Dairy and plant based mylks compared

health effects of dairy

Fortified non-dairy mylks are probably insufficient

B12 and Iodine are essential nutrients where the typical westerner gets nearly all of it from dairy. Some, but crucially not all, plant mylks are fortified with iodine and B12. Even those that do require you to drink half a litre daily to get enough idoine. As such its best to take supplements.

Comparing plant based and dairy milk

One study compared dairy to 222 dairy alternatives in Sweden and found that dairy contained similar or higher levels of basically all key micronutrients except B12. Less protein, but

Do plant based milks have lots of added sugar?

No. Per 100ml, Oatly barista contains 3.4g sugar, Tesco semi skimmed 4.8g, same for tesco organic, cravendale and Yeo Valley. Arla is 4.6.

Plenish oat barista was 1.6
Tesco's own oat 4.2
Alpro oat barista 3.3
minor figures 2.5
Califia farms oat barista 2.8
oatly semi oat 3.4
alpro soy 2.5
tesco soy 2.7

I checked 8 non dairy oat and soy milks, found 15-70% less, on average 40% less sugar. There is no evidence that dairy sugar (lactose) is healthier for you than the sugars found in oats or soy beans or added to plant based milks.

1.6/4.8
4.2/4.8
(1.6+4.2+3.3+2.5+2.8+3.4+2.5+2.7)/8/4.8