Myth or fact: Plant-based milk is a suitable substitute for cow’s milk

Plant-based alternatives to milk are popular for health, ethical, and environmental reasons. Many people are also opting for them because of an increase in cases of lactose intolerance

By: Lifestyle Desk

New Delhi | May 24, 2023 08:50 PM IST

3 min read

Plant-based milk which is rising in popularity along with people's growing concerns about their health, animal welfare and the environment. (Source: Freepik)

From cow’s milk to many non-dairy or vegan alternatives, the world of milk has undergone a massive makeover. Among the many options available today is plant-based milk, which is rising in popularity amid people’s growing concerns about their health, animal welfare, and the environment. However, considering the nutritional content of dairy milk — a key source of micronutrients such as selenium, phosphorus, and zinc — is it advisable to replace it with plant-based milk alternatives? Read on to find out.

Talking about the same, Neha Sahaya, a nutrition and wellness Consultant wrote on Instagram, “A lot of people think that plant-based milk is an easy substitute for regular milk — it’s not true. Let’s demystify this.”

She added that owing to its nutritional profile, plant-based milk is not a substitute for regular milk. “Milk provides calcium and protein, however, plant-based milk such as almond milk, which is the most common type, does not have the required calcium or protein,” she suggested, further sharing that a cup of cow milk has “300 mg of calcium and 0.8 grams of protein”, whereas one cup of almond milk “only has 46 mg of calcium and 0.1 grams of protein.”

So, if you are planning to substitute your milk, make sure to add certain plant-based sources of calcium in your diet including sesame seeds, ragi, dried figs, amaranth leaves and rajma, Sahaya said. As far as plant-based protein is concerned, the expert noted that one should add lentils, legumes, nuts, seeds, soy and green peas to their diet.

ALSO READ | Lactose intolerant? Here’s why switching to plant-based milk may be healthy

Agreeing, Deepti Khatuja, Head Clinical Nutritionist, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurgaon said, “Plant-based alternatives to milk are popular for health, ethical, and environmental reasons. Many people are also opting for them because of an increase in cases of lactose intolerance. They may also prefer the taste of plant-based milk alternatives over regular milk. However, despite the positive effects of plant-based milk substitutes, they are not a replacement for animal-based milk products and may even increase the risk of incidence of some diseases.”

Explaining, she continued that the main difference between cow’s milk and plant-based milk substitutes is protein content. “The protein amount in the cow’s milk is 3.28% whereas the highest protein content of the plant-based milk substitutes is in soy milk, 8.71%, and the lowest protein content is in the rice milk substitute, 0.07%,” she told indianexpress.com.

Also, certain plant-based milk alternatives are sweetened and contain added sugars. “Plant-based milks can be low in calcium, iodine and vitamin B12, nutrients that are normally found in cow’s milk, so have a look at the label to see if they are fortified.”

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“One should be cautious, read the nutritional labels properly and have proper supplementations for meeting the nutrients that lacks in plant-based milk. However, in case one has allergy or intolerance to lactose, it is advised to avoid milk and mandatory to consume plant-based milk as a treatment,” she concluded.

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