Cow's milk makes a comeback! New study says it's healthier than oat milk after all
What did the study actually find?
A Swiss study of 66 plant-based milk alternatives found that many are nutritionally inferior to cow's milk. Oat and rice-based beverages ranked last, often loaded with sugar and additives.
This study reveals startling details about their additives, protein content, and sugar makeup. Maybe your favorite milk substitute isn't as healthy as you believe.
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The goal of the Swiss agricultural research center Agroscope was to evaluate the nutritional value of milk substitutes and determine how their composition affected both cost and
health
. Almost half of these products have a poor nutri-score rating of D, which means they are not truly healthy options, which raises questions about their findings.
Many of these beverages are high in sugar, low in protein, and frequently contain a number of additives, including emulsifiers and stabilizers. Unexpectedly, these milk substitutes occasionally score lower on nutrition tests than conventional cow's milk. For instance, the sugar content of almost half of the products that were tested was deemed excessive for a diet that was balanced.
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Are all plant-based milks created equal?
The study discovered that not all milk substitutes have the same advantages. About half of the products languished in the lower D or E categories, and none of them received the highest nutri-score rating of A.
Oat and rice-based beverages often had high sugar content, too many calories, and a variety of additives, which reduced their nutritional value. Conversely, milk substitutes based mostly on peas (100%) and soy (80%), almonds (60%) and coconuts (50%) scored higher, achieving a B rating for the most part. Additionally, Agroscope discovered a consistent negative correlation between overall nutrition profiles and higher sugar and carbohydrate content.
How can milk alternatives be improved?
According to a study, about 30% of milk substitutes contain processed ingredients like flours or protein isolates, while the remaining two-thirds primarily use unprocessed plant ingredients.
Coconut, cashew, and pea products frequently only contain processed plant ingredients. Researchers think that by cutting back on sugar and calories and simplifying ingredient lists by using fewer additives, these formulas could be improved.
The updated nutri-score system still favors traditional cow's milk, giving whole milk a C and low-fat milk a B. The study advises examining sugar, protein, and ingredient lists in addition to "plant-based" labels in order to select the best nutritional balance.
FAQs
Is cow's milk healthier than oatmilk?
Yes, according to a recent study. Cow's milk typically contains more protein and fewer added sugars than most oat-based alternatives.
Which milk alternatives were deemed the best?
Soy and pea milks received higher nutritional scores, whereas oat and rice drinks frequently contained too much sugar and additives.
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