Whether full-blown vegan, lactose intolerant, or simply trying to introduce a more sustainable diet, dairy milk is off the menu. In its place, there is now a vast range of plant-based alternatives, each with their own advantages and drawbacks. Long gone are the days of cow’s or nothing, with a multitude of substitutes now stocking the shelves—the choice is overwhelming. Soya, nut milk, oat or hemp, how do you decide? Which is best for the environment, and which tastes best in your coffee? Well, help is at hand because I have created a definitive guide to help you make a more informed decision. I have digested all kinds of vegan milk, and an even wider variety of data and scientific reports so that you do not have to.

The obvious and economic choice, soya milk is practically a dinosaur in plant-based milk terms. Any reasonable coffee shop in the world will offer soya in milky beverages, usually for free. However, in recent years, it has come under criticism because of ecological damage caused by the deforestation required to build soy farms in the Amazon rainforest. Made from liquified soya beans, the milk requires a long and energy-costly process, though the outcome is nutritionally closest to dairy milk. What it lacks in low emissions, it makes up for with water efficiency, requiring less water to produce than all other milk. Popular amongst health- nuts because of its high protein content (3g/100ml), soya is also an excellent source of calcium, iodine and vitamins B2, B12, and D. But all the vitamins in the world cannot hide the fact that soya milk simply does not taste as good as some of its nut-based cousins.

Like soya, almond is readily available in most cafes and supermarkets. Though not as high in protein, it offers all the calcium and vitamins as its predecessor; but almond milk is often sweetened, making it unnecessarily high in sugars. It becomes sickly sweet, the sugar a needless addition to the already overpowering flavour, which I can only liken to liquid marzipan. That said, almond milk is great in smoothies. Yet, despite nut-milk producing lower CO 2 emissions than soya and oat, new reports indicate that almond milk is not as sustainable, or ethical, as initially suggested. Not only is production the thirstiest commercial process, requiring 130 cups of water to produce a single glass of almond milk, but demand for almonds places palpable pressure on so-called worker bees. In the US, 70 per cent of commercial worker bees are used for the pollination of almonds. In winter 2019-2020, this wiped out 50 billion of this winged workforce, causing questions to arise over just how ethical almond milk is. For vegans, this has led to moral conflict but, to put it simply: if you refuse to eat honey, you best put down that almond milk, honey! At £1.80/litre, its neither cheap nor cheerful and, thus, it appears that almond is on its way out…

These hard-shelled fruits have been known to divide families with their marmite-esque likeability. Not to be confused with coconut water, another dangerously polarising beverage, the strong notes of creamy coconut milk appeal only to a particular palate. If you do not like coconut flavours, you will not like coconut milk—move on. Low fat and low calorie, with that characteristically tropical taste, coconut is becoming increasingly popular in coffee shops across the world. My favourite brand, Koko, promises calcium, B12, vitamin D, and a rich flavour that will expand your horizons both in coffee and the kitchen. For me, the flavour is too intense to have in my coffee, but use coconut milk in curries or smoothies for a rich, creamy texture with undernotes of beachside relaxation. Furthermore, this plant-based milk has much lower CO 2 emissions and water consumption than other options. The main concern lies in the unfair treatment of pickers in tropical climates, so if you are loco for coco, be sure to go Fairtrade.

An oat milk flat white has become my go-to order, and I have found a surprising abundance of coffee shops offering oat milk as an alternative (usually as a 50p add-on). It is the closest thing to a creamy, cow’s milk coffee that you will ever taste. I have, on several occasions, been obligated to check with baristas that they have indeed given me the vegan version that I asked for. If you choose oat milk, it should be Oatly, the barista edition, though the Minor Figures Oat M*lk is a close second. Regardless of brand, oat milk is slightly higher in calories, but also in calcium, potassium, phosphorus, iodine and vitamins B12 and D. According to the Oatly cartons, which proudly boast “wow, no cow” and use data from CarbonCloud, the carbon footprint amounts to just 0.38 kg per kg of product. The environmental impact of oat milk can be summarised as follows: while it does not have the lowest figures for emissions, water consumption or carbon emissions, oat remains consistently low across the board—something that most of the other dairy alternates fail to do. Moreover, oats are already produced in high quantities for animal feed, meaning there is already existing oat crop growth that could be used directly to produce oat milk, rather than the less efficient chain of growing oats to feed to cows to produce dairy milk. There is just one, rather fundamental drawback to oat milk—the taste. Though in coffee it adds very little, on its own, oat milk has a strangely salty flavour, not unlike homemade playdough.

Though one of the most expensive options on this list, the consistency of cashew milk most closely resembles that of full-fat cow’s milk or single cream. It may be lacking in substantial flavour, but cashew milk is packed full of nutrients. However, cashew crops are relatively low yield, meaning the process of milk production is arguably less energy efficient. Overall, cashew milk was underwhelming, but its lack of availability essentially makes the decision for you.

Avoiding dairy on a budget? Rice milk is probably for you, and it is relatively easy to get your hands on for home use. I was pleasantly surprised by rice milk. Somehow, it borders light and creamy, working very well in porridge or overnight oats. The nature of rice crops means that rice milk requires the smallest amount of land to make, however, it has one of the highest carbon emissions and requires vast amounts of water to produce. If you really are strapped for cash, rice milk is a much more sustainable option than dairy. But, as far as plant- based goes, its sustainability is under scrutiny.

The carbon emissions from the commercial nut milk production are balanced by the photosynthetic processes of the hazel trees themselves. In terms of ethics, hazelnuts trump almonds in that they are pollinated by the wind rather than bees. Naturally low in saturated fats and a great source of calcium and vitamins, it seems hazelnut milk can do no wrong. And the taste? Even my sister agreed that hazelnut milk is the vegan, adult version of chocolate milk. Its smooth and nutty flavour makes it my favourite of all the plant-based options to drink by itself, but the creamy consistency and delectable flavour also works great in coffees. What a shame that it is about as rare as the loch ness monster, sighted once in a blue moon in a vegan café in Shoreditch.

According to the BBC, Google trends show a yearly spike in interest in plant-based milks. This occurs every January, every year since 2013, as people make their new year’s resolutions to be kinder to animals and our planet. But with higher proportion of individuals sustaining a cruelty-free diet, demand for non-dairy milks is ever increasing. Whichever plant-based alternative you opt for, the impact on the environment is considerably less with dairy milk contributing up to three times the CO2 of any of the others reviewed. I tend toward oat, but there is a plant-based milk for every need. And despite a serious lack of udders, milk can essentially be produced from almost any nut, with pecan, macadamia and peanut milk also becoming available commercially. Why not go one step further and make your own? How do you milk nuts with no nipples, you ask? You soak them overnight, blend and strain – simple. And at a fraction of the price.

Milking it: Which plant-based milk is best?

Data obtained from BBC Future.

Collage and illustrations by Martine Aamodt Hess.

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