In a surprising move, national health and nutrition organizations are calling out plant-based milks, in addition to other beverages, as an inadequate source of nutrition for kids and teens in the U.S.
Experts from four prestigious academies—the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Heart Association—were recently brought together to deem which drinks in the American diet are healthy for kids and teens ages 5-18, and which should be either limited or avoided altogether.
Some beverages, like energy drinks and sodas full of artificial sweeteners, were obvious for the panel to denounce as unhealthy for young people. But, they also stated that plant-based milks, such as almond, oat, and coconut milk, are not a nutritious choice. This has both parents and the plant-based community raising eyebrows.
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The Best and Worst Drinks for Kids & Teens, According to Experts
Healthy Eating Research (HER)
The expert panel behind the new recommendations, released yesterday, was organized by Healthy Eating Research (HER), a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), a non-profit on a mission to “improve children’s nutrition and prevent childhood obesity.”
The advice is meant to provide clarity around sugar, caffeine, and other ingredients in popular drinks on store shelves, and whether or not these are suitable for kids, teens, and their growing needs.
In their research, the panel chose only two drinks to recommend as healthy and nutritional options for young people: water and plain milk.
“All of your child’s hydration needs can be met by drinking water,” the report states. “Unsweetened, unflavored, and fluoridated water is best. The recommended water amounts are: 40 fl oz per day for 5-8 year olds, 61 fl oz per day for 9-13 year olds, and 88 fl oz per day for 14-18 year olds.”
For plain milk, the panel recommends “unsweetened, plain, pasteurized milk” to compliment kids’ and teens’ water intake. “Milk is primarily recommended because it is a good source of nutrients that kids are often lacking (protein, calcium, potassium, vitamin D). If your child does not drink milk they can also get these nutrients by eating dairy foods such as yogurt and cheese.”
Three categories of drinks, in particular, were called out for being the worst options for young people: sugar-sweetened beverages (like sports drinks, soda, juices, etc.), drinks with non-sugar sweeteners (diet soda or anything containing artificial sweeteners like stevia or aspartame), and beverages with caffeine or other stimulants (coffee, tea, energy drinks and shots).
“New research has shown us that even small amounts of caffeine can cause delayed sleep, increased amounts of depressive moods and anxiety, and other mental health issues that are really problematic for young teens,” Megan Lott, deputy director of Healthy Eating Research, told NPR. There are also “case studies of kids and teens coming into ERs who had cardiac events as a result of too much caffeine.”
Why Plant-Based Milks Are Under Scrutiny
The three drinks that the recommendations suggest should be limited in young peoples’ diets are 100% juice, plant-based milks (such as oat, almond, coconut or other alternatives), and flavored milks (like chocolate or strawberry).
“100% juice means that everything in the container comes from a fruit or vegetable with no added sugars or artificial ingredients,” the report states. These should be limited to no more than 4-6 fl oz per day for 5-8 year olds, 6-8 fl oz per day for 9-13 year olds, and 8 fl oz per day for 14-18 year olds.
Given their high sugar content, flavored milks should be thought of as a “treat,” the recommendations say, and “not a daily drink.”
But, when it comes to plant-based milks, the advice is more nuanced.
“With the exception of soy milk, plant-based milk alternatives are not recommended as a nutritional substitute for cow’s milk, as even fortified varieties do not contain the key nutrients that kids and teens need to grow up healthy,” the report states.
“Plant milks also often contain other additives, including added sugars and non-sugar sweeteners that offer no nutritional benefit.”
The panel advises that plant-based milk alternatives should really only be an option for kids and teens if they have a dairy allergy, are vegan, or can’t drink milk for other medical reasons.
“A lot of [plant-based milks] have very little protein in them,” explained Lott. “And somehow, people are giving them to their kids thinking they’re an alternative to cow’s milk.” She told NPR that their lack of vitamin D, calcium, and riboflavin mean they “aren’t even close” to the nutrition that plain milk offers, and if parents are choosing to give their kids plant-based milk, they should also be consulting with a pediatrician or a dietitian to make sure their full dietary needs are being met.
In response, Marjorie Mulhall, a senior policy director for the Plant Based Foods Association, wrote to NPR: “We respectfully disagree with the premise that plant-based milks should be limited based on nutritional comparisons to cow’s milk… Some vitamins in conventional dairy milk are added through fortification, similar to how plant-based milks are fortified. Many plant-based milks offer excellent sources of protein, calcium, vitamin D, and other important nutrients that support children’s health and development.”
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What Nutritious Drinks Should You Buy for Your Family?
Of course, water is an obvious choice to fuel you and your kids’ daily hydration needs. And with all their natural energy, kids and teens don’t need caffeine to help them power through their day.
Plus, the research speaks for itself when it comes to drinking sugary beverages and how unhealthy they can be for anyone—regardless of age. A new study published in the journal Nature Medicine found that sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), such as soda and lemonade, were globally responsible for 2.2 million new type 2 diabetes cases and 1.2 million new cardiovascular disease cases in 2020.
Now, when it comes to whether or not you and your family should be drinking plant-based milk alternatives, it’s important to do your due diligence by reading the nutrition labels of the grocery products you intend to buy.
Our sister site, Eat This, Not That!, provides a helpful list of the healthiest non-dairy milk alternatives in grocery stores nationwide, which have been vetted by nutritionists. Better-for-you plant-based milks have short ingredient lists, plenty of protein, and are low in added sugars.
The plant-based milk options to avoid contain added sugars, oils, and emulsifiers like gums that are considered ultra-processed ingredients. Steer clear of these for your family’s benefit.
For more personalized recommendations, consult with your kid or teens’ doctor.