How animal milk and plant-based alternatives diverge in terms of fatty acid, amino acid, and mineral composition

The study compares the nutrient composition of plant-based beverages (PBB; almond, oat, rice, coconut, soya) with cow and goat milk across gross composition, amino acids, fatty acids, and minerals. Most PBB had lower total protein, lipids, amino acids, and minerals than animal milk. Soya-based beverages were the exception, approximating milk in protein content (3.47% vs. 3.42% cow and 3.25% goat) and essential amino acid profile, and showing relatively higher mineral content among PBB. The work discusses the presence of phytocompounds in PBB acting as antinutrients that can reduce bioavailability, potentially worsening their already lower nutrient quality.

S. S. Moore, A. Costa, M. Pozza, T. Vamerali, G. Niero, S. Censi, M. De Marchi