However, new research by The Grains & Legumes Nutrition Council has found that up to one-third of plant-based milk alternative products on the market do not list calcium in their ingredients, making them an inferior source of calcium.
Furthermore, the Western Australia Department of Health also emphasizes that almond and soy milks are only a substitute source of calcium for humans if they are both fortified with calcium, as almond milk is naturally low in in protein and calcium.
The popularity of nut-based milk alternatives has grown by 90 per cent in the past two years, with almond milk accounting for 44 per cent of the milk-alternative industry.
Dietitian Joel Feren told The New Daily , “We know that almond milk is generally 5 per cent nuts and the rest is water.”
Cow’s milk is a great source of calcium, is high in protein and contains vitamin A, D, B2, B12 and minerals like zinc and iodine. An Indian study that was published in Journal of Food Science and Technology in late 2017 compared cow’s milk to almond, soy, rice and coconut milks to find one that was closest to having the same nutritional value as cow’s milk. Although not as good, the closest replacement for cow’s milk was identified as soy milk, thanks to being rich in protein.
What you can do
- Choose soy milk where possible
- Look for calcium fortified milk-alternative products with calcium listed in the ingredients
- Choose unsweetened varieties of milk-alternatives
- Incorporate alternative sources of calcium into your diet, such as almonds, salmon, sardines, yoghurt or cheese.
- Drink cow’s milk