By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Many dietary guidelines recommend a shift to a more plant-based diet and also recommend a reduction in use of foods that have been classified as ultra-processed. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recognize fortified soymilk as nutritionally equivalent to cow’s milk. Cow’s milk is considered a minimally processed food. Ironically, fortified soymilk has been classified as an ultra-processed food. You can read more about the NOVA system which is used to classify foods as ultra-processed here. A recent study examined the effect of substituting soymilk for cow’s milk on a variety of outcomes related to heart disease and metabolic health.

What is the study?

The study (1)  used statistical techniques to combine data from 17 studies of 504 adults. All studies were 3 or more weeks long and used a median of about 2 cups per day of fortified soymilk to substitute for about 2 cups of cow’s milk.

What did this study find?

Substituting soymilk for cow’s milk resulted in a reduction in blood pressure, LDL (bad) cholesterol, and C-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation). Substituting soymilk, including sweetened soymilk, for cow’s milk did not affect blood glucose, diabetes control, or insulin levels and had no effect on body weight or BMI.

Are there practical implications?

These results suggest that fortified soymilk should not be classified as an ultra-processed food that potentially has harmful health effects since health benefits were seen when cow’s milk was replaced by soymilk. Additionally, the study authors suggest that the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allow soymilk containing up to 5 grams of added sugar per cup (10% of the Daily Value for sugar) to be labeled as “healthy.” Fortified soymilk with 5 grams or less of added sugars per cup is a health-promoting replacement for cow’s milk.

Reference:

1. Erlich MN, Ghidanac D, Blanco Mejia S, et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials of substituting soymilk for cow’s milk and intermediate cardiometabolic outcomes: understanding the impact of dairy alternatives in the transition to plant-based diets on cardiometabolic health. BMC Med. 2024;22(1):336.

To read more about vegan processed food, soymilk, and the use of “healthy” see:

Vegan Processed Foods – Embrace Them? Shun Them?

VRG Sends in Testimony to the FDA on the Labeling of Plant-based Milk Alternatives

The Vegetarian Resource Group Testimony to FDA Concerning the Use of “Healthy” on Food Labels