Almond, rice or soya? Which plant milk is best for the planet?

Viktoria Yordanova
Apr 27, 2021
3 min read

Updated: May 26, 2021

A few years ago it was easy. We associated milk with something that comes from cows. Now it is an impossible choice to make when you go to the supermarket.

But if saving the planet is one of the things you consider when buying milk, then it’s the plant-based section that you need. A 2018 study by researchers at the University of Oxford showed that producing a glass of dairy milk results in almost three times more greenhouse gas emissions than any plant-based milk and requires nine times more land.

There is no doubt that vegan milks are better for the planet, but it is important to note that some of them still have their environmental impact, however small it is.

Here's a list with the most popular plant milks.

Almond milk

The greenhouse gas emissions from almond milk are among the lowest - 0.14 kg CO2/glass. In terms of land use, almond milk also ranks well, using just 0.1 sq m for the same amount of milk.

But the pros don’t outweigh the cons. Almond milk is probably the most controversial plant drink because of how water-intensive its production is. A single glass requires 74 litres which is the highest amount of water for a non-dairy drink. The high demand for almonds also contributes to serious droughts in California and puts pressure on bee populations, which are used to pollinate the trees.

Nutritional value per 100ml: 0.4g protein, 120mg Calcium

Oat milk

The winner in striking the perfect balance between water usage and greenhouse gas emissions. Its carbon footprint is slightly bigger than almond milk – 0.18 kg CO2/glass, but the good news is that oat milk is not heavy on water. It requires only 9.6 litres per 200ml, and 0.16 sq m of land.

Oat milk is also the most commonly used plant-based drink in cafeterias.

Nutritional value per 100ml: 0.2g protein, 120mg Calcium

Coconut milk

Coconut milk is very water-friendly because coconut trees have a low requirement to grow. However, transport is an issue because most of the coconuts are grown in Indonesia, the Philippines, and India and have to be air-freighted to the UK.

There is something else you might want to consider – workers in those tropical regions are often underpaid and their land is overexploited to meet global demand for all coconut products.

Nutritional value per 100ml: 0.1g protein, 120mg Calcium

Soy milk

This is the only plant milk which comes close to offering the same amount of protein compared to dairy. But there seems to be a little confusion around how environmentally friendly soy milk is. Find out in the video below.

Note: All the shots used are taken by me

Hemp milk

Hemp might not be your immediate choice for a plant-based milk, but it’s probably the most environmentally - friendly option. Hemp grows naturally without the use of herbicides or pesticides and needs very little water. It also has great carbon sequestration abilities and breathes in four times more carbon dioxide than trees, which improves air quality, and its tall leafy plants make a perfect bee sanctuary.

An interesting fact is that hemp is made from the same plant used to produce marijuana.

Nutritional value per 100ml: <0.5g, 0,5g Omega-3

Hazelnut milk

Hazelnut milk is another sustainable option. Unlike almond crops, hazelnut trees are cross-pollinated by wind which means no bees are used in the process. Hazelnut trees are grown around the Black Sea, southern Europe and in North America, which mitigates the carbon footprint from transportation.

Nutritional value per 100ml: 0.4 g protein, 120mg Calcium

Rice milk

Rice milk might not be the most planet-friendly choice because of its heavy water footprint. According to the Oxford University study, just one glass of rice milk requires 34 litres of water to produce. This is far less than the 120 litres needed to produce one glass of dairy, but the environmental impact of rice milk should not be underestimated.

Due to the methane-producing bacteria that develop in rice paddies, rice milk also has higher greenhouse gas emissions compared to other plant-based milks.

Nutritional value per 100ml: 0.1 g protein, 120mg Calcium