More and more parents are choosing plant-based drinks for their toddlers, often because they think they’re making a healthier or more sustainable choice. Whether it’s almond, oat or soy, these alternatives are showing up in sippy cups across the U.S. — and often replacing cow’s milk entirely. But just because something is labeled “plant-based” or “dairy-free” doesn’t mean it’s nutritionally complete, healthy or developmentally appropriate for young children.
This is especially important during the vulnerable window between 12 and 24 months, when a child’s brain, bones and body are growing at a rapid pace. Every bite and sip matters. And when key nutrients are missing, it quietly undermines that growth in ways most parents don’t see coming.
If you’ve ever questioned whether a plant-based drink is a safe swap for milk — or if you’re already relying on one without knowing the full impact — you’re not alone. That’s exactly what researchers have started to investigate, and the findings are eye-opening. Let’s take a closer look at what happens when plant-based drinks replace cow’s milk in toddlers’ diets.
Most Plant-Based Drinks Fail to Meet Toddlers’ Nutritional Needs
A German study published in the Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition set out to understand what happens when you swap cow’s milk for plant-based alternatives in children’s diets.1 Researchers substituted only the daily serving of cow’s milk with common plant-based options like soy, oat and almond drinks, while keeping the rest of the diet unchanged. Their goal was to measure the nutritional fallout from this single swap.
• The study included common store-bought drinks and child-specific formulas — Six drinks were analyzed: basic soy, oat and almond drinks; fortified versions of soy and almond drinks; and two products marketed specifically for toddlers.
This included a soy-based “growing-up” drink and a dietetic soy formula for infants with milk intolerance. These represented typical items found in German markets and closely mirrored what parents actually purchase for young children.
• Most plant-based drinks caused a sharp drop in important nutrients — Daily intake of calcium, vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B12 and iodine fell by around 50% when non-fortified plant-based drinks were used.2 That means swapping out cow’s milk cut these important nutrients in half, even in an otherwise well-balanced meal plan.
• Nutrient bioavailability is a problem in many plant-based drinks — Even when drinks are fortified, the minerals and vitamins added are often less bioavailable than those found naturally in milk. That means your body absorbs less of what’s listed on the label. So, even if numbers on the label seem high, the actual amount your child’s body uses is often far lower.
• Parents need better tools to assess these swaps — Researchers warned that parents can’t accurately assess the impact of swapping cow’s milk for plant-based alternatives.
Most drinks look healthy on the surface and include marketing claims like “dairy-free” or “source of calcium,” but few truly match milk’s nutritional profile. Even a small change in a toddler’s daily diet has ripple effects on their long-term growth, bone health, immune function and brain development.
For clarity, this study didn’t involve physically swapping milk for plant-based drinks and then checking nutrient levels in children. Instead, it used a theoretical model based on the Optimized Mixed Diet (OMD), which is a guideline diet for children in Germany.
The researchers created scenarios where they replaced all fluid cow’s milk (219 g/day) in the OMD’s 7-day menu with different plant-based drinks (soy, oat, almond, fortified or non-fortified). They then calculated the nutrient intake for that 7-day menu to see the immediate effect of the swap.
In other words, this wasn’t a real-world experiment measuring levels in children over time — it was a nutritional analysis of what would happen to nutrient intake if milk was fully replaced in the diet, based on the nutrient content of the drinks.
Doctors Urge Parents to Rethink Plant-Based Drinks for Toddlers
A 2021 commentary published in JAMA Pediatrics reviewed recommendations on plant-based beverage intake for infants and young children and found widespread agreement among health authorities: most plant-based drinks are not suitable substitutes for cow’s milk in children younger than 2.3
• Most pediatric guidelines advise against plant drinks for toddlers — Across high-income countries, including the U.S., Canada and Australia, official dietary guidance strongly advises parents not to use plant-based beverages as replacements for milk in kids under 2.
• Frequent or total replacement of milk with plant-based drinks is a red flag for nutrient deficiencies — Doctors were urged to ask parents directly how often plant-based drinks are used and whether they fully replace cow’s milk. This is because frequent substitution raises the risk of serious nutritional gaps.
• Dozens of real-world cases showed serious consequences from plant-based diets in infants — A report cited in the commentary examined 30 case studies of infants and toddlers, ranging from 4 to 22 months old, who were fed plant-based drinks, either by themselves or along with foods like fruits and vegetables.
All of the children developed serious nutrition-related illnesses, including rickets (caused by soft, weakened bones), scurvy (a result of vitamin C deficiency), protein deficiency or metabolic alkalosis, a dangerous condition that disrupts the body’s acid-base balance and impairs breathing and organ function.
• Soy contains antinutrients — Although soy drinks have the highest protein content among plant-based options, soy’s bioavailability — or how much protein the body actually uses — is reduced by plant-based antinutrients.
Why Soy Formula Is One of the Worst Choices for Your Baby
If you’re relying on soy infant formula as a dairy-free alternative, you need to know what that decision means for your baby’s long-term health. Soy infant formula is often promoted as a safe option for lactose-intolerant individuals or vegan households, but research says otherwise.
• Soy formula changes the way DNA works in babies — A study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives looked at girls who were fed soy formula.4 Researchers found differences in DNA tags, specifically in vaginal cells, compared to girls who were fed cow’s milk formula.
These DNA tags are like tiny switches that tell genes whether to be active or inactive. In this study, the tag affected a gene that responds to the hormone estrogen. This is a significant concern because hormones like estrogen are important for how girls’ bodies develop, especially their reproductive systems.
• So, why is soy such a problem? Soy milk and soy formula contain significantly more phytoestrogens — plant compounds that mimic estrogen in the body — than cow’s milk or breast milk. No developing child should be exposed to that level of hormonal disruption.
