Should I have plant based or dairy milk?

With the rise of the plant based movement, many people are wondering if they should switch to plant based milk over dairy,  but are these alternative products the best option for our health?

The answer is not  clear cut as there are advantages and disadvantages to both types of milks.

Plant based milks available at the supermarket are usually highly refined, often with added sugar and oils.  I would be reluctant to recommend any supermarket produced plant based milk without careful inspection of the ingredients. This problem can be avoided by making it at home, for example almond milk is simple to make and the pulp can be used in baking.  This will produce a much higher quality milk (some supermarket almond milk only contains 2 percent almonds)!

Plant based milks tend to be lower in calories than dairy milk but also lower in vitamins, minerals and protein and so have to be fortified, which makes them less natural. Of those available, soy milk is probably the best option with higher protein and mineral content.

Whilst dairy milk has more vitamins and minerals than plant milk - not all dairy is created equal. Recent research has suggested that low fat milk is not necessarily as beneficial for weight loss as originally believed with a study showing that high amounts of low fat dairy were associated with weight gain. It is unclear as to whether it is the the dairy or the presence of other highly refined foods in association.  As a general rule, food closer to nature is best, therefore my recommendation is to choose pasteurised but non homogenized milk if you decide dairy is a good option for you. In some situations dairy milk is not appropriate eg if there is allergy or lactose intolerance and for others it can be inflammatory to the gut, so see what works for your body and what fits with your environmental and ethical beliefs.

If you do choose to drink dairy, consider reducing the volume.  Whilst a good quality dairy product may not be detrimental for most people, large volumes of dairy at the expense of fibre can cause problems.

In summary, there are pros and cons to both plant based and dairy milk. However what is clear from research is that the more processed and refined the milk is - be it dairy or plant based, the worse it will be for your health.