Home Dairy 3 Reasons to Skip the Plant-based Milks

3 Reasons to Skip the Plant-based Milks

Jul 29, 2018

Plant based milks are growing in popularity leaving many to wonder if cow’s milk is even necessary for society today. Is milk any different from plant milk alternatives or will milk simply be replaced by these manufactured plant-based beverages.

There are a few good reasons why milk will remain the top nutrition drink for centuries to come- Milk is unmatched when it comes to providing real, bio-available nutrition.

Many of the plant-based “milks” are new and there is little conversation (and research) towards the actual healthfulness of these drinks- whether we should even be drinking these plant drinks at all. The nutrition and healthfulness of these beverages is simply assumed be a healthier option than milk, but may be further from the truth than we know. In fact, there are a few good reasons why plant “milks” are not a healthier option when compared to cows milk:

1- Milk provides Bio-available nutrition

The power of milk’s bio-available nutrition should not be understated. Humans have mastered nutrient assembly to manufacture plant-based “milk” alternatives but the bioavailability of nutrients in these beverages is poor. Milk is not just a package of beneficial nutrients, but a package of nutrients in a highly absorbable format. The synergies of milk’s bioactive compounds working together, promote nutrient absorption in milk. Being that milk’s purpose in the world is to serve as a nutrient transfer mechanism, this power should not be surprising.

For example, in order for your body to absorb calcium researchers found that a variety of nutrients play a big role in driving absorption. Magnesium, vitamin D, and protein in milk have been shown to work together to promote total calcium absorption in the body. Magnesium and Vitamin D keeps calcium dissolved in the blood rather than letting it build up in the body causing kidney stones and arthritis. Lactose also plays an important role in calcium absorption by feeding beneficial microflora in the gut, which then in turn help your body absorb more calcium.

The calcium added to soy and almond beverages often remains at the bottom of the container as sludge even after vigorous shaking. Its estimated that only 60% of the calcium is consumed with vigorous shaking How bioavailable will this added calcium be to your body when it’s not even soluble. It’s easy to add ingredients to a beverage, harder to make them bio-available for your body. Calcium is only one example, how many other nutrients require synergies from other nutrients in order to be absorbed.

You can see a comparison chart of calcium absorption of milk compared to other beverages here

2- Anti-nutrients in Plant “milks”

Interestingly, plants possess a whole host of compounds called anti-nutrients that prevent nutrient absorption. Plants don’t want to be eaten but can’t fight back physically against predators so they fight back biologically with toxic compounds and substances to deter their destruction and prevent nutrient absorption by predators. Phytates, Oxalates, lectins, endocrine disruptors, and immune disruptors are only a few examples of some of the anti-nutrients in plants.

Phytates and Oxalates interfere with mineral absorption binding to minerals like Iron, Calcium, Zinc, Magnesium, and Copper and causing them to be inabsorbable. Plant proteins are often inferior to animal proteins due to anti-nutrients like phytates which also bind with proteins to reduce protein absorption. These anti-nutrients are the reason why plant-based nutrition is inferior to animal nutrition. These anti-nutrients bind nutrients and prevent your body from absorbing them.

Phytates are found in all plants but especially nuts and seeds. Soy and Almonds are among the top sources food sources of phytates. The effect of these anti-nutrients is real. For example, only 5% of the calcium in spinach can be absorbed by the body, and to get the same amount of calcium as a glass of milk, you have to eat 8 cups of spinach. Drink your Phytate filled plant-based beverage with your meal and you could be causing more harm to than you know.

Food Sources of Phytates and Oxalates- Anti-nutrients can cause mineral deficiencies

Besides anti-nutrients, soy has loads of estrogen

3- Milk fat is an Important Nutrient

Plant-based “milks” proudly label their beverages as saturated fat-free but is that a health benefit? Your brain and heart are powered by fat and fat is the preferred fuel source for your body. Dietary fat is necessary for nutrient absorption and helps to promote vitamin absorption- especially the fat-soluble ones. Milk contains the perfect amount of fat to help promote nutrient absorption.

Certain essential vitamins, such as A, D, E and K, all require fat in order to be absorbed by our intestines. Vitamin K2 is only found in animal-based fats and is essential for calcium absorption and utilization. Vitamin K2 activates the calcium-binding properties of protein and regulates where calcium ends up in the body. Researchers have found that vitamin K2 prevents calcium from being dumped in the arteries which has been shown to reduce heart disease.

Vitamin K2 is only found in animal based-foods and regulates where calcium is deposited in your body. Vitamin K2 keeps calcium out of your arteries, helping to prevent heart disease. Photo (source)

Milk fat is also encased in a droplet surrounded by the Milk Fat Globule Membrane, MFGM, which carries a vast array of beneficial bio-active compounds. The compounds on the MFGM have been shown to possess anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-pathogenic, even anti-cancer properties. Milk fat has been shown to help with inactivation of toxins and bacteria- certainly an important component to milk. Milk fat is an essential nutrient for good health and something plant passed beverages will not be able to replicate.

Real Milk is a good Value

Alternative plant beverages may try to add similar ingredients to their drinks but without nutrient absorption mechanisms and with anti-nutrients preventing nutrient absorption are they even worthwhile consuming. Not to mention the unique, bio-active nutrients in milk like saturated fat, MFGM, and vitamin K that plant-milks can’t provide.

It is popular and trendy to try new things, but plant-milks will be shown to be poor sources of nutrition. Milk is not easily replicated; It has fed humanity for thousands of years- there must be some reason.

Besides providing little usable nutrition, plant-milks generally cost more than real milk. Don’t be fooled, Milk provides unique, bioactive nutrition that plant-milks can’t replace (Source)