Plant milks exploded in popularity in the last few years. I chose it because I don’t like the taste of regular milk, and I believe that if we can choose milk from nuts and beans, why should we choose milk from cows, which is way more environmentally damaging for our planet, and also makes cows suffer.
With so many milks to choose from, it is important to understand that they not only have different flavour profiles, but also different nutritional benefits.
In this article, we will compare the nutritional value of the most popular vegan milks and break down the healthiest and most nutritious.
To make the comparison fair and most accurate, we will be analyzing organic, unsweetened, and non-fortified vegan milk. We have also added dairy milk for the comparison reasons.
Plant Milk Nutrition:
The table compares the nutritional values of six vegan milks: Oat, Soy, Rice, Macadamia, Coconut, Hemp and full-fat and Semi semi-skimmed dairy milk. We have listed the key nutrients- Calories, Protein, Fat, Carbohydrates, Fiber, Sugars, Calcium, and Iron per 240 ml (about 8 ounces or 1 cup) so you can compare and make a decision on your personal needs.
| Calories (kcal) | 120 | 60 | 80 | 120 | 55 | 45 | 60 | 150 | 122 |
| Protein (g) | 3 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Fat (g) | 5 | 2.5 | 4 | 2.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 8 | 5 |
| Carbohydrates (g) | 16 | 1 | 4 | 25 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 12 |
| Sugars (g) | 7 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 12 |
| Dietary Fiber (g) | 2 | 1 | 1 | <1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Calcium (% DV) | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 4% | 2% | 30% | 30% |
| Iron (% DV) | 10% | 4% | 6% | 4% | 4% | 10% | 7% | 0% | 0% |
Nutrition Notes:
Calories: Varied across types, with Dairy milk being the most calorific
Protein: Soy Milk and Dairy Milk are high in protein
Fat: Dairy milk has more saturated fat (of 8 grams of fat, approximately 5 grams, or about 62.5%, are saturated fats). Coconut milk also has high saturated fat ( 4g )
Monounsaturated Fat (MUFA) and Polyunsaturated Fat (PUFA): Plant-based milk has higher amounts of these healthy fats.
Carbohydrates: Rice Milk is high in carbohydrates.
Sugars: Naturally occurring lactose in Dairy milk; other milk has minimal sugars unless sweetened.
Dietary Fiber: Only present in plant-based milk.
Calcium & Iron: The percentage of Daily Value (%DV) is based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Dairy milk is high in calcium, and Oat and Coconut Milk are naturally high in Iron.
Plant-Based Milk with the lowest Glycemic Index
If insulin resistance and glucose spikes are your main concers then this section might be interesting for you.
Glycemic Index (GI) is considered high, medium, or low:
- Low GI: 55 or less
- Medium GI: 56 to 69
- High GI: 70 or higher
This classification of vegan milk helps provide a clearer picture of how different types of milk can affect our blood sugar levels.
| Oat Milk | 45-65 | Medium |
| Almond Milk | 25-30 | Low |
| Soy Milk | 30-40 | Low |
| Rice Milk | 70-90 | High |
| Macadamia Milk | 25-35 | Low |
| Coconut Milk | 30-40 | Low |
| Hemp Milk | 30-40 | Low |
| Full Fat Cow's Milk | 27-34 | Low |
| Semi-Skimmed Cow's Milk | 30-38 | Low |
Plant-based Milk GI Notes:
Oat Milk: Natural carbohydrates from oats can have a moderate effect on blood sugar levels.
Almond Milk: Typically has a low GI due to low carbohydrate content.
Soy Milk: Has a low to moderate GI and benefits from a balance of proteins and fats that slow down sugar absorption.
Rice Milk: Usually has a high GI because of its high carbohydrate and sugar content, which rapidly increases blood sugar levels.
Macadamia Milk: The GI is estimated to be low, similar to almond milk, due to its low carbohydrate content.
Coconut Milk: It also has a low GI, though its fat content can influence how carbohydrates impact blood sugar.
Hemp Milk’s GI is on the lower side, as it has a balanced composition of fats and low carbs.
Cow’s Milk (Full Fat and Semi-Skimmed): GI is relatively low due to lactose compared to carbohydrate plant-based milk.
The GI of milk can vary based on factors like fat content, processing, and the amount of carbohydrates. If you are worried about sugar spikes in your blood, go for low-GI milk, like Almond Milk, and avoid Rice Milk. However, please always consider your overall diet and consult with healthcare professionals.
Which vegan milk is the healthiest?
It depends on your needs, but based on the data, soy milk is the nutritionally healthiest milk. This vegan milk stands out for its balanced nutritional profile, especially due to its protein content and the presence of all essential amino acids.
Soy milk is shown to have more satiety than cow’s milk, potentially due to its higher fiber content, and can help with weight management (1).
The soy protein and isoflavones contained in soy foods can improve muscle and bone density quality and reduce body weight(2).
But if you are looking to increase your Iron intake, as many of us need more Iron, especially if you exercise and don’t eat a lot of red meat. Both Oat and Coconut Milks have high amounts of Iron and are great choices for your morning coffee.
To Summarise, which plant-based milk should you go for?
When choosing the right and healthiest plant milk, you should consider your individual dietary needs. A mix of milks can provide a balanced diet and help you hit protein and vitamin requirements.
Your choice of plant milk also depends on its nutritional value or GI index and on your taste.
You can also choose a variety fortified with vitamins and minerals like calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12 to make the vegan milk even more nutritious. I always buy unfortified milk and supplement with high-quality B12 vitamins and get other nutrients from food.
For the healthiest plant milk choice, I always recommend unsweetened organic milk with no added oil.
I would avoid plant milk-added stabilizers like gums, emulsifiers, and natural flavours. Are they all harmful? Not all of them. Are they nutritious? No, so why drink them if there are plenty of healthy vegan milk options with pure ingredients?
You can also read an article about what additives to avoid and which plant-based milk brands are the best.
Want to learn how to choose the best plant-based protein powder? Read:
HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST PLANT-BASED PROTEIN POWDER.
If you are looking for the best plant-based protein powder, check out:
12 Best Plant Protein Powders with Clean Ingredients (2026 Edition)
Thanks for reading this article about the healthiest vegan milk; we hope you found this information as helpful. If you have any questions, please leave a comment below.
Disclaimer: all numbers provided are estimates and will vary by individual brand. This article is meant to share some insights on the healthiest Plant-based milk and not to take the place of expert medical advice.
1. Sholihah, L., Nareswari, A., Afifah, C., & Ruhana, A. (2025). Soy milk induces higher postprandial satiety than cow’s milk: a cross-over experiment in healthy normal female adults. Food Research. https://doi.org/10.26656/fr.2017.9(3).336.
2.Tang S, Du Y, Oh C, No J. Effects of Soy Foods in Postmenopausal Women: A Focus on Osteosarcopenia and Obesity. J Obes Metab Syndr. 2020 Sep 30;29(3):180-187. doi: 10.7570/jomes20006. PMID: 32843586; PMCID: PMC7539339.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7539339/
Flynn, M.M., and Schiff, A.R. (2015). Economical and environmental implications of dairy milk consumption: Comparisons with plant-based milk alternatives. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10504201/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1756464621001481?via%3Dihub
Silvija Meilunaite, PN1-NC, CSMC, is a certified nutrition coach and menopause coaching specialist writing from personal experience of perimenopause. She covers midlife health, hormone-supportive nutrition, and non-toxic living with a research-driven approach, helping women over 40 feel informed, strong, and healthy.
