Is plant milk making you depressed? New research suggests so

Transcript

00:00Suffering with January blues?

00:01Well, if you've opted into Veganuary,

00:04it actually