Plant-based milk alternatives such as soy, oat or almond drinks are growing in popularity, but their nutrient composition and associated health benefits can vary considerably. A new study highlights the differences between plant-based milk alternatives.
A research team from the Max Rubner Institute analyzed the nutritional composition of oat, almond and soy drinks, focusing on 36 samples of unsweetened and non-fortified products. The results are published in the “Journal of Food Composition and Analysis”.
Inaccurate nutritional labelling
Consumption of plant-based milk alternatives has increased steadily in Central Europe in recent years – from less than one kilogram per person in 2014 to almost four kilograms in 2023, the researchers report.
However, recent studies have also shown that the nutritional labels of plant-based drinks often provide imprecise information, particularly with regard to the stated energy, fat and saturated fat content.
Nutrient contents examined
“Due to a lack of standardization and legal requirements for ingredients or composition (e.g. fat content), significant differences in nutritional content between oat, almond and soy beverages are to be expected,” say the experts.
To date, there are only a few publications that provide a broad spectrum of analytical nutrient data on these products. The researchers have therefore carried out a comprehensive analytical study of oat, almond and soy drinks.
This included macronutrients, including amino acids and fatty acids, as well as water- and fat-soluble vitamins and minerals, but also selected secondary metabolites such as soy isoflavones, phytates and phytosterols, the team reports.
Clear differences can be seen
According to the researchers, there were clear differences between the plant-based milk alternatives in terms of macronutrient content and nutritional benefits.
For example, there were deviations in fat content, ranging from 1.01 grams per 100 grams for oat drinks to 2.16 grams per 100 grams for almond drinks, the researchers explain.
Soy drinks with the most nutrients
According to the experts, soy drinks had the highest levels of minerals, trace elements and vitamins such as potassium (131.99 milligrams per 100 grams), copper (116.51 µg/100 g), thiamine (44.02 micrograms per 100 grams) and folate (9.7 micrograms per 100 grams).
According to the researchers, the protein content was also highest in the soy drinks (3.23 grams per 100 grams).
Bioavailability may be impaired
However, the soy drinks also contained the largest amounts of phytates (up to 81.5 milligrams per 100 grams), which can impair the bioavailability of essential elements such as zinc, iron and calcium, the researchers report.
In addition, only relatively low concentrations of water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins were detectable in all plant drinks examined.
Important new data
Overall, the new study provides a good overview of the nutrients in plant-based milk alternatives and the data obtained will now be included in the Federal Food Key database so that it is available for future analyses, the experts conclude. (fp)