A Closer Look at Plant-Based Milk Alternatives
The ever-growing selection of plant-based milk alternatives provides plenty of choice, but consumer preference comes down to taste, texture, and nutritional profile.
A visit to your favorite grocer’s dairy aisle looks a bit different than it did a decade ago. Where once you would find whole milk, low-fat milk, non-fat milk, and soy milk is now stocked with an assortment of plant-based milk alternatives. Derived from nuts, legumes, cereals, and seeds, plant-based, milk alternatives continue to grow in popularity. According to Allied Market Research, the global dairy alternatives industry was estimated to be worth $13.02 billion in 2018 and is projected to reach $35.80 billion by 2026.
A number of factors are driving the continued growth and innovation in the dairy alternatives market. For some people, lactose-intolerance or an allergy to cow’s milk is forcing them to seek alternatives. Others are following a vegan diet or turning to plant-based alternatives for the perceived health benefits. Still others choose plant-based milk alternatives because of ethical beliefs and concerns about animal cruelty and sustainability. There are also those simply curious or interested in trying something different.
Regardless of the reason, the wide array of options is a welcome sight for those seeking alternatives. However, many questions arise from both a scientist and consumer perspective such as "are all these options a good thing or a bad thing?" and "which dairy-free options are best and worst?" Here are some factors to consider when deciding which one to choose.
|
Plant-based Milk Alternative |
How It’s Made |
Benefits |
Considerations |
|
Soy |
Made by soaking and grinding soybeans, boiling the mixture, and filtering out remaining particulates. |
Naturally contains the same amount of protein as cow’s milk
Cholesterol free
Highly digestible
Highly nutritive
Least processed among plant-based milk alternatives |
Soy is an allergen too |
|
Almond |
Made by blending almonds with water and then straining the mixture to remove the solids. It can also be made by adding water to almond butter. |
Rich source of calcium
High in fiber and Vitamin E
Low calorie |
Tree nut allergen
Poor consistency
Low protein
Sweetened varieties can contain a lot of added sugar
Cost |
|
Cashew |
Made by blending water-soaked cashews and then straining the mixture to remove the solids. |
Rich source of calcium High in fiber and Vitamin E Low calorie Similar nutritional composition to almond with creamier texture |
Tree nut allergen Low protein Sweetened varieties contain added sugar Cost |
|
Rice |
Typically derived from brown rice and brown rice starch. Made by pressing the rice through a mill using diffusion to strain out the pressed grain. |
Rich source of calcium
Allergen and gluten free
Easy to digest
Low calorie |
Thin consistency
High in carbohydrates
Sweetened varieties contain added sugar |
|
Coconut |
Made by grating and squeezing coconut meat. |
Rarely associated with allergens
Aids in digestion
Unique flavor |
High in saturated fat
Sweetened or flavored varieties may be high in added sugar |
|
Hemp |
Made by soaking and grinding hulled hemp seeds in water |
Rich source of calcium
High in essential fatty acids |
Hard on the digestive system
Earthy flavor
Sweetened or flavored varieties may be high in added sugar |
|
Flaxseed |
Made by combining cold-pressed flax oil mixed with filtered water. |
Rich source of calcium
High in essential fatty acids
Low calorie |
Low protein
Hard on the digestive system |
|
Oat |
Made by mixing oats that have been cleaned, toasted, and hulled with water and potentially other grains or beans, and then straining the mixture to remove the solids. |
Rich source of calcium
Contains beta-glucan
Gluten free
Creamy consistency
Low calorie |
Hard on the digestive system
High in carbohydrates
Sweetened or flavored varieties may be high in added sugar
Cost |
|
Pea |
Made by extracting pea protein from yellow peas and then purified and blended with water. |
Rich source of calcium
Naturally high in protein
Allergen and gluten free
Similar taste and consistency to cow’s milk |
Cooked flavor |
Scientists are working hard to satisfy the consumer in terms of lactose-free, cruelty-free and sustainable dairy alternatives, thus the advent of all these varieties. However, they often find it difficult to balance the taste and texture of the product, and the degree of processing has come into question. For these reasons, many dairy alternative brands available in the market have been under constant reformulation to satisfy consumer demands. When manufacturers are able to strike the right balance between taste and texture, and develop minimally-processed dairy alternatives, consumer acceptance and demand is expected to skyrocket.
With so many choices now and more inevitably on the way, it may take some trial and error for consumers to determine which plant-based milk alternative is right for them. While preferences for taste and texture matter, nutritional composition is critical. The Nutrition Facts label is a consumer’s key to determining how many calories the product has per serving and how much protein, calcium, sugar (including added sugars), sodium, and vitamins it contains. It’s also important to check the ingredient list to see how many ingredients were used to make the product, with a general rule that less is more.
More information about the origins of plant-based milk alternatives and how they are processed can be found in Food Technology magazine, or dig deeper into the science in a recent review article in Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety.
Gabriela John Swamy, PhD
REFERENCES
Allied Market Research. “Dairy Alternatives Market by Source (Soy, Almond, Rice and Other Sources), Application (Food, Beverages, Dairy-free Probiotic Drinks and Others), Distribution Channel (Large Retail, Small Retail, Specialty Stores and Online): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2019-2026.” November 2019. https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/dairy-alternatives-market
Rees Parrish, M.S., R.D., C. “Moo-ove Over, Cow’s Milk: The Rise of Plant-Based Dairy Alternatives.” Practical Gastroenterology. January 2018. https://med.virginia.edu/ginutrition/wp-content/uploads/sites/199/2014/06/January-18-Milk-Alternatives.pdf
Sethi, S., S. K. Tyagi, Rahul K. Anurag. “Plant-based milk alternatives an emerging segment of functional beverages: a review.” Journal of Food Science Technology. September 2016. DOI: 10.1007/s13197-016-2328-3