Plant-based vs. dairy: Yogurt from almonds and oats score better in nutrient density, study finds

31 May 2023 --- A nutrient assessment of commercially available yogurts indicates that almond and oat yogurts have a higher nutrient density than dairy yogurts. The US-based researchers suggest maximizing yogurt’s nutritional and functional characteristics by blending dairy and plant-based yogurts and fortifying them with vitamins and minerals.

According to the research, oat yogurt was the most similar to low and nonfat dairy yogurts, followed by cashew yogurt. Coconut yogurt had the most deficient nutrient density and highest energy density.

“Plant-based yogurts overall have less total sugar, less sodium and more fiber than dairy, but they have less protein, calcium and potassium than dairy yogurt,” says lead author Astrid D’Andrea, from the Department of Food Science at the University of Massachusetts, US.  

“But when looking at the overall nutrient density, comparing dairy yogurt to plant-based yogurt, with the nutrients that we looked at, almond yogurt has a significantly higher nutrient density than dairy yogurt and all other plant-based yogurts.”

Plant-based diet 
The authors note that perceived healthfulness is vital for consumers to adopt a plant-based diet. 

At the same time, sensory properties are seen as barriers to plant-based dairy consumers. Research has shown that raw plant materials evoke bitter, beanie, astringent and herbaceous tastes and odors.

A poor texture of plant-based yogurts further limits the popularity of the products, warn the authors. This is linked to the lack of plant proteins’ ability to mimic or recreate the molecular attributes of casein. 

“Going from dairy to plant-based is a big change,” adds senior author Alissa Nolden, sensory scientist and assistant professor of food science at the University of Massachusetts, US. 

“There are changes in the nutritional profile and there’s a change in the sensory profile, which might prevent consumers from trying it.”

The authors suggest creating a hybrid yogurt that is both plant- and dairy-based to overcome sensorial and nutritional challenges.Study set-up 
The researchers collected nutritional information on 612 yogurts and assigned scores based on the nutrient density of foods with the Nutrient Rich Foods (NRF) Index. 

“This allowed us to compare the nutritional density of the yogurts based on nutrients to encourage – protein, fiber, calcium, iron, potassium, vitamin D – and nutrients to limit – such as saturated fat, total sugar and sodium,” explains D’Andrea.

The researchers assessed the yogurts based on the nutritional benefits of dairy yogurt, which provides a complete protein, which plant-based products do not.

The yogurt sample included 159 full-fat dairy products, 303 low- and nonfat dairy, 61 coconut, 44 almond, 30 cashew and 15 oat yogurts. 

With the NRF Index, the researchers ranked the yogurts from the highest to lowest nutrient density. Almond yogurt received the highest scores, followed by oat, low- and nonfat dairy, full-fat dairy, cashew and coconut.

The research team attributed the high ranking of almond and oat yogurt to their low sugar, sodium and saturated fat content. 

“Plant-based diets are gaining popularity, especially in American culture, but just because it’s plant-based doesn’t mean it’s more nutritious,” says D’Andrea. “There has to be specific research that answers that question.”

Hybrid yogurt 
The study, published in Frontiers in Nutrition, notes that fortification is an opportunity to improve the nutritional properties of plant-based yogurt. The authors suggest creating a hybrid yogurt that is both plant- and dairy-based. 

The resulting yogurt would still minimize the sugar, sodium and saturated fat content but have added protein, vitamin B12 and calcium, which are lower in plant-based yogurts than in dairy yogurts. 

Moreover, the article suggests that plant-based yogurts should be fortified with micronutrients such as vitamin D and potassium, more commonly added to dairy yogurts. 

“Blending provides advantages,” explains Nolden. “It provides a complete protein and the dairy part helps to form the gelling structure within the yogurt that so far we cannot replicate in a plant-based system.”

Earlier research at the same university found that consumers preferred blended yogurt over plant-based. 

“If we can blend plant-based and dairy yogurt, we can achieve a desirable sensory profile, a potentially better nutritional profile and have a smaller impact on the environment,” Nolden concludes.

Edited by Jolanda van Hal