Take a stroll down your grocery store’s dairy-free milk aisle, and you may feel a bit dizzy. Gone are the days of the lone soy option. Instead, you might see oat, coconut, almond, pea, and even quinoa-based products.
The demand for nondairy milk has risen exponentially in recent decades. In 2010, only one in five U.S. households had purchased dairy-free milk; by 2022, that number had risen to about two in five. As of 2024, the global market value for plant-based milks was estimated at $21.1 billion — and the market continues to grow.
But is selecting the right milk alternative simply a matter of taste? Or are some options healthier than others?
There’s no easy answer, says Samantha McKinney, RD, who helps lead nutrition and LTH supplement education at Life Time. “Typically, dairy-free milk is a substitute for the usage of cow’s milk rather than the nutrition of cow’s milk — meaning it can be swapped in for baking, protein shakes, and more,” she explains. “How it ranks compared to cow’s milk varies based on the source.”
The crucial step in choosing a dairy-free milk is reading the nutrition facts and ingredient list. These products come with a health halo — a perception that they’re automatically healthy because they’re plant-based.
But dairy-free milks are processed foods, and they typically contain added ingredients to improve taste, texture, and shelf life.
Because they can be made from nuts, grains, or legumes, their nutritional profiles are vastly different from each other. “Oat, coconut, almond, macadamia, hemp, rice, and soy are all extremely variable in their nutrition, and so the liquid extracted from processing them will also be highly variable,” says McKinney. “Oat or rice milk [is] higher in carbohydrates and lower in fat, while coconut milk tends to be higher in fat and lower in carbs.”
Wondering how healthy your nondairy milk is? Take a closer look at the following items on the nutrition label.
PROTEIN
Cow’s milk is a good source of protein, with about 8 grams per cup. If you’re using dairy-free milk as a replacement, you may want to find a product with similar protein content, which can be difficult.
Soy-based and pea-based milks deliver more protein than other dairy-free options, McKinney explains, but they might not be suitable for everyone to consume daily due to allergies or digestive issues.
She notes that “many dairy-free milks are not significant sources of protein at all.” Rice, hemp, and unfortified almond milk are all relatively low in protein, for example.
Vegans and vegetarians, in particular, need to prioritize protein, vitamin D, and calcium content, advises Stephanie Wells, MS, RD, a registered dietitian based in Dallas who is vegan.
“Ideally, if you’re not eating animal products, your nondairy milk should have vitamin B12,” she says. If you do eat animal products, including meat, additional B12 may be less important.
Many dairy-free milks are fortified, which means nutrients have been added during manufacturing. Some nondairy milks are even fortified with extra protein — but they could still contain other troubling ingredients. “You should always check the ingredient list for quality,” McKinney says.
ADDED SWEETENERS
Cow’s milk contains natural sugars, and dairy-free milks are often sweetened to approximate that flavor. Occasionally using a sweetened nondairy milk won’t cause health problems for most people, Wells says, as long as the rest of their diet is relatively low in sugar. “But small amounts can add up quickly, so choosing an unsweetened version is an easy way to keep added sugars low.”
McKinney agrees that choosing a product with the lowest amount of added sugars should be a goal.
“Added sugars can be big contributors to total sugar and caloric intake — and, in excess, can contribute to a host of preventable chronic diseases,” she says. “Most people are consuming too many added sugars, so it’s important to consider total intake and try to limit added sugars whenever possible, including those found in dairy-free milk.”
The American Heart Association recommends no more than 6 to 9 teaspoons of added sugar each day. Depending on your body composition, that’s an amount easily reached with a sweetened coffee drink or smoothie made with some nondairy milks containing added sugar.
Some dairy-free products contain natural added sweeteners, such as monk fruit or stevia. “Natural, noncaloric sweeteners can be a good option for those looking to add sweetness without the impact of added extra sugar,” says McKinney.
Even though these natural sweeteners don’t cause the same problems as added sugar does, they can create other issues, including gastrointestinal distress and the potential for increased sugar cravings. (Learn more about sugar alcohols and other alternative sweeteners at ”Are Sweeteners Like Stevia and Monk Fruit Better for You Than Sugar?“)
SEED OILS
Many nondairy products contain added seed oils (such as canola, sunflower, or soybean oil) to boost fat content and enhance texture. This is especially true of barista blends, which are used to create a more stable foam for coffee beverages.
The omega-6 fatty acids found in seed oils have a reputation for contributing to chronic inflammation and overall poor health. But much of this problem, McKinney argues, is linked to an overabundance of seed oils in a person’s total diet, not in a single product.
“Most people are consuming excess seed oils in their overall diet, since they’re such a prevalent component of processed foods as well as food prepared in restaurants,” she explains. The easiest way to avoid overconsuming seed oils is to choose “foods that are closer to their natural form,” she says.
If you want to avoid seed oils in your nondairy milk, seek out products with a higher natural fat content, like coconut milk or unsweetened almond milk. Check the label and look for brands with a minimal ingredient list.
(To learn more about omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids — and how to achieve the right balance in your diet — see “The Omega Balance.”)
GUMS AND EMULSIFIERS
Ingredients such as guar gum, xanthan gum, carrageenan, and soy lecithin help thicken and stabilize nondairy milks, which can separate or taste watery without these added emulsifiers. But, for some people, these ingredients can trigger gastrointestinal disorders.
“The amounts of gums and emulsifiers used in dairy-free milk typically determine the level of concern,” says McKinney. “Usually, these amounts are small and tolerable. But sensitive individuals can experience digestive distress even with small quantities.”
NATURAL FLAVORS
Most nondairy milks contain “natural flavors” to make the product taste more like its main ingredient. Still, these products, which are derived from plants or animals, can also include chemical additives you may prefer to avoid — including solvents, preservatives, and other additives.
Much like nondairy milks themselves, “natural flavors” come with a health halo, but you shouldn’t assume they’re good for you just because of the “natural” designation.
These additives can be a real problem for those with dietary restrictions especially, because manufacturers are not required by the Food and Drug Administration to disclose their ingredients. (The exception is if they contain common allergens, like eggs or shellfish.)
Ideally, your choice of a dairy-free milk will balance your personal preference with an attention to nutrition labels. Prioritizing products with whole foods and minimal ingredients is the best way to find something that tastes good and is good for you.
If you want to be certain that your nondairy milk fits your dietary specifications, you’re in luck: It’s quite easy to make your own plant-based milk at home. Give it a whirl with our recipe template at “DIY Nondairy Milk.”
This article originally appeared as “Know Your Nondairy Milk” in the July/August 2025 issue of Experience Life.
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