As part of a healthy and balanced diet, it is recommended to eat or drink three servings of dairy products daily. For children between 9 and 18 years old there are even five portions. However, you often hear that cow's milk is not as healthy as it is often claimed and that plant milk should be consumed as a milk substitute. Above all,who eats vegan, of course, looks for vegan milk and products that do not come from animals. But what is healthier? Plant-based milk or good old cow's milk?
Animal milk contains many important nutrients, including proteins, sugars, fats and many essential vitamins (including A, B2 - riboflavin - and B12) and minerals (including calcium and phosphorus). They are all important for healthy bones and teeth. Vitamin B12 deficiency can also lead to extreme fatigue, nerve damage, shortness of breath and dizziness, as well as depression and dementia symptoms. And, even if such a deficiency can arise for other reasons, poor nutrition remains a risk factor. Vitamin B12 is found in particularly high quantities in animal foods. Plant-based milk can't keep up.
And although animal dairy products are so good for your health, 35 percent of the world's population suffers from lactose intolerance. In addition, there are vegans, who make up 5 percent of the world's population. Is plant-based milk a suitable alternative and a healthy milk substitute in these cases?
Plant milk instead of animal milk – this is what you should keep in mind
Soy milk, almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk – there are a wide variety of plant-based milk options. You've probably even heard of most of them. Depending on the base used, each plant-based milk offers different nutritional values. Soy milk, for example, has a small amount of calcium, but is high in healthy fatty acidscholesterol-lowering properties as food. Hemp milk also contains high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, while the compounds found in coconut milk promote low cholesterol levels.
So whether plant-based milk is better is relative. It is possible to replace cow's milk with it, but on the one hand this is a question of money. On the other hand, you also have to make sure to supply your body with the nutrients that plant milk lacks through dietary supplements or other products. Read the ingredients of each milk and pay particular attention to the calcium and B12 content to compensate for nutrient losses. Plant milk does not offer the same benefits as cow's milk, but can be a good alternative through nutritional supplementation.
Those:Dr. Zoe Popper, lecturer and researcher at the School of Natural SciencesNUI GalwayandDr. Karen L Bacon, Lecturer in Botany and Plant Sciences in the School of Natural Sciences, NUI Galway.
