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Is plant milk making you depressed? New research suggests so
Evening Standard
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1/8/2025
Is plant milk making you depressed? New research suggests so
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News
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00:00
Suffering with January blues?
00:01
Well, if you've opted into Veganuary,
00:04
it actually might be your milk that's making you sad.
00:07
Brand new research analysing the diets of over 350,000 Brits
00:11
has shown that plant-based milk drinkers
00:13
could be more susceptible to depression
00:15
than traditional milk drinkers.
00:17
The decade-long study carried out by researchers
00:19
at Southern Medical University
00:21
found that people who drink dairy alternatives
00:23
such as soy, oat or almond milk
00:25
had a 14% increased chance of experiencing depression.
00:28
Whereas cow milk drinkers,
00:30
specifically those who drink semi-skimmed,
00:32
were 12% less likely to be depressed
00:34
and 10% less likely to experience anxiety.
00:37
So why is this?
00:39
Cow's milk contains vitamin D and calcium,
00:41
both of which are crucial nutrients for mood regulation
00:44
and increasing levels of serotonin.
00:46
The nutrient profile of plant milks
00:48
can, however, vary enormously
00:50
depending on brand quality and fortified nutrients.
00:52
Even though many plant milks actually contain
00:55
more phytonutrients and less saturated fat than cow's milk,
00:58
this could help explain the results of the study.
01:00
And why has semi-skimmed milk come out on top?
01:03
The idea is that a fatty acid profile of semi-skimmed milk
01:06
is more brain protective
01:08
than both full-fat milk and skimmed milk.
01:10
The authors noted that high levels of saturated fat
01:13
has shown to positively correlate with depression.
01:16
This could explain why drinking semi-skimmed,
01:18
which has lower levels of saturated fat,
01:20
might be beneficial for our mental health.
01:22
The truth is that despite the controversial research,
01:25
there is no clear-cut rule
01:26
on whether dairy or plant milks are better for human health.
01:29
If you opt for a vegan milk,
01:31
the best thing to do is rotate your choice of plant milks
01:33
for optimum nutrient density
01:35
and make sure to eat plenty of non-dairy sources of calcium.
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0:44
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