Advantages and Drawbacks of Plant-Based Beverages as Alternatives to Animal Milk: A Multidimensional Review
Background: Plant-based beverages have gained increasing prominence as alternatives to animal milk, particularly for individuals with lactose intolerance, milk protein allergies, or those adhering to vegetarian and vegan diets. The widespread adoption of these products requires a comprehensive evaluation of their multiple properties, as they possess a range of nutritional, technological, economic, and environmental benefits and drawbacks.
Aims: This narrative review provides a multidimensional synthesis of the advantages and limitations associated with plant-based beverages as viable alternatives to animal milk.
Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted across the Google Scholar, Scopus, ScienceDirect and PubMed databases for articles published between 2010 and 2024. A set of defined keywords yielded 183 articles, from which 68 were selected for inclusion based on their methodological rigor and thematic relevance.
Results: The findings indicate that plant-based beverages are naturally free of lactose and cholesterol and often contain beneficial dietary fiber and bioactive compounds. They are also appreciated for their sensory diversity and adaptability to specific dietary preferences. However, they are generally lower in protein and essential micronutrients compared to animal milk. Furthermore, their composition exhibits significant variability, which is influenced by the raw materials (e.g., cereals, legumes, dried fruit, etc.) and the technological processing methods employed. Environmentally, these beverages generally exhibit a lower carbon footprint, yet their retail cost remains a key disadvantage for consumers.
Conclusions: In conclusion, this review highlights the critical need for further research focused on enhancing the formulation of plant-based beverages to more effectively meet consumers expectations regarding nutritional value, sensory quality, and affordability.
Keywords
How to Cite
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25040927
Ahmadian-Kouchaksaraei, Z., Varidi, M., Varidi, M. J., & Pourazarang, H. (2014). Influence of processing conditions on the physicochemical and sensory properties of sesame milk: A novel nutritional beverage. Lebensmittel-Wissenschaft Und Technologie Food Science and Technology, 57(1), 299–305. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2013.12.028
Ali, A. M., Waheed, A., Shahbaz, M., Mirani, A. A., Shahzad, K., Al-Zahrani, A. A., Nawaz, A. M., & Mahpudz, A. B. (2023). Synergistic evaluation of co-torrefaction performance of rice husk and coffee bean ground blends for biosolid production for industrial fuel sustainability. Fuel (London, England), 343(127891), 127891. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2023.127891
Anema, S. G. (2019). Age gelation, sedimentation, and creaming in UHT milk: A review. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 18(1), 140–166. https://doi.org/10.1111/1541-4337.12407
Arbab Sakandar, H., Chen, Y., Peng, C., Chen, X., Imran, M., & Zhang, H. (2021). Impact of fermentation on antinutritional factors and protein degradation of legume seeds: A review. Food Reviews International, 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/87559129.2021.1931300
Aschemann-Witzel, J., & Peschel, A. O. (2019). How circular will you eat? The sustainability challenge in food and consumer reaction to either waste-to-value or yet underused novel ingredients in food. Food Quality and Preference, 77, 15–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2019.04.012
Atwaa, E., Elmaadawy, A., & Awaad, E. (2019). Production of fruit flavored probiotic rice milk beverage. Journal of Food and Dairy Sciences, 10(12), 453–458. https://doi.org/10.21608/jfds.2019.71360
Aydar, E. F., Mertdinç, Z., Demircan, E., Koca Çetinkaya, S., & Özçelik, B. (2023). Kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) milk substitute as a novel plant-based drink: Fatty acid profile, antioxidant activity, in-vitro phenolic bio-accessibility and sensory characteristics. Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies: IFSET: The Official Scientific Journal of the European Federation of Food Science and Technology, 83, 103254. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifset.2022.103254
Aydar, E. F., Tutuncu, S., & Ozcelik, B. (2020). Plant-based milk substitutes: Bioactive compounds, conventional and novel processes, bioavailability studies, and health effects. Journal of Functional Foods, 70, 103975. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2020.103975
Basinskiene, L., & Cizeikiene, D. (2020). Cereal-based nonalcoholic beverages. In Trends in Non-alcoholic Beverages (pp. 63–99). Elsevier.
Similar Articles
- Physicochemical, Biochemical, Microbiological, and Sensory Characterization of a Fermented Lima Bean (Phaseolus lunatus) Probiotic Beverage During Refrigerated Storage: Under Copyediting
- Physicochemical characteristics and nutritional value of safflower oil: A potential sustainable crop for Egypt
- Effects of extrusion on nutritional and non-nutritional properties in the production of multigrain ready to eat snacks incorporated with NUA45 beans
- Impact of Dehulling on the Nutritional Composition, Bioactive Compounds, and Antioxidant Potential of Moroccan Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) Varieties: Under Copyediting
- Influence of Grain Size on the Agglomeration and Quality of Fine Couscous Derived from Decorticated White Sorghum Bicolor L.
- Cyclodextrins for UV Protection in Food, Beverages, and Agricultural Products: A Comprehensive Review
- Immune-stimulating and antioxidant properties of a traditional Algerian plant combination: Date fruit (Phoenix dactylifera) and Fenugreek seeds (Trigonella foenum-graecum)
- Microwave-assisted extraction optimization and conventional extraction of phenolic compounds from coriander leaves: UHPLC characterization and antioxidant activity
- Effect of polysaccharide-coatings on the physicochemical properties and nutritional composition of deep-fried chicken breasts
- Sprouting bioprocess as a sustainable tool for enhancing durum wheat (Triticum durum) nutrients and bioactive compounds
You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.
Most read articles by the same author(s)
- Simultaneous Determination of Acrylamide, Caffeic Acid, and Caffeine in Commercial Coffee Capsules Using a Rapid and Validated HPLC-DAD Approach
- Inactivation of E. faecalis under microwave heat treatment and ultrasound probe
- Evaluation of Technological Performance of Algerian Soft Wheat Varieties
- Drying Kinetics and Mathematical Modeling of Algerian Red-Hot Pepper (Capsicum Annuum L.) Utilizing Microwave Radiation
NAJFNR is licensed under