Plant-Based Milk Is Just Another Ultraprocessed Food
It’s also important to realize that plant-based drinks are ultraprocessed foods, meaning they’ve been heavily modified from their original form and typically contain additives like gums, emulsifiers, synthetic vitamins and artificial flavorings. While many people switch to plant-based drinks thinking they’re more natural, the processing involved strips away beneficial compounds and introduces additives your child doesn’t need.
• Eating ultraprocessed plant foods increases your disease risk — A study published in The Lancet Regional Health Europe followed 126,842 people and examined the health impact of different types of plant-based foods.
While every 10% increase in whole, unprocessed plant foods, like fruits and vegetables, lowered cardiovascular disease risk by 7% and heart disease-related death by 13%, plant-based ultraprocessed foods had the opposite effect. Each 10% increase in these foods was linked to a 5% higher risk of heart disease and a 12% increase in the risk of dying from it.5
• Cow’s milk is a minimally processed whole food with real health benefits — Unlike ultraprocessed plant drinks, milk from grass fed cows is naturally rich in essential nutrients and requires minimal processing — especially when it’s raw.
Whole milk contains healthy fats, protein, calcium and fat-soluble vitamins in a form your child’s body can actually use. It’s a complete food, not a lab-engineered imitation. When you compare ingredient labels, it becomes obvious which product is closer to what nature intended.
Whole-Fat Dairy Delivers Rare Nutrients That Support Total-Body Health
Whole dairy products from grass fed cows are a primary source of odd-chain saturated fatty acids (OCFAs). These unique fats are not produced by your body and must be obtained through food.
• Unique dairy fats are linked to lower risks of chronic diseases — Higher blood levels of OCFAs have been associated with reduced risks of Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, fatty liver, inflammation and even overall mortality.6 You don’t get these benefits from almond, soy or oat drinks.
• Raw, grass fed milk boosts gut and immune health naturally — When sourced from organic, pasture-raised cows, raw milk also offers living enzymes, beneficial bacteria and immune-supporting compounds that support digestion and help protect against illness. That’s something no ultraprocessed product delivers. Just be sure to choose milk from farmers who don’t use iodine-based disinfectants to avoid excess iodine in your child’s diet.
What to Do if Your Toddler Is Drinking Plant-Based Milk
If you’ve been giving your toddler plant-based drinks thinking they’re just as good as — or better than — cow’s milk, you’re not alone. It’s a common choice, especially if you’re avoiding dairy yourself or assuming organic almond or oat milk is safer. But as you’ve seen in the research, most of these drinks don’t supply the nutrients your child needs to grow strong and stay healthy. The good news? It’s easy to fix this starting today by making a few changes.
1. Stop using plant-based drinks as milk replacements — Avoid using plant-based drinks in place of real milk. This is especially important during the growth window between 12 and 24 months. Most of these drinks lack the calcium, B12 and B2 toddlers need — and they don’t absorb nutrients from plants as easily as from milk. Plus, soy milk adds another layer of risk due to exposure to estrogenic compounds that affect reproductive development.
2. Avoid using soy, oat, almond or other plant-based drinks as a base for infant formula — If you’re formula-feeding or supplementing, I do not recommend using commercial infant formula — especially not soy-based. Absolutely nothing compares to breast milk in terms of nutrition, so if you are a new mother and still lactating, breastfeeding is the best choice for both you and your child. However, I understand that not all moms can breastfeed.
In this case, I recommend making your own infant formula using this recipe based on nutrient-rich animal foods like raw grass fed cow’s milk, organic raw cream and grass fed beef gelatin. For children who are unable to tolerate milk proteins, I recommend trying this hypoallergenic meat-based formula instead.
If you’ve already been giving plant-based drinks daily, don’t panic. The body responds quickly to good nutrition. The sooner you make the switch, the more support you give your child’s bones, brain and immune system during the years they need it most.
FAQs About Plant-Based Milk for Toddlers
Q: Are plant-based milks safe for toddlers as a replacement for cow’s milk?
A: No. Most plant-based drinks fail to provide the essential nutrients found in cow’s milk. These include calcium, vitamin B12 and vitamin B2, and iodine, all of which are needed for proper growth, brain development, and immune function during early childhood.
Q: What makes soy infant formula risky?
A: Soy formula exposes infants to high levels of phytoestrogens, which are plant compounds that mimic estrogen. Research has shown that girls fed soy formula have altered DNA tags in estrogen-sensitive genes, which could interfere with reproductive development. Soy also contains antinutrients that reduce the body’s ability to absorb protein and minerals.
Q: What’s the problem with plant-based milks being ultraprocessed?
A: Ultraprocessed foods are heavily altered and often loaded with gums, emulsifiers and synthetic nutrients. A study found that plant-based ultraprocessed foods were linked to a 5% higher risk of cardiovascular disease and a 12% increase in death from heart disease. In contrast, unprocessed whole foods, like raw, full-fat milk, lower disease risk and support total-body health.
Q: How does raw, grass fed milk support gut and immune health in toddlers?
A: Raw milk from grass fed cows contains natural enzymes, beneficial bacteria and immune-boosting compounds that are destroyed during pasteurization. These elements support healthy digestion, nutrient absorption and immune function. It’s a living food, unlike plant-based drinks that rely on synthetic additives to mimic nutrition. Choosing raw milk from farms that avoid iodine-based disinfectants also prevents unnecessary iodine overload in your child’s diet.
Q: What’s a better alternative for my toddler?
A: If breastfeeding is not an option, homemade infant formula made from raw grass fed milk, raw cream, beef gelatin and other whole ingredients is a far better choice than any store-bought soy or plant-based formula. If your toddler cannot tolerate cow’s milk, a meat-based hypoallergenic formula is a safer and more nutrient-dense option.
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