Over the years, we’ve seen endless iterations of milk hit supermarket shelves. Full-cream dairy has been joined by skim, low-fat, high-protein and lactose-free varieties.
Further complicating things, we’ve worked out how to milk everything from oats and almonds to potatoes and peas to sit alongside the classic substitute, soy.
The vast number of options was largely driven by the health conscious after full-fat dairy fell out of favour around a decade ago, when it was wrongly associated with weight gain, heart disease, high cholesterol and chronic illnesses.
“We used to believe saturated fats had negative health impacts regardless of the source, but with newer research it has become clear that saturated fats from dairy don’t have the same impacts as those from other animal products,” explains Dr Emma Beckett, Food and Nutrition Scientist with FOODiQ Global and author of You Are More Than What You Eat.
In addition to this, changes to eating patterns and social norms – such as a move away from eating cereal as a family at breakfast, as well as the proliferation of beverages, including waters, kombuchas, juices and soft drinks – have all seen dairy slip down the shopping list.

How dairy foods made a comeback
Per capita, milk consumption has marginally declined over recent years, but this has been offset by an increase in cheese and yoghurt consumption.
According to the Australian Dietary Guidelines, milk, cheese and yoghurt are linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and colorectal cancer.
“It’s not as simple as plant versus animal – context and enjoyment matter. Plant-based milks have their place for those who can’t or don’t want to drink dairy, but options like lactose-free milk and A1 protein-free milk that can be gentler on the stomach help people get dairy back into their diets.”
In 2018, The Lancet published a study suggesting eating dairy products is associated with a lower risk of premature death, cardiovascular disease and stroke, which coincided with dairy’s slow return to the fore.
According to recent research, while 40 per cent of Australian households buy plant-based milk, only 2.4 per cent buy it exclusively. Most also buy cow’s milk, and then use them in different ways, for example oat milk for coffee and coconut milk in cooking.

The predicament with plant-based
Plant-based milks might sound healthier, but this is what’s commonly referred to as a health halo.
“The evidence is based on eating those plants whole, not milks made from them,” explains Dr Beckett.
“There isn’t that much actual plant product in them, and because they’re ultraprocessed, they don’t have the same nutrients or structures as dairy milk.”
Calcium and B12 need to be added through fortification and aren’t always absorbed as easily as they are in diary.
“If you go with plant-based, consider where else you’re getting calcium from. If you don’t have enough calcium in your diet, your body borrows it from the stores in your bones, so you might feel healthy now, but later in life have problems with low bone density or osteoporosis.”
While there’s no doubt plant-based alternatives have had an impact on milk consumption, both have benefits.
“We all have different tastes and dietary needs, so it comes down to preference, unless you have a particular condition or ethical reason that requires an alternative.”