The Good, Bad & Ugly of Non-Dairy Milks | with Laura Bond

You might be lured by health-claims on the carton – ‘Totally Vegan,’ ‘Low Carbon Footprint’ ‘High in Calcium,’ but the majority of plant-based milks are anything but natural. Here is what you need to look out for - and your best buys.

Hidden Ingredients in Plant Based Milks

Seed oils are undoubtedly the worst offender in plant-based milks. These oils are added to create a ‘creaminess’ and to ensure the milk doesn’t separate. Unfortunately, rather than using a healthy oil like olive oil to do this, the large majority of companies use cheap seed oils like sunflower (rapeseed) or canola oil.

To what effect?

Research has suggested seed oils are fuelling the rise in colon cancer in young people[1]. A recent study from the University of California found that seed oils drive inflammation, damage DNA, and interfere with the natural repair mechanisms that prevent the formation of tumours.

We also know that seed oils contain a high proportion of omega-6 fatty acids. While we need some omega-6 in our diet, when we consume excess omega-6 fats, and insufficient omega-3, it propels our body into a state of low-grade inflammation which has been linked to many chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes and cancer.

Other Ingredients to Avoid

Dipotassium Phosphate is often used as a preservative and flavour-enhancer. A swift Google search assures you it’s ‘considered safe by the FDA’ but further digging shows links to intestinal inflammation [2] and anecdotal accounts of allergies. Convenient to overlook - but better to avoid.

Skip Added Vitamins

Many commercial plant-based milks are fortified with vitamins in their cheaper, less easily absorbable forms. These include calcium carbonate as well as Vitamin D2 and cyanocobalamin B12 - the latter two are man-made synthetic forms of these vitamins which are a lot harder for the body to assimilate.

Worried About Lack of Calcium?

If I’m guiding a client through a dairy-free diet – whether to support hormonal balance, reduce eczema, or as part of a gut/immune repair plan – we talk extensively about the best foods to nourish your body in place of dairy as well as supplements which are going to be gentle on sensitive stomachs as well as effective.

The Healthiest Plant-Based Milks

Nutty Bruce Unsweetened Almond Milk This is widely available and contains filtered water, organic almonds, organic brown rice, and sea salt. It’s a breakfast hero – great in smoothies or on porridge. Nutty Bruce also comes in old-fashioned milk cartons which can be recycled.
Oatly Organic Oat Milk Water, organic oats, and sea salt are all you will find in this milk, which does blend a bit better with hot drinks. On the environmental side, oats require far less water than almonds to grow (win), however, this product still comes in a non-recyclable Tetra Pak. Note: This is the only product in the Oatly line I would recommend.
BONSOY Soy Milk If you are wedded to soy milk, this is your best option with the ingredient list as follows: Filtered Water, Organic Whole Soybeans, Tapioca Syrup, Sea Salt, Job’s Tears (a plant), Calcium Carbonate. I do not recommend soy milk to children due to its oestrogenic qualities, although I do add in some organic tofu and tempeh to meal plans if the child is vegan/pescatarian.

The Café Dilemma

‘Barista’ plant-based milks are ubiquitous at cafes and they all contain seed oils. I’ve recently taken to ordering an ‘ice-long black’ when out or occasionally adding a ‘dash’ of oat milk. When it comes to kids, unless they are lactose intolerant, it's actually better for them to have a dairy-milk babycino. If they are intolerant, you might like to try something like an iced peppermint tea – a bit grown-up and no nasties.

[1] Ultraprocessed Foods High in Seed Oils Could Be Fueling Colon Cancer Risk
[2] Dietary phosphate exacerbates intestinal inflammation in experimental colitis
[3] What Labels Don't Tell Us: getting BPA out of our food and our bodies

Love Laura

Looking for some one-on-one guidance? You can book a consultation with Laura here. As well as offering functional medical tests, Laura provides meal plans and recipes as part of her consultation.

Laura is a Nutritional Therapist (Dip ION) who is passionate about helping her clients feel their best. Laura is able to run lab tests for clients – including children – as well as create bespoke meal plans tailored to the clients’ needs.