Summary
This narrative review compares dairy milk and eight types of plant-based milks (almond, soy, oat, coconut, rice, pea, cashew, and others) across nutrition, public health, and environmental dimensions. Plant-based milks generally show lower environmental impacts than cow's milk but are typically more expensive, less nutritionally complete without fortification, and variable in added sugars, while notable nutritional gaps remain—particularly in protein, zinc, and potassium. The authors identify significant knowledge gaps regarding newer plant-based alternatives, consumer behaviour, and long-term health effects.
Regional applicability
The study examines USA consumer markets and retail data, so direct applicability to United Kingdom food environments and purchasing patterns requires caution, though both markets show growing plant-based milk adoption. United Kingdom consumers face similar nutritional labelling frameworks and fortification practices, but retail pricing, water availability (especially relevant for almond milk), and consumer behaviour patterns may differ, warranting localized assessment.
Key measures
Retail unit price, micronutrient profiles (protein, zinc, potassium, fortified vitamins), greenhouse gas emissions, water use and water footprint, added sugar content
Outcomes reported
The review compared retail sales, nutrient profiles, and environmental impacts of dairy and plant-based milks across multiple products. It identified micronutrient differences, price variations, and greenhouse gas and water use implications of production and consumption.
Topic tags
Dig deeper with Pulse AI.
Pulse AI has read the whole catalogue. Ask about this record, its theme, or how the findings apply to UK farming and policy — every answer cites the underlying studies.