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It can be hard to balance getting nutritious foods that make you feel good without emptying your wallet.
We’re trying to find the fastest, easiest and (most importantly) cheapest ways to identify the healthiest options.
For that, the Money team has asked Sunna Van Kampen, owner of Tonic Health, who went viral on social media for reviewing supermarket products in the search of healthier choices, for his input.
The series does not aim to identify the outright healthiest option, but to help you get better nutritional value for as little money as possible.
With the rise of veganism, as well environmental, allergy and intolerance awareness, plant-based milks have rocketed in popularity.
Sunna, along with Dr Laura Brown, a senior lecturer in nutrition, food and health sciences at Teesside University, has taken each plant-based option in turn to figure out what the best are – both for your body and your wallet.
Soy
The veteran in the plant milk space, soy milk stands tall with its higher protein content at 3.4g per 100ml (and only 0.5g per 100ml sugar) and is generally the cheapest of the plant-based alternatives.
“However, a word of caution for the fellas in the room, Soy isoflavones are often thought to mimic the female reproductive hormone oestrogen,” Sunna says.
“Though negative effects have been observed, they often followed the consumption of very large amounts of soy.”
Dr Brown says all of that is accurate, “but for females this is the go-to milk – for breast cancer protection and the menopause”.
Oat
Oat milk has seduced us all with its creamy texture and eco-friendly footprint.
However, Sunna says “it’s hiding a sugary secret, with 3.4g of sugar per 100ml”.
“Put that in your daily latte and you can enjoy over 10 grams of sugar you didn’t know you were having per day – translating to way over 3kg of extra sugar per year.
“I get it, it’s one of the best tasting, but that’s a good amount of sugar worth avoiding.”
Dr Brown says this is all true. “Oat milk is most appropriate for those with allergens to other milks and for vegans – other than that, it is not worth paying the extra pennies for along with that extra sugar consumption.”
Price-wise it’s nearly double that of soy in many cases, too.
It’s worth noting, however, that oat milk is probably one of the best for the planet.
Almond
Almond milk is good for the calorie conscious with only 15kcal and 0g of sugar per 100ml.
“That’s 4x lower calorie than oat milk and 10 grams of sugar per latte less – or over 3.7kg per year saved,” Sunna says.
“I couldn’t agree more – price-wise however, stick with soya,” Dr Brown says.
Coconut
Coconut milk is a favourite in cooking and baking.
“It’s rich in medium-chain triglycerides, which is a healthy fat that can support metabolism,” Sunna says.
“A lower sugar alternative too, coconut milk is a great option but one to watch out for the additives.”
“This is more down to a preference option rather than cost and nutrition as soya and almond serve more nutritionally and soya is still cheaper,” Dr Brown says.
The money
With many of these plant-based milks retailing at similar prices, the key is choosing the one that’s best for you.
Soya is generally the cheapest if you want to save those pennies, but may not necessarily tick all the boxes.
If you are looking to save money, then own-label versions are 37.5% cheaper than the branded versions.
“Make sure you look out for unsweetened varieties and short ingredients lists,” Sunna says.
The good news, he says, is there is little variance in price between the different types – “so you can choose which suits your health and taste preferences best.”
“My recommendation is the investment in a brand like Plenish Almond Milk is one worth making at only 25p per litre more than branded oat drinks,” he says.
“You are only talking £13 extra per year (assuming one carton per week) for a whopping 1.7kg of sugar removed from your annual diet,” he concludes.
