and dietary guidance to the public are among the approaches that may be helpful in alerting and educating consumers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Next, the researchers plan to explore other nutrients in plant-based milk alternatives that make them different from cow\u2019s milk. For example, many of these products contain fibre, suggesting that they may help meet some nutritional needs that cow\u2019s milk doesn\u2019t.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>
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