Protein quality of plant-based beverages: nutritional consequences and future approaches

Today, the number of plant-based drinks in the retailer shelves is augmenting. They are directly based beside milk in similar packaging and even called colloquial «… milk». Their market raised 19% from 2011-2016 in Switzerland, whereas the bovine milk demand decreased -6% due to different reasons. This trend makes it necessary to investigate in detail which products are on the market, what they are composed of and the implications regarding their nutritional value.
Method: The main supermarket chains in Switzerland sell 45 non-dairy plant-based beverages that were analyzed as to their composition (information from the label and nutrient databases) and nutrient content per recommended serving size. This information was correlated to the recommended dietary allowances published by the Swiss Society for Nutrition (SSN), for adults (25-51), children (4-7 years) and toddlers (1-3 years). The focus was placed on the protein content and amino acid composition of the beverages which is of great importance for different physiological functions.
Results: Replacing cow’s milk with non-dairy plant-based beverages leads to a reduced intake of proteins, calcium, certain vitamins and minerals and to an increased intake of added salt.
Discussion: A substitution of cow`s milk should be made with precaution and nutrient deficiencies balanced with other food sources. These results are important for product development in the future.