Plant milks

Cow’s milk is a good source of liquid nutrition – with protein, vitamin B12, vitamin D and calcium. The Ministry of Health’s (MoH) healthy eating guidelines recommend we consume 2 servings of milk or milk products every day.

But sales of milk alternatives are on the rise. Last year, we spent more than $52 million on almond, coconut, oat, rice and soy milk in supermarkets alone, an increase of $12 million in 2 years, according to Nielsen ScanTrack data. Almond and coconut milk sales have been the biggest movers, with sales increasing nearly 60%.

Whether you’re cutting out cow’s milk because of the taste, an allergy or intolerance, or for environmental reasons, here’s what you need to know.

Ditching dairy

If you’re ditching dairy, you’ll want to make sure you’re getting enough calcium and protein from other sources.

Registered dietitian Angela Berrill says “the low protein content of some milks, such as rice, coconut and almond, means they won’t fill you up as much as cow’s milk and you’ll need to get your protein from somewhere else for growth and development”.

For kids, the MoH recommends calcium- and vitamin B12-fortified soy milk if your child doesn’t drink cow’s milk (and isn’t allergic to soy) because, nutritionally, it’s the closest to cow’s milk.

Almond milk

Almond milk is soy-, lactose- and dairy- free so is suitable for people with soy and milk allergies, as well as vegans. It also contains the heart-healthy fats found in olive oil and is low in saturated fat.

But not all almond milk is created equal. The main ingredient in almond milk is water. Actual almond content varies by brand. Three of the brands in our survey (Blue Diamond Almond Breeze, Pams and Sanitarium So Good) only contain 2.5% almonds (in comparison, homemade almond milk contains about 18%).

Nutty Bruce and Pureharvest almond milks are made with “activated almonds”. These have been soaked in water for 12 hours to supposedly improve the digestibility and nutrition of the nut. But there’s no evidence activated nuts are better for you. A 2017 University of Otago study, published in the European Journal of Nutrition, concluded soaking nuts doesn’t improve their digestibility or availability of nutrients.

Only 4 almond milks had calcium levels comparable to cow’s milk (about 120mg per 100ml).

Nine of the 19 products had added sweeteners. We found rice syrup, cane syrup, sugar and agave syrup in the ingredients list. Sanitarium So Good Almond Milk Original had the most sugar – about 2 teaspoons in a 250ml glass. Most brands have an unsweetened almond milk option.

We also found almond milk with brown rice, sunflower oil, salt, vegetable gums and flavours. Check the ingredients list for these added extras.

Soy milk

Soy milk is made from whole soybeans or soy protein. It’s the most comparable milk alternative nutritionally to cow’s milk. Its protein levels are similar and regular soy milk (not low fat) has a similar fat content. This means it’s suitable for kids under 2 who can tolerate it (it’s also a common food allergen).

Most soy milks are fortified with calcium, but watch out for sweetened varieties – 14 soy milks in our survey had added sugars. Pureharvest Organic Nature’s Soy Enriched was the sweetest – it had 2-and-a-half teaspoons in a 250ml glass.

Soy isn’t without controversy. Soy milk contains isoflavones, a type of phytoestrogen, and studies have raised concerns about its role as a potential hormone disruptor, particularly its effects on postmenopausal women. However, a 2015 review by the European Food Safety Authority didn’t find evidence of adverse health effects.

Coconut, oat and rice milk

Coconut, oat and rice milks are lower in protein compared to the other milks we looked at. “Coconut milk is also higher in saturated fat than other alternatives and some products aren’t fortified with calcium,” Ms Berrill says.

Oat milks have the benefit of beta-glucan – a soluble fibre that can help lower cholesterol.

None of the oat or rice milks in our survey had added sweeteners – the sugar content in oat milks is naturally occurring. But we found tapioca syrup, rice syrup and sugar lurking in some coconut milks.

Vitasoy coconut and oat milks, and most of the rice milks in our survey were fortified with calcium.

Environmental impact

From the quantities of water needed to feed the cows and wash down sheds and equipment, the methane gas the cows produce, and the effect on our waterways, the dairy industry has been in the firing line for its negative impact on the environment. Are the alternatives any better?

When it comes to making a sustainable choice you need to consider the water footprint (how much water is used), carbon footprint (what greenhouse gases are emitted) and how the main ingredient is farmed, as well as where it’s grown.

There’s limited research comparing the environmental impacts of plant milks and dairy milk. But available studies point to plant-based drinks being a greener choice.

A 2012 Dutch study published in Ecological Indicators calculated the water footprint of soy milk versus cow’s milk. It concluded cow’s milk had a much larger water footprint than soy milk – it took 1050L of water to produce a litre of milk, versus 297L to produce a litre of soy milk.

Another European study, published in Food & Nutrition Research in 2010, found cow’s milk had more than 3 times the greenhouse gas emissions of soy milk and 5 times the emissions of oat milk.

New Zealand doesn’t grow any plant milk crops, so it’s difficult to directly compare their sustainability with local cow’s milk. However, where each milk’s crop comes from is something to consider.

The majority of the world’s almonds are grown in California, a drought-prone area. It’s claimed almond production and its water use are having an impact on the region.

Not all products show the source of the almonds. Blue Diamond Almond Breeze packaging says the milk is “blended and packed in Australia” but the company’s website states it uses Californian almonds. Pacific Organic and Pams also use Californian almonds. Eight other products were made from Australian almonds. Australia’s Own uses Australian or Spanish almonds, depending on availability.

Some soy milks, such as Macro Organic and Vitasoy, state on the packaging they’re made from Australian-grown soy. Other brands use soybeans from China or Japan.

According to the CSIRO (an Australian research organisation), if soy milk is made from whole soybeans they’re probably Australian-grown. If the milk is made from soy protein or protein isolate, it’s likely to be imported from somwhere else. You can usually find this information in the ingredients list.

Having country of origin labelling for plant-based milks would help consumers weigh up the environmental impact of their morning pour. We’ve been campaigning for mandatory country of origin labelling for years as consumers have the right to know where their food comes from.