Food Fight: Cow's Milk v. Soya Milk

Cow’s milk is a significant source of calcium and vitamins. However, it is not suitable for vegans. Also, people who are either lactose intolerant or allergic to cow’s milk may need to avoid it.

Let’s look at some stats comparing cow’s skimmed milk and Alpro Original Soya Fresh milk:

	Cow’s skimmed milk	Soya Milk
Portion size	200ml	200ml
Calories	69kcal	80kcl
Protein	6.8g	6g
Carbohydrates	10g	5.6g
of which sugars	10g	5.4g
Fat	0.2g	3.6g
Saturated fat	0.1g	0.6g
Calcium	248mg	240mg
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)	0.2mg	0.4mg
Vitamin B12	0.8mcg	0.8mcg
Vitamin D	1.025mcg (41 IU)	1.5mcg (60 IU)
Ingredients	Pasteurised skimmed milk, 0.1% fat	Water, Hulled Soya Beans (6%), Sugar, Acidity Regulators (Monopotassium Phosphate, Dipotassium Phosphate), Calcium (Calcium Carbonate), Flavouring, Sea Salt, Stabiliser (Gellan Gum), Vitamins (Riboflavin (B2), B12, D2)

Source: Tesco.com

hands holding a mug of milk

Here are some highlights:

Both contain similar amounts of protein and calories and are low in saturated fat.
Soya milk is higher in total fat than skimmed milk but lower in carbohydrates and sugar.
Both contain similar amounts of calcium and vitamin B12 but a glass of soya milk provides more riboflavin and vitamin D than cow’s milk.
A quick glance at the ingredients label shows that soya milk has been fortified with calcium and vitamins B2, B12 and D. But it also has added sugar, salt, acidity regulators, flavouring and a stabiliser.

OUR WINNER: It’s a tie!

Both kinds of milk are nutritious, low-fat sources of protein. As soya milk is free from animal products and lactose, it is a suitable alternative for vegans and also for people who are either lactose intolerant or allergic to cow’s milk. However, ideally, you should choose soya milk with no added sugar, salt or additives. Other cow’s milk alternatives include almond milk, rice milk and oat milk.

Written by Victoria Trousse

Food Fight: Cow’s Milk v. Soya Milk

Here are some highlights:

OUR WINNER: It’s a tie!