Abstract
Background: Non-Dairy (ND) food consumption is rapidly increasing in the UK and for many consumers plant-based diets are presumed to be healthier than standard diets. ND alternatives have different nutritional compositions, and their consumption could present challenges on a public-health level. Aim: To compare the price and nutritional composition of dairy and ND milks and cheeses in UK supermarkets.
Methods: Macro and micronutrient data was recorded from Alpro's website and the 6 leading UK grocers for their own-label ND milks and cheeses. For missing micronutrient values the McCance & Widdowson's dataset was used. 99 total products were extracted: 57 ND milks, 7 dairy milks, 10 dairy cheeses and 25 ND cheeses. Dairy milk and cheese were used as control against which all ND products were compared.
Results: Soya and coconut milks had lower values of carbohydrates, sugars, calcium, iodine, and potassium (p < 0.01) than dairy. Almond milk had lower values of carbohydrates (p = 0.01), sugars, calcium, iodine, and potassium (p < 0.01) compared to dairy milk. Protein was significantly (p < 0.01) lower for all ND except soya. Dairy cheeses had higher values for energy, protein, iodine, potassium, riboflavin, vitamin B12 and calcium (p < 0.01) than ND. Median prices were similar between dairy and ND milks, whereas ND cheeses were significantly more expensive compared to dairy (p < 0.01).
Conclusions: ND alternatives fall short in several key nutrients compared to dairy. Fortification, accurate labelling and nutrition education are needed to help consumers make healthy and informed choices.
Methods: Macro and micronutrient data was recorded from Alpro's website and the 6 leading UK grocers for their own-label ND milks and cheeses. For missing micronutrient values the McCance & Widdowson's dataset was used. 99 total products were extracted: 57 ND milks, 7 dairy milks, 10 dairy cheeses and 25 ND cheeses. Dairy milk and cheese were used as control against which all ND products were compared.
Results: Soya and coconut milks had lower values of carbohydrates, sugars, calcium, iodine, and potassium (p < 0.01) than dairy. Almond milk had lower values of carbohydrates (p = 0.01), sugars, calcium, iodine, and potassium (p < 0.01) compared to dairy milk. Protein was significantly (p < 0.01) lower for all ND except soya. Dairy cheeses had higher values for energy, protein, iodine, potassium, riboflavin, vitamin B12 and calcium (p < 0.01) than ND. Median prices were similar between dairy and ND milks, whereas ND cheeses were significantly more expensive compared to dairy (p < 0.01).
Conclusions: ND alternatives fall short in several key nutrients compared to dairy. Fortification, accurate labelling and nutrition education are needed to help consumers make healthy and informed choices.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 157-165 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Nutrition and Health |
| Volume | 30 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Early online date | 12 Jun 2022 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Mar 2024 |
Bibliographical note
This work is part of the Strategic Research Program 2016–2021 and is supported by the Scottish Government's Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services Division (RESAS).UN SDGs
This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
-
SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
Keywords
- Dairy
- cheese
- dairy alternatives
- milk
- nutrient content
- price
- Carbohydrates
- Calcium, Dietary
- Cross-Sectional Studies
- Humans
- Potassium/analysis
- United Kingdom
- Calcium/analysis
- Milk/chemistry
- Iodine/analysis
- Cheese/analysis
- Micronutrients
- Animals
- Supermarkets
- Sugars
Fingerprint
Dive into the research topics of 'A comparison of the nutritional content and price between dairy and non-dairy milks and cheeses in UK supermarkets: a cross sectional analysis'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Cite this
- APA
- Standard
- Harvard
- Vancouver
- Author
- BIBTEX
- RIS