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Should you drink plant 'milk'? with dietitian Isobel Harmer

Nutrition Science Bites with Professor Clare Collins AO

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Should you drink plant 'milk'? with dietitian Isobel Harmer

In this episode, Professor Clare Collins talks to Isabel Harmer about her honours research project that assessed the quality of plant-based milks. She evaluated the adequacy of the nutrient content, the environmental impact, and shared current consumer trends regarding usage in Australia. They discuss how plant-based alternatives compare to cow's milk and what to look for when choosing products at the supermarket..

Key topics

Growth of plant-based milks in Australia
Nutritional differences between plant-based milks and cow's milk
Environmental impacts of plant-based milk production
Nutrient fortification and bioavailability in plant-based milks
Consumer trends and market data in Australia

Resources

To read the publication Harmer, et al. How do plant-based milks compare to cow's milk nutritionally? An audit of the plant-based milk products available in Australia. Nutr Diet. 2025 Feb;82(1):76-85.

To access the Healthy Eating Quiz: Click on the top right hand 'green button' called 'How healthy is my diet' https://nomoneynotime.com.au/

Want a more Personalised Food, Nutrient Assessment Report? Use our Australian Eating Survey - For a 50% discount enter the 'DietCheck' code at the checkout! Purchase here https://australianeatingsurvey.com.au/

Here's the link to the No Money No Time closed Facebook group (be sure to take the Healthy Eating Quiz first) https://www.facebook.com/groups/386824626838448

Our No Money No Time email: nmnt@newcastle.edu.au and our Nutrition Science Bites email: nutritionsciencebites@newcastle.edu.au

Food Standards Australia New Zealand Additives https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/additives

Yuka App for food labeling - https://yuka.io/en/

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Keywords: plant-based milk, nutrition, environmental impact, calcium, B12, iodine, Australia, dietetics, food additives

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What is healthy eating?

Eating healthy is making sure you enjoy a wide variety of foods from each of the five major food groups daily, in the amounts recommended. The five major food groups as recommended by the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating are:

vegetables and legumes/bean
fruit
lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, legumes/beans
grain (cereal) foods, mostly wholegrain and/or high cereal fibre varieties
milk, yoghurt, cheese and/or alternatives, mostly reduced fat.

Foods are grouped together because they provide similar amounts of key nutrients and eating a variety of foods from the list above helps to promote good health and reduce the risk of disease.

How do I improve my diet?

If you want to improve your diet you have come to the right place. By completing the Healthy Eating Quiz you’ll receive instant personalised feedback and a report on your diet quality to highlight any areas where you can improve your overall eating habits. Your score is based on the frequency and variety of the foods consumed from the five major food groups mentioned above. No Money No Time can help you improve your score by providing tips, goals and suggestions. On top of this we will provide quick, cheap and healthy recipes as well as credible answers to diet hacks, myths and FAQ’s.

Is my diet healthy?

Dietary habits are different between people. Some people choose to follow a particular diet (i.e., Keto diet or vegan diet) while some have to make changes due to certain food restrictions or health conditions. If you want to know if what you usually eat is healthy, then do the Healthy Eating Quiz today to give you the answers in less than 10 minutes.

Why is healthy eating important?

Your HEQ score and personalised feedback report is based on the frequency and variety of healthy core foods you usually eat. This is important because no single food contains all the nutrients we need to stay healthy. Some foods are higher in nutrients than others and people who have a lot of variety in the foods they eat are more likely to be healthy and to stay healthy. In other words, if you can eat a large variety of vegetables as opposed to only 2-3 types of vegetables, the benefits are much greater. This type of diet also helps you to feel better, think better and perform better during your usual daily activities.

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