Swiss Study Shows Plant-Based Drinks Lack Nutritional Parity with Cow's Milk

A comprehensive study conducted in Switzerland has revealed that plant-based drinks, often considered alternatives to cow's milk, lack equivalency in nutritional content. The research, published in Frontiers in Nutrition, analyzed 27 different plant-based beverages available in supermarkets, including varieties made fr om coconut, hemp, oats, almonds, cashews, spelt, rice, and soy, against standard cow's milk.

The analysis encompassed a wide array of nutritional parameters such as protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals, along with contaminants like glyphosate, AMPA, and arsenic. It was found that cow's milk consistently provided higher energy, fats, carbohydrates, and key vitamins like C, B2, B12, A, as well as biotin, pantothenic acid, calcium, phosphorus, and iodine.

Plant-based drinks lacked critical vitamins including C, A, K2, B2, B12, and D2, unless fortified. This nutritional gap poses potential risks for populations that completely replace dairy with plant-based alternatives without proper dietary planning or fortification.

Protein quality and quantity were also analyzed, wh ere cow's milk and soy drinks contained more than 3% protein, but most other plant-based options contained 1% or less. Cow's milk showed a superior DIAAS score due to its complete essential amino acid profile, which is crucial for human protein synthesis.

The study concluded that while plant-based drinks can be part of a balanced diet for sustainability reasons, they should not be seen as nutritionally equivalent to cow's milk. Soy was noted as the most competitive plant-based alternative due to its relatively higher protein content and more complete mineral profile.