Cow milk vs. plant based milk – which is best for toddlers

The question, what type of milk to give to toddlers, has become a hot topic for discussion these days. Our parents told us that when we were children, we were mostly given full fat organic milk. However, nowadays, several new options have emerged, especially plant based milk products for toddlers such as almond milk, cashew milk, soy milk, rice milk and coconut milk. So, are these healthy options in comparison to full fat organic milk? Let’s do a quick review of these plant based milk products and try to ascertain if the claims they make are really true.

The promise of added calcium and Vitamin D

Plant based milk products often claim that they have higher levels of calcium and Vitamin D, as compared to cows full cream milk for toddlers. These claims are also made when comparing plant based milk nutrition to double toned milk nutrition and full fat organic milk nutrition. While the figures may be in favor of plant based milk products, the truth is that synthetic chemicals are often used in plant based milk products to increase the amount of calcium and Vitamin D. Research studies have revealed that these do not have the same effect as natural calcium and Vitamin D present in cow’s full cream milk for toddlers.

Plant based milk products are low in fats and proteins

When we compare double toned milk nutrition and full fat organic milk nutrition with plant based milk nutrition, we can easily see that plant based milk has fewer proteins and fats. Research studies have shown that fats and proteins are essential for a toddler’s healthy growth and development. So, it makes sense to choose cow’s full cream milk for toddlers, which has ample amount of healthy fats and proteins.

Plant based milk products contain added sugar

Most plant based milk products contain added sugar, the type that is produced in factories. There is growing evidence that factory produced sugar is responsible for a wide variety of health problems such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular problems, etc. So, it’s easy to see that plant based milk products can be unhealthy for your child. In comparison, cow’s full cream milk for toddlers contains natural sugars, which is healthy for human consumption. This has been validated by the American Heart Association, which considers natural sugar found in full fat organic milk to be an integral part of a healthy diet.

Based on above information, it’s now clear that cow’s full cream milk for toddlers is far better than plant based milk products.