Plant Milk Proliferation: Oat, Soy, Almond, and More, But Which Is Best?

Plant Milk Proliferation: Oat, Soy, Almond, and More, But Which Is Best?

September 8, 2026 · 49 min

About this episode

This episode explores the history and proliferation of plant-based milks, comparing them to traditional cow milk and discussing their health and environmental benefits.

Cow milk is out, and plant milk reigns supreme. At least, that's how it feels in the supermarket these days, where the refrigerated section is full of "milk" made from oats, almonds, peanuts, coconuts, soy, macadamia nuts, pistachios, and even peas, with new plants being milked seemingly every day. But this proliferation had us wondering: who invented all these plant milks, and are they better for us and the planet than the OG cow-based beverage?  To find out, we're exploring the surprisingly long history of plant-based milks—including why most civilizations preferred them over any animal's, why Henry Ford thought plant milk would replace dairy the way cars replaced horses, and how Vince Lombardi and some catchy ads made drinking cow's milk de rigeur, even for grown-ups. Plus: we've got the inside story of how Swedish underdog Oatly took the third wave coffee world by storm, plus a science-based breakdown of which of these new alt-milks you should be drinking for the maximum health and environmental benefits. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People in this episode

Hosts: Cynthia Graber, Nicola Twilley

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Oatly

Products: cow milk, plant milk, oat milk, soy milk, almond milk, peanut milk, coconut milk, macadamia milk, pistachio milk, pea milk

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