Teenage girls who opt for oat or almond milk and follow a meat-free diet could be putting their health at risk, according to Professor Ian Givens, director of the Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health at Reading University. He warns that these trendy milk substitutes, which have become a multi-million-pound industry, often lack essential nutrients found in cow's milk and meat.
Professor Givens highlighted that milk alternatives, except for soya, typically do not match the protein content of cow's milk, and avoiding meat can lead to iron deficiency. He noted that nearly half of women and girls in the UK are not getting enough iron, partly due to reduced red meat consumption over the past 20 to 30 years.
Data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (2008-2017) shows that 49% of girls aged 11 to 18 and 25% of women aged 19 to 64 had iron intakes below the daily minimum recommended. Additionally, up to 30% of young females have very low intakes of calcium and iodine, largely due to reduced milk consumption.
Sales of plant-based milks reached £400 million in 2020, up £100 million from the previous year, with oat milk being the most popular. While manufacturers are beginning to fortify these products, Professor Givens expressed concerns about the bioavailability of added calcium and the lack of iodine, for which milk is the primary source for most people.
