Look at this smug little glass of soy milk (Picture: Getty)

When you first make the switch from cow juice to plant-based milk, it can be a little daunting.

These days, there are so many options staring back at you from the supermarket shelves – almond, hazelnut, coconut, rice, oat, and the OG – soy.

Soy may have been the original dairy-free milk, but it’s got itself a reputation as being bad for your health, which is why we were surprised by the reports of this latest study – that soy is the most nutritious plant-based milk in town

The study was conducted by McGill University in Montreal, Canada and looked at the nutritional values of unsweetened versions of the four most popular dairy-free milks in the world, compared to cow’s milk.




Researchers looked at almond, rice, coconut and soy, and while cow’s milk remained the most nutritious, soy was the clear runner-up.

CLICK TO ENLARGE – Nutritional values of plant milks per 240ml (Picture: McGill University)

Rice milk was found to be high in carbohydrates and sugar, and the second most calorific compared to cow’s milk, with little nutritional value.

Almond milk had a whopping 123 fewer calories per 240ml than cow’s milk, with 35 calories compared to cow’s milk’s 158 calories.

Cow’s milk and soy were the clear winners in the protein round, with cow’s milk having 8.11g protein per serving, and soy trailing just behind at 8g.

The rest of the milks didn’t get a look in – rice and almond milk both have 1g protein per serving, while coconut milk doesn’t have any.

Almond milk had a high amount of monounsaturated fatty acids which aid in the reduction of bad cholesterol, but researchers suggest that those who rely solely on this milk alternative need to seek supplementary nutritional components from other sources.

Which you’re probably doing anyway – protein-rich Linda McCartney sausages, amirite?

For the, ‘But think of the calcium!’ brigade, it’s interesting to see that cow’s milk actually contains the second lowest amount, with coconut containing the least and soy and almond holding joint first place.

However, while soy may milk be nutritious in itself, researchers had concerns that it contains ‘anti-nutrients’, which can reduce the body’s nutrient uptake and digestion.

The study looked at four types of plant-based milk (Picture: Getty; Shutterstock)

Soy milk has long been the topic of debate, over its potential effects on disruption of thyroid function, breast cancer and sexual hormones, with some reports saying that too much soy can damage your sperm.

This is due to soy’s phytoestrogens, which are chemicals that mimic female hormones.

However, a recent study which looked at soy foods found that soy is actually safe (it’s important to note that they studied soy foods, not unprocessed soy beans, which may act differently).

The study found that soy was safe (and actually beneficial) to women with breast cancer, with disruption to the sex hormone network and thyroid gland perturbation deemed ‘unlikely, especially with low isoflavone intakes actually reported in vegetarians’.

While cow’s milk is on paper the most nutritious, lest we forget that it’s been associated with a number of disease outbreaks around the world, like Salmonella and E. coli.



Plus, it comes from the udder of another mammal, which you have to admit is pretty damn weird.

Human beings will kick off about drinking the milk of one of their own (remember when a woman sparked outrage by making breast milk brownies?) yet will happily buy bottles of another animal’s bodily fluids?

We are a strange, strange bunch.

We should also remember that not all plant-based milks are created equal, and cheaper ones may contain more thickeners – like oils and carageenan – than actual nuts.

So, it’s really up to you which one you prefer the taste of, and as with most things in life – everything in moderation.

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