Plant milk vs cow's milk: Which is good for you? (2024)

FAQs

Plant milk vs cow's milk: Which is good for you? ›

Plant-based milks are generally lower in calories than cow's milk, which is part of their appeal. But calories aren't everything. Some of these beverages have less fat and fewer carbs than cow's milk, but almost all of them are also lower in protein.

Lower in fat and calories

Some nutritional aspects of many plant-based milks are similar to cow's milk, such as sodium and potassium. But according to the American Society of Nutrition, most milk alternatives are a healthier choice when it comes to fat and calories.

Low-fat, skim or 1% cow's milk are healthier options compared to 2% or whole milk. They contain less fat. “If you can't have cow's milk, soy milk and rice milk are often the healthiest milk for gut health – especially for people with celiac disease, an autoimmune disease that can cause inflammation,” Park said.

Milks derived from plants are packed with fiber, which is a carbohydrate that helps your body digest food, supports healthy blood sugar regulation, increases satiety, and more. “Dietary fiber content can contribute to improved digestive health and support the growth of beneficial gut bacteria," Shapiro explains.

It's Naturally Rich in Nutrients

Cow's milk naturally contains key nutrients – including calcium, phosphorus, riboflavin and vitamin B12 – while plant-based alternatives are often fortified with nutrients they do not contain.

Despite these overall advantages, plant-based milk alternatives are not a perfect food: Most contain fewer micronutrients compared to dairy products, including low to no magnesium, zinc, selenium or phosphorus.

Among the plant options, soy milk comes closest to the nutritional profile of cow's and goat's milks. Many plant-based milks are lower in saturated fat and calories than cow's milk.

Soy milk is a great plant-based alternative that closely matches cow's milk in protein content, making it the best milk for 60 years old. It also provides essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, and is often fortified with calcium and vitamins D and B12.

For instance, almond milk is slightly higher in fat and calcium, whereas oat milk contains more carbohydrates and iron. Keep in mind that many brands are fortified, so these brands may contain a higher amount of certain nutrients, including calcium, vitamin B12, and vitamin D ( 4 ).

Almond, cashew, and macadamia nut milks, for example, are higher in heart-healthy unsaturated fats, as are soy, hemp, and flax milks. Soy milk provides the same high amount of protein found in cow's milk, but Willett noted that protein deficiency is not a concern for most U.S. adults.

What plant milk is good for your gut? ›

Dairy-free milk is ideal for gut health for individuals sensitive to or allergic to cow's milk. These include unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk, and hemp milk.

Having a dairy allergy, being lactose intolerant, or having ethical and environmental values are reasons people may choose to switch to a plant-based milk. Soy milk is the plant-based milk that comes closest to the nutritional profile of cow's milk.

Choose lower fat milk such as skim, 1% and 2% milk. Making lifestyle changes (smoking cessation and weight loss), and reducing total dietary fat (especially saturated and trans fat) are more effective at lowering blood cholesterol than reducing cholesterol intake.

If you do want your alt-milk to mimic the nutritional profile of dairy milk as closely as possible, Hultin recommended going for soy milk. “Soy milk has the closest in protein content to cow's milk and is almost always fortified with calcium and vitamin D, making it a good option for bone health,” she said.

“If you're looking for a plant-based milk alternative with similar nutritional values to cows' milk, soy and pea drinks are my recommended go-tos,” she says.

Essential for bone health, cow milk is a reliable source of calcium. Moreover, it's often fortified with vitamin D, further enhancing its nutritional value. With lower cholesterol levels compared to buffalo milk, cow milk may be advantageous for individuals with cardiovascular concerns.

Compared with milk, oat milk as a cereal drink is higher in carbohydrates, and only 4.2% of oat milk contains added sugar (Escobar-Saez et al., 2022). Furthermore, compared to cow's milk, oat milk is lower in fat, which conforms to the expectations of plant-based milk.

Almond milk will be a better option if you want to choose a plant-based milk option that's best for an anti-inflammatory diet. It has fewer carbs per serving than oat milk due to almonds' natural composition.

Whole dairy milk has 8 grams of fat, and plain oat milk contains slightly more (9 grams). In this case, the dairy option provides more protein (8 grams), while oat milk has only 3 grams per serving. When it comes to calcium and Vitamin D, these two options are real contenders.