Swapping from dairy to plant-based milk, cheese and yoghurt ‘could lead to micronutrient deficiencies’
Researchers warn that switching to plant-based dairy alternatives can cause micronutrient deficiencies if products are not properly fortified. The study highlights that iodine intake is a particular concern for adolescent girls and women of childbearing age.
Why it matters
This research provides critical health guidance for consumers transitioning to vegan diets and suggests a need for stricter fortification standards.
Vegan milk alternatives should be fortified with vital micronutrients, particularly iodine, say researchers. Vegan milk alternatives should be fortified with vital micronutrients, particularly iodine, say researchers. Nutrition Swapping from dairy to plant-based milk, cheese and yoghurt ‘could lead to micronutrient deficiencies’ Young people and women most at risk, study finds, as researchers call for vegan products to be fortified with iodine in particular
Prefer the Guardian on Google Switching from dairy products to plant-based alternatives could lead to deficiencies in vital micronutrients, especially among young people and women, a study has found.
Even moving partly to vegan alternatives to milk, cheese and yoghurt could lead to falls in iodine, calcium, riboflavin and vitamin B12 if the substitutes, often based on soya, almonds or oats, are not fortified, scientists said.
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