Try something new this World Plant Milk Day

Do it for your health 

Despite the dairy industry’s best efforts to convince us otherwise, we do not actually need to consume animals or animal products to be healthy. There is nothing in cow’s milk that cannot be obtained from plant-based sources. 

In fact, every major dietetic association agrees that a well-planned vegan diet is healthy, nutritionally adequate and suitable for all stages of life, from pregnancy and infancy through to childhood, adolescence and adulthood. A report from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics  states that “vegans are at reduced risk of certain health conditions”, including heart disease, diabetes, some cancers, and obesity. In contrast, a 2022 study found that those who regularly consumed dairy products had a significantly greater risk of developing certain types of cancer. 

Do it for the planet 

Dairy farming is incredibly harmful to the environment. Findings taken from the Environment Agency show that most UK dairy farms are not compliant with anti-pollution regulations causing vast amounts of slurry to spill into waterways and devastate local ecosystems. More generally, agriculture is the largest single source of river pollution in the UK – and dairy farming accounts for 75% of all serious pollution incidents caused by agriculture.  

As well as polluting the environment, dairy production is also resource-heavy, requiring almost twice as much water to produce 1 litre of cow’s milk than other plant-based alternatives. Even the most ‘thirsty’ of all plant milks – almond! – uses only 60% of the water needed for cow’s milk. Soy and oat milks are even more sustainable, using 28 and 48 litres of water, respectively (a fraction of the 628 litres required to produce a litre of dairy milk). 

Do it for the animals 

The dairy industry is one of the most exploitative methods of farming animals. In the UK, the life of a dairy cow is exhausting, relentless, and cruel: for up to 5 years, she’ll endure a near-constant cycle of pregnancy, birth and milking until her body can no longer cope. Only once she is too lame to walk to the milking unit or she is no longer ‘profitable’ will she be sent to slaughter and turned into cheap meat products like pies and dog food. 

But where to start? 

Giving up a food group that we’ve been taught, all our lives, is a ‘necessary’ staple can be daunting. Thankfully, it’s never been easier to ditch dairy, with heaps of delicious plant-based milks on the market! Here are our top tips for making the switch: 

• Taste testing: Most of the Animal Aid team tried a whole bunch of different plant-milks before settling on their go-to favourite. Shopping around to see what works for you is part of the fun! 

• Be flexible: One of the best things about plant milks is that they’re super flexible. If you’re baking a cake or having a hearty cup of cocoa, oat milk is probably your best bet, but for a standard cup of builder’s tea, lots of people opt for soya milk. 

• Find your why: It’s easier to ‘fall off the wagon’ if you lose sight of why you made the switch in the first place, whether it’s for your health, for the planet, or to help alleviate animal suffering. 

• Get inspired: Check out our Recipes page for heaps of inspiration, none of which rely on the dairy industry to be tasty and nutritious! 

Mythbusting 

• Don’t cows need to be milked? No. Cows only produce milk when pregnant in preparation to feed their new calf. If cows were not impregnated by the dairy industry, then they would not produce milk at all. 

• Don’t we need milk for calcium? Don’t be fooled by the milk marketing hype! We do need calcium in our diets, but calcium can be found in all kinds of foods that don’t rely on animal suffering, including sweet potato, butternut squash, broccoli, watercress, kale, tofu, beans (especially kidney beans and soya beans), and fortified plant milks.  

• Can’t I just drink goat’s milk instead? Goat’s milk is just as exploitative as cow’s milk. Like dairy cows, goats will only produce milk if pregnant with a ‘kid’ and so will endure a similar cycle of near-constant pregnancy, birth and milking. This puts an enormous burden on their bodies and health, leading to painfully swollen udders and infections like mastitis. At worst, goats who cannot walk or stand are likely to be culled for being commercially inconvenient. 

• Aren’t plant milks bad for the planet? In response to their growing popularity, some have claimed that plant-milks (and vegan diets more generally) are bad for the environment. This has led to unfounded fears and myths that simply aren’t true. Numerous studies have found that vegan diets are less resource-heavy and destructive than non-vegan diets and can even reduce your carbon emissions by an average of 45% and land use by 55%! [2] 

[1] J. Poore & T. Nemecek, 2018. Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and consumers. Science (360)6392, pp.987-992. Accessed via https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/dining/climate-change-food-eating-habits.html  

[2] Aleksandrowicz, L., Greeb, R., Joy, E.J.M., Smith, P. & Haines, A., 2016. The impacts of dietary change on greenhouse gas emissions, land use, water use and health: A systematic review. PLoS One, 11(11). Accessed via https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0165797