Many people do not consume milk of animal origin because they suffer from some degree of intolerance or allergy; the majority of the world’s population in fact and a minority in developed countries. There are also those who decide not to drink it: those who opt for veganism and other groups of vegetarians.
For all of them, producers of vegetable milk want to offer them as an alternative. But what is it about? What distinguishes them from traditional milk? What types exist and which is the best? How can they benefit them? Are they healthier than bovine milk, for example? Here we explain everything.
What is “vegetable milk”?
As their name suggests, vegetable milk is drinks that come from certain cereals, nuts, legumes, and seeds. The appearance of vegetable milk is very similar to that of animal milk, partly because they have been concerned about it so that the idea of substitute food is strengthened in the consumers to whom it is directed.
In its preparation, the plant material is dissolved and disintegrated in water, then the liquid is separated and whatever is needed is added to improve its flavour as much as possible – a task of great importance – and its nutritional properties and, of course, to ensure it is well preserved.
Types of vegetable milks
We must bear in mind that, since December 2013, the European Union has prohibited in its community regulations the use of the word “milk” to refer to commercialized vegetable drinks. Neither on the packages themselves, nor on the shelves, nor in advertising of any kind can it be designated in this way. In Spain, back in 2017, the High Court of Justice issued a ruling determining that vegetable drinks cannot be called “milk” so as not to confuse consumers.
Since their origin and nutritional qualities are completely different, the regulation states that “milk shall be understood exclusively as the normal mammary secretion obtained from one or more milkings, without any kind of addition or extraction.” The same applies to dairy products such as cheeses, yogurts, etc., which must come exclusively from animal milk.
Why do we insist on using the term “vegetable milk” then? Because colloquially it is still the most common way of referring to this food. Despite what the law says, the texture, colour, and use of these drinks still offer so many similarities with milk that people continue to call them that. And what vegetable products are most easily found in supermarkets?
- Oatmeal
- Soy
- Almonds
- Coconut
- Rice
- Hazelnuts
However, we can also buy in stores vegetable milk extracted from rye, barley, cashews, walnuts, quinoa, sesame, peas, peanuts, lupine, sunflower, hemp, flax, and amaranth. Just search the internet to discover these and other varieties.
Benefits of vegetable milk
The main benefits of drinking plant-based milk, which have been mentioned in recipe manuscripts from Ancient Rome, are that they help reduce or avoid the unwanted consequences of suffering from certain health conditions.
Lactose-free
Of course, since this food is not truly dairy but is derived from plants, it lacks lactose, the carbohydrate that drives so many people crazy because they cannot absorb it properly and it makes them feel bad. It causes abdominal cramps, flatulence, colitis, constipation and burning during bowel movements.
Between 4 and 6 percent of the milk of female mammals is made up of this substance, which can only be easily digested by humans whose intestines still produce the enzyme lactase after five years of age.
Around 60% of the world’s population is lactose intolerant to varying degrees; if we talk about the Spanish, the mortifying proportion is reduced to between 19 and 28%. And they can find vegetable drinks very useful for obvious reasons. Just as they do for those allergic to milk itself, which causes vomiting, diarrhea, and rashes for this reason in 3% of our fellow human beings.
Cholesterol-free and less saturated fat
For people with high cholesterol, skimmed milk is recommended, as it only contains 5 milligrams of this lipid per 225 milliliters, compared to 24 milligrams for whole milk. This recommendation is to lower cholesterol, of course, and thus prevent coronary diseases, strokes, and heart attacks.
On the other hand, we should consider that the saturated fats present in animal milk vary between 4.5 milligrams in whole milk and 0.4 in skimmed milk, and can aggravate hypertension, diabetes, and obesity.
Since plant-based milks also contain no cholesterol and much less of this type of harmful fat, but enough of the good ones for the heart organ, they are preferable in this regard.
Easier digestion
The fact that vegetable drinks do not contain lactose or cholesterol and are therefore lighter than cow’s milk already serves to guarantee consumers that they are easier to digest.
But, on the other hand, they regulate intestinal transit with their contribution of soluble and insoluble fibers. So, for those people who have heavy after-meals due to their particularly slow or difficult digestion, they can be a considerable option.
The environmental impact
There is no doubt that the environmental impact of dairy farming is far greater than that caused by producing vegetable drinks of any kind. According to the FAO, the world’s 1.5 billion cows for food release 100 million tons of methane annually, which is around the terrible equivalent of 2.5 billion tons of CO2.
Furthermore, while technological advances, in nutrition and in the dynamics of this industry are reducing its responsibility for the deterioration of the planet and climate change, for now, and until further notice, the production of vegetable milk requires between 91 and 96% less land than farms to obtain bovine milk per liter and between 40 and 95% less water.
The variable depends on which plant the milk comes from, of course. But it must be added that it implies between 62 and 77% less greenhouse gases per liter and, finally, between 55 and 90% less eutrophication, that is, less polluting discharges of nitrogen and phosphorus into waterways.
Which vegetable milk is the best?
The best in terms of nutritional properties, specifically. Comparing the properties of the six most common ones, neither oat milk, nor almond milk, nor coconut milk, nor rice milk, nor hazelnut milk deserve the first place over soy milk.
In terms of fat and carbohydrate content, soy milk is the most similar to rich milk of animal origin. It provides a good level of protein, acceptable in nutritional parameters, and its volume of isoflavones, highly antioxidant phytonutrients, benefits menopausal women.
If they have decided to enrich it with calcium and vitamins, its comparative triumph becomes indisputable. Or almost, because it has a major drawback: its organoleptic characteristics; its flavour is considerably less pleasant than that of other vegetable milk.
Differences between plant milk and animal milk: which is better?
As we have seen, plant-based drinks and milk of animal origin differ in their composition and nutritional value and, for the moment, in the much greater environmental impact of the latter.
This does not provide us with the balance of nutrients that cow’s milk provides naturally, not even if we propose adding some. The dose of proteins, with their essential amino acids, and calcium is not even close. On the other hand, the first provides us with the exclusive vitamin B12.
Vegetable milk, on the other hand, are superior in their quotas of fibre and unsaturated fats, but they cannot in any way replace breast milk or infant formula. However, they are beneficial for those with lactose intolerance, lactic acid allergy, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity.
In short, although cow’s milk is more complete for our development, choosing soy milk, for example, because diagnosed health conditions advise it is perfectly reasonable. Or a combination of consumption with skimmed milk. Each person, whatever suits them best.