Food & Nutrition
Soy milk vs almond milk
Soy and almond are the two plant milks most often recommended by dietitians and most often argued about online. They behave very differently: one is a complete protein source, the other is a light, low-calorie drink. This page separates the nutrition question from the sustainability question so you can pick per use case rather than picking a side.
Side by side
| Criterion | Soy milk | Almond milk |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | Comparable to cow's milk and a complete protein — the usual dietitian default for children and older adults. | Very low; almond milk is mostly water with a small amount of ground almond. |
| Calories | Moderate. | Low, which makes unsweetened almond popular for calorie control. |
| Water use | Modest freshwater demand. | The highest freshwater demand of the mainstream plant milks, concentrated in drought-exposed growing regions. |
| Allergens | Soy is a major allergen and a common early-childhood allergy. | Tree-nut allergen; unsuitable for many school and workplace settings. |
| Cooking | Sets in custards and béchamel and curdles less in hot savoury dishes. | Thin; better in cereal, smoothies and baking than in sauces. |
Questions people ask
- Does soy milk affect hormones?
- Human trials have not found that ordinary dietary soy intake changes testosterone or oestrogen in a clinically meaningful way. Major dietetic bodies treat soy foods as safe for all age groups.
- Which plant milk has the most protein?
- Soy and pea drinks lead by a wide margin. Almond, rice and oat are all low-protein unless the manufacturer has blended in a protein isolate.