PLANT-BASED JUNIORS
Milk Myths & Facts
What milk is best? That’s the #1 question we get from parents and a question that we had ourselves.
Contrary to what you may have heard, kids don’t need cow’s milk to thrive. Whether your child has an
intolerance to cow’s milk or you simply want to raise a plant-based baby, there are plenty of nourishing
plant-based beverages available.
Let’s explore milk myths and facts and which plant-based milk we recommend.
MILK MYTH 1
Children need milk to form strong, healthy bones.
Fact: Strong bones are dependent on a combination of factors—proper nutrition and exercise being
paramount. However, kids don’t need milk to get the nutrients required to build healthy bones,
they can get everything they need from whole plant foods. The most important nutrients
involved in bone mineralization are calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin K. Both calcium and
vitamin K are found in leafy greens and vitamin D is synthesized in our body from sunlight or
supplemented in our diet. The vitamin D found in milk, for example, is added—not naturally
occurring. Exclusively breastfed babies and anyone who doesn’t get enough sunlight daily should
supplement vitamin D.
MILK MYTH 2
The calcium in milk is better absorbed or more “bioavailable” than the calcium
found in plant foods.
Fact: The bioavailability of calcium in cruciferous
vegetables like bok choy, broccoli, and kale is
actually twice as high as that found in milk and Calcium Content
fortified products. Tofu, soy milk, and fortified of plant-based foods/drinks compared
to cow’s milk
products have the same absorption as milk and
dairy products. Milk 300mg/cup
MILK MYTH 3 Soymilk 300mg/cup
Milk is good source of iron for children. Fortified
Orange Juice 300mg/cup
Fact: Iron and calcium compete for absorption, and
when consumed together, calcium inhibits iron Tofu 300mg/ 3⁄4cup
absorption. Milk contains a high level of both Cooked
calcium and casein, and a low level of iron, and is Collard Greens 130mg/ 1⁄2cup
therefore a poor source of iron. In fact, Cooked Kale 90mg/ 1⁄2cup
consuming too much milk can actually cause
iron-deficiency anemia in children.
MILK MYTH 4
Avoiding milk stunts children’s growth.
Fact: While some studies have shown that children who drink milk are typically taller than those who
do not, milk-drinkers may also have a higher odds of overweight/obesity. One study showed that
4-year-olds who drank more than 3 glasses of milk a day were 16% more likely to be overweight
than those drinking less than 1 glass a day, though their average difference in height was only 1
centimeter. Another study showed that while vegan children were slightly below average height,
they were all in the normal height/ weight range. Additionally, researchers point out that taller
individuals are actually at an elevated risk of fracture later in life and potentially certain cancers
due to higher levels of growth factor.
MILK MYTH 5
Milk from grass-fed cows is healthier than conventional milk.
Fact: Milk from organic cows that are pasture-raised does have a higher content of beneficial omega-3
fatty acids and Conjugated Linolenic Acid (CLA), a fatty acid that may possess disease-fighting
properties. However, organic, grass-fed milk is still milk. Some of the potential harms of consuming
cow’s milk include:
1. Milk may cause constipation in some children, even those without a diagnosed cow’s milk allergy.
2. Milk raises levels of the hormone known as IGF-1, intended to produce rapid growth in baby cows,
but which may in turn increase the risk of cancer.
3. Milk may increase obesity/overweight in children.
MILK MYTH 6
Soy milk is bad for you.
Fact: Soy milk is an excellent source of protein, fat, calcium, and cancer-fighting phytochemicals
known as isoflavones. In fact, studies show that people who have a high intake of soy have lower
rates of breast and prostate cancer and lower rates of cancer recurrence. And what’s even more
interesting is that the research suggests that the earlier you start consuming soy, the better. Studies
show that the protective benefits of soy against breast cancer are increased when consumption
begins prior to adulthood. One study showed a 28-60% decrease in breast cancer risk among
women who consumed 1 serving of soyfoods/day in their teenage years.
Which plant-based milk is best?
Fortified Soy Milk Why? Because of fat and protein requirements, fortified soy milk
is the best plant-based milk option for PBJs until at least 3 years of age. 1 cup
of fortified soy milk contains 110 calories, 4.5g fat, 8g protein along with 45%
calcium, 30% vitamin D and 6% iron daily values.
References:
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK56060/
2. DeBoer, 2015. Milk intake, height, and body mass index in preschool children.
3. O’Connell. Growth of vegetarian children: the Farm study
4. Ziegler, 2011. Consumption of cow's milk as a cause of iron deficiency in infants and toddlers. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22043881
5. Irastorza, 2010. Cow's-milk-free diet as a therapeutic option in childhood chronic constipation. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20453672
6. Rogers, 2006. Milk as a food for growth? The insulin-like growth factors link. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16684388
7. Messina, 2016. Impact of Soy Foods on the Development of Breast Cancer and the Prognosis of Breast Cancer Patients. https://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/444735
