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Plant milks: compare ingredients, then choose.

Compare almond, oat, coconut, pea, and cashew milks by base, added sugar, oils, and gums.

Research · Plant milks

What our research found about plant milks

Plant milks are not nutritionally interchangeable with dairy or with each other. The Dietary Guidelines count fortified soy milk in the dairy group because its nutrients are similar to milk, but do not count almond, oat, rice or coconut milks, which are lower in protein. Pea-protein milks sit closer to dairy in protein. Many cartons are fortified with calcium and vitamins, but fortification varies, so check the Nutrition Facts panel.

Labels also vary in added sugar (original and vanilla versions usually add cane sugar), oils such as sunflower or canola for body, and gums (gellan, locust bean) and other stabilizers. “Barista” versions add oils and acidity regulators so they steam well. The shortest lists are unsweetened milks made from nuts, oats and water; compare those with each other rather than with creamers.

Products
505 brands
Full labels recorded
50100% of the shelf
Maker says organic
2maker’s claim
List an added sweetener
25of 50 labels
List a seed oil
8of 50 labels
Typical label length
5ingredients (median)

Counts use complete, current ingredient labels only. Records without a published label stay unknown and are never counted as clean.

What to compare

  • Protein per cup. Soy and pea milks are higher in protein; almond, oat and coconut milks are lower.
  • Added sugar. Choose unsweetened if you do not want added sugar.
  • Oils and gums. Sunflower oil, gellan gum and similar ingredients are common stabilizers.
  • Fortification. Calcium and vitamin D vary by brand; check the panel.

References

  1. Dietary Guidelines for Americans U.S. Department of Agriculture and HHS
  2. Dairy Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
  3. Added sugars on the Nutrition Facts label U.S. Food and Drug Administration
  4. Protein Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Compare the recorded labels

Find the ingredients that matter to you.

50 of 50 products

“No …” columns: None found on the label · Listed on the label · Unknown. Claims: verified · not established. Default: most check marks first; not a health score.

Compare product claims and recorded ingredients. Click a column heading to sort.
Buy
100 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · organicSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →5
100 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · organicSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →5
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →4
63 / 1008 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →3
63 / 1008 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →3
63 / 1008 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →3
63 / 1008 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →3
63 / 1008 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →3
63 / 1008 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →3
63 / 1008 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →3
63 / 1008 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimSearch on Amazon ↗Product details →3

Unknown and stale evidence never passes “Only show matches.” The clean score is strict and needs no setup: nine additive groups on the current label plus verified organic and sourcing claims; without them a product cannot reach 100. It is not a nutrition, allergy, or safety rating.

“Buy on Amazon” opens a reviewed product listing; “Search on Amazon” opens an Amazon search for the product, so pick the exact match yourself. Confirm the package, seller, availability, and current price before checkout. Buying links do not influence ingredient results.

01 · A closer look

Your preferences, explained.

The clean score is strict and needs no setup: nine additive groups not found in a current ingredient statement, plus a verified organic claim (and a grass-fed or pasture-raised claim for animal foods), are needed for 100; a possible match earns half and a missing claim earns nothing. Missing or expired evidence stays unknown. It does not assess nutrition, allergies, contaminants, or safety.