The human factor | Plant-based drinks, a green alternative to cow’s milk?

“I’m buying more and more almond milk, instead of cow’s milk. But does it have a strong impact on the environment? Should I choose one plant-based drink over another? », asks Christian.

This is a question that fascinates consumers and scientists. And for good reason: plant-based drinks are popular in Quebec. Almond, oat, coconut, rice, macadamia milk… There have never been so many options to replace cow’s milk on grocery shelves.

Among all these options, “each has its advantages and disadvantages. And some are similar to cow’s milk,” underlines Vijaya Raghavan, professor in the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at McGill University. In 2017, Mr. Raghavan conducted a study which showed that, from a nutritional point of view, soy milk wins the prize, compared to other plant-based milks.

On the environmental side, in general, “plant-based drinks have a lesser impact than cow’s milk,” says Virginie Drolet-Labelle, nutritionist-dietitian, who examines this question in her doctoral project at the Institute on Nutrition. and functional foods from Laval University.

But not all plant-based drinks are equal.

Different milks, different impacts

For example, soy and oats used in plant-based drinks are, most of the time, grown in Canada.

But this is not the case for almonds, the cultivation of which requires a lot of water, and on land which often lacks it – as in California, indicates Virginie Drolet-Labelle.

Likewise, rice milk tops plant-based drinks in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, and just behind almond milk in terms of water consumption, according to data from Our World in Data, a website overseen by the University of Oxford.

And coconut or cashew nut drinks pose a problem, since these crops can promote deforestation in Asia, recalls Catherine Houssard, analyst at the International Reference Center for Life Cycle Analysis and Sustainable Transition (CIRAIG).

In short, for her, “the best raw materials remain soy and oats”.

Other things to consider

“It is estimated that by considering only the composition […]plant-based drinks have an impact approximately half that of cow’s milk,” calculates M^me Houssard.

But if we take into account transport, packaging, distribution… Does that change the situation?

First of all, let’s remember one thing: the impact of cow’s milk is mainly attributable to cow breeding.

In Quebec, it is produced locally and has to travel few kilometers to get to the grocery store. In short, transportation does not represent a large part of its footprint. The impact of packaging (cardboard, plastic) also remains negligible.

On the other hand, for plant-based drinks, it is different. Some are produced in Quebec, but others are not. And if they have to be refrigerated during transport, their impact skyrockets.

“The footprint of a refrigerated vegetable drink can thus double, and even exceed, that of cow’s milk,” underlines Catherine Houssard.

Conversely, when not refrigerated, the plant-based drink is sold in multi-layer packaging that includes aluminum, which slightly increases the packaging footprint. “But this remains low,” estimates the expert.

Finally, one last factor plays a role: flavoring. A chocolate-flavored almond milk will have a much greater impact than one without, due to the cocoa footprint – this bean being linked to deforestation issues in the countries where it is grown.

Verdict ?

The best environmental choice for Virginie Drolet-Labelle? Soy milk, since it provides a protein intake equivalent to cow’s milk, for a lower environmental impact.

For Catherine Houssard, oat milk can also be considered, provided that it is enriched with proteins. According to her, the ideal is to opt for a drink produced in Quebec, from local cultures, and not refrigerated.

In both cases, experts advise choosing a drink enriched with calcium and vitamins, and not flavored or sweetened. But of course, it all depends on individual food intolerances, nutritional needs and tastes.