• Greenhouse-gas emissions (GHG): Cow’s milk produces around three times the greenhouse-gas emissions of common plant milks (soy, oat, almond) per litre.

• Land Use: Dairy milk typically requires about ten times more land than plant-based milks per litre.  

• Freshwater use (varies by plant): Dairy usually uses substantially more freshwater overall than most plant milks. Source: Our World Data ​

• Nutritionally, fortified soy and pea milks can match dairy’s protein and calcium while being lower in saturated fat. Some plant milks (like soy and oat) also match dairy more closely on protein and are widely fortified with calcium and vitamin D. (Sources: Poore & Nemecek 2018; Our World in Data; Berardy et al. 2022). ​

• Consistent finding across many life cycle analyses (LCA): A large meta-analysis of >38,000 farms and many LCA studies concluded that, on average, animal products — including cow’s milk — have higher environmental impacts than vegetable substitutes across multiple metrics (GHG, land & freshwater). Pubmed​

• Oat and soy milks: especially strong performers: Published LCAs show oat and soy milks commonly have substantially lower GHG emissions than cow’s milk (e.g., some oat-milk LCAs find ~80% lower GHG per litre versus cow’s milk in their system boundaries). IFST​

• Lower in saturated fat: Most plant milks (soy, oat, almond, pea) have less saturated fat than full-fat cow’s milk; this is generally beneficial for heart health when used as part of a balanced diet. Harvard’s nutrition experts note plant milks tend to have healthier fat profiles .  Harvard School of Public Health

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FAQs​

Q1: “I’ve heard that drinking soy milk is bad for men – it lowers testosterone or boosts oestrogen. Is that true?”​

A1: No — that’s a myth. A British study of nearly 700 men found that soy-milk intake was not associated with changes in testosterone, free testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin or luteinising hormone. NDPH+1
Another UK review of 41 clinical studies concluded that phytoestrogen intake from soy does not affect testosterone levels in men. Viva! The Vegan Charity
So, you can confidently serve or consume soy milk without fear of “feminising” effects.

Sources: Oxford Population Health; Viva!; 

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Q2: “If I go vegan or use plant milks, will I struggle to get enough protein?”
A2: For most adults, no, you can absolutely meet your protein needs on a plant-based diet.
For example, data from the UK-based UK Biobank showed that vegans get on average about 64 g of protein per day (≈13.1% of energy), compared with meat-eaters at ~90 g/day (≈17.2%). EatPlant-Based+1
That is generally more than adequate for most adults, provided the diet is varied and uses fortified plant milks (where relevant).

Source: Eat Plant Based

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Q3: “Does almond or oat milk use lots of water / have other hidden environmental downsides?”
A4: Yes, ultimately every resource we use and process in some way has a negative impact on our environment. The key is trying to be as mindful about the choices you make and resources you select, to try to make your personal footprint as small as realistically possible. Which is one of the reasons we choose plant over animal milk. While plant milks generally have lower greenhouse-gas emissions and land-use than dairy, water-use impacts can vary by crop and growing region, so it’s more nuanced. We select suppliers who prioritise responsible sourcing — including lower-water footprint milks where available.

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Q4: But what difference can I possibly make? I’m just one person, my choices surely can’t change much. Plus, climate change is already here.
A4: It’s easy to feel that way, but individual choices really do add up — especially when they inspire others. Research from the University of Oxford found that if everyone shifted to a plant-based diet, global food-related emissions could drop by up to 70%. Even small daily swaps, like choosing plant-based milk instead of dairy, can reduce your personal carbon footprint — and multiplied across thousands of people, that impact becomes powerful.

Beyond numbers, visible actions like these help normalise sustainable choices and influence businesses and policymakers to respond. Every conscious cup contributes to a wider movement — and that’s how meaningful change starts. 

(Sources: Poore & Nemecek, Science 2018; Our World in Data – Environmental Impacts of Food)