How healthy is your almond milk really? It may taste good and may not cause you any of the unpleasant reactions caused by cow's milk. But though plant-based milk beverages of this kind have been on the market for a couple of decades and are advertised as being healthy and wholesome for those who are lactose-intolerant, little research has been done to compare the benefits and drawbacks of the various kinds of plant-based milk. A new study from McGill University looks at the four most-commonly consumed types of milk beverages from plant sources around the world - almond milk, soy milk, rice milk and coconut milk - and compares their nutritional values with those of cow's milk. After cow's milk, which is still the most nutritious, soy milk comes out a clear winner.
The researchers compared the unsweetened versions of the various plant-based milks in all cases and the figures below are based on a 240 ml serving.
Soy milk - the most balanced nutritional profile
Rice milk - sweet taste and relatively little nutrition
Coconut milk - no protein and few calories, but most of them from fat
Almond milk - need for complementary sources of food to provide essential nutrients
Cow's milk benefits & drawbacks
Cow's milk allergy & lactose intolerance
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The review was written by PhD Candidate Sai Kranthi Vanga and his supervisor Vijaya Raghavan of the Department of Bioresource Engineering at McGill and was recently published in Journal of Food Science Technology.
Funding was provided by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).
To read "How well do plant based alternatives fare nutritionally compared to cow's milk?" By Sai Kranthi Vanga and Vijaya Raghavan in Journal of Food Science Technology : https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13197-017-2915-y
Journal of Food Science and Technology