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Plant-based milk alternatives differ widely in taste, but whether you choose oat, soy, coconut or almond also makes a difference in terms of calories.
For those watching their daily calorie intake, almond or coconut milk are the best options, as they only contain 13 to 21 kilocalories (kcal) per 100ml, according to a German consumer advice centre.
Keep in mind, though, that this is only true for unsweetened drinks.
Almond and coconut milk also contain less fat than cow’s milk. The fat content of whole cow’s milk is 3.5 per cent, with about 65 kcal per 100ml. Skimmed milk, which has a fat content of 1.5 per cent, contains about 45 kcal per 100ml.

If you do not drink cow’s milk but want to boost your protein intake, soy milk is the way to go, says Germany’s Max Rubner Institute, a government research agency that focuses on nutrition.
Soy milk, which contains 38 kcal per 100ml on average, has a better “protein quality” than oat and almond milk, researchers at the institute found, a finding they attributed to the high proportion of essential amino acids in soy milk.
Better protein quality means it is easier for the body to process the protein.
Since oat milk is based on grain, it contains lots of carbs and little protein. Oat milk also contains 46 kcal per 100ml, the most of all plant-based milk alternatives examined.
Barista plant-based milks, often used for frothing, tend to contain even more calories and fat, according to the consumer advisers.
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Nutrition institute tests oat, soy, coconut and almond milk to find which plant-based milk is best in terms of calories and protein quality


Nutrition institute tests oat, soy, coconut and almond milk to find which plant-based milk is best in terms of calories and protein quality.


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