ArticleAdvances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.)2022
A Scoping Review of the Environmental Impacts and Nutrient Composition of Plant-Based Milks.
Article in Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.), 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
19 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Impact of Plant-Based Drinks on Cardiometabolic Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis.Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) · 2026Pooled it
- Dairy Consumption Across Generations-A Structural Equation Model of Central European Adults.Nutrients · 2026Article
- Quantifying the Relationship Between Key Potential Environmental and Nutritional Health Benefits of Plant-Based Meat Alternatives and Their Price Premiums Compared to Beef.Foods (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Substitution of Dairy Foods With Plant-Based Alternatives in German Children and Adolescents: A Modeling Analysis on Nutritional Adequacy and Environmental Sustainability Impact.Food science & nutrition · 2026Article
- Recent Advances in Plant-Based Dairy Alternatives: Technological Innovations, Nutritional Enhancement, Sustainability, and Consumer Perspectives.Food science & nutrition · 2026Review
- Plant-based analogues to meat and dairy for sustainable food systems.The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society · 2026Review
- Goals in Nutrition Science 2025-2030.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Review
- Beyond Dairy: Consumer Perceptions and Beliefs About Dairy Alternatives-Insights from a Segmentation Study.Foods (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- The amino acid composition of commercially available vegan meat and dairy analogues.The British journal of nutrition · 2025Article
- Review
- Towards a More Holistic Comparative Assessment of Plant-Based Alternative Beverages and Dairy Milk: A True Cost Accounting Approach.Foods (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Exploring the Nutritional Profile and Cost of Plant-Based Milk Alternatives Compared with Dairy Milk in the UK with Consideration of Environmental Impact Data.Current developments in nutrition · 2025Article
- The role of dairy alternatives in just food system transitions: a scoping review.Agriculture and human values · 2025Review
- A perspective on the environmental impact of plant-based protein concentrates and isolates.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2024Article
- Environmental impact of the diet of young Portuguese and its relationship with adherence to the Mediterranean Diet.European journal of nutrition · 2024Article
- Fortification of Pea and Potato Protein Isolates in Oat-Based Milk Alternatives; Effects on the Sensory and Volatile Profile.Foods (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Integrating environmental sustainability into food-based dietary guidelines in the Nordic countries.Food & nutrition research · 2024Review
- Replacement of Milk and Dairy Products with Soy-Based Alternatives-How to Avoid Nutrient Deficiencies in a Milk-Free Diet?The Journal of nutrition · 2024Article
- Non-animal-based options for animal-based foods- towards a systematic terminology.Frontiers in nutrition · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Dairy milk is a ubiquitous nutrient-dense beverage and ingredient, especially in Western diets. However, consumers are increasingly seeking alternatives to dairy, called plant-based milks (PBMs), to avoid allergens, pursue a plant-based diet, or reduce their environmental impacts. The base ingredients used in PBMs have a wide range of environmental impacts, which may translate to substantial variation across the impacts associated with PBMs themselves. To assess the state of the literature on this topic, we performed a scoping review of the environmental impacts of PBMs, following the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews. Recent growth in the variety of PBMs available means that there is unlikely yet enough data for conclusive statements regarding environmental impacts of all PBM types, which makes this topic appropriate for a scoping review. We included all relevant documents found through searching scholarly databases. We found 20 studies covering 6 types of PBMs, but the literature does not examine many other types of PBMs. All studies examined use the life cycle assessment methodology. The most data regarding environmental impacts were available for soy- and almond-based milks, and the most common impact quantified was greenhouse gas emissions. We also examined the nutrient composition of PBMs compared with dairy using data from the USDA. PBMs attempt to replicate the organoleptic properties of dairy but often do not exactly match the nutrient profile of dairy. We identified a need for the application of a standardized methodology to facilitate more comprehensive assessment of environmental impacts of the wide variety of PBMs available, which are presented as environmentally preferable to dairy.
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