Vegetable milk: are these drinks better for your health? – Based on coconut, hazelnut or almond, These drinks, previously marketed as “vegetable milk“, are all the rage among consumers eager to eat better. But are they perfect for your health? Do they outperform their animal counterpart? Answers with a nutritionist.
They are everywhere. In organic stores and supermarkets, on television and in magazines, even in the porridge bowls of fitness Instagrammers. Vegetable milk, re-baptized since 2017 as ‘vegetable drinks‘ since they do not contain the milk of animal origin, has won the hearts of consumers.
These drinks are better for your health – They are finding lactose-free products due to an intolerance, moving towards a digested drink better, or choosing an option that respects animal welfare. Since dairy products have recently with health or ethical scandals, consumers are also looking to find a healthier alternative. Are plant-based drinks the solution?
1. Drinks Better For Your Health – Of animal or vegetable origin, two very different drinks
These drinks are extra. Milk by the mammary glands of an animal such as a cow, sheep or goat. The vegan version is a liquid made from crushed seeds or fruits in water.
But there is a problem: according to a study commissioned in 2018 by the French dairy industry. The Ciel. ” one in two French people think – wrongly – that plant-based drinks or desserts provide the same nutrients as milk ” and ” one in five French people say that vegetable drinks meet the needs of babies “.
They are interesting because they are low in calories and fat, unlike milk of animal origin. But they do not in any way replace the latter since they do not provide the same nutrients”, indicates Dr Nina Cohen Koubi, nutritionist, and also recalls that they present a danger for children. Especially at a young age, because devoid of essential nutrients for growth.
Drinks Better For Your Health – Dairy products provide protein, and contrary to what one might think, vegetable drinks are not as exciting sources as meat or dairy products. Because the latter also contain vitamin B12 and calcium – some plant products also have it, but the body better absorbs calcium from animal products.
Products made from coconut are high in saturated fat, and rice contains complex carbohydrates. Nevertheless, these two nutrients are absorbed in small quantities to satisfy a sweet craving. ” It’s always better than soda “, slips the doctor.
2. Vegetable drinks, yes, but “in addition”
Vegetable Milk: Are These Drinks Better For Your Health? – Should we then avoid or adopt vegetable drinks? Instead, the nutrition specialist advises balancing with dairy products to fill the nutrient intake. Presented into a healthy diet as a supplement.”
“The only ones I wouldn’t recommend are soy products. Studies suspect that they slow down the metabolism and disrupt the hormonal system. So you have to limit your consumption,” recommends Dr Cohen Koubi.
“Faced with the hype of cow’s milk products, consumers tend to want to eliminate everything. However, when in doubt, you can reduce but not eliminate. The watchword is moderation, and to avoid generalities.”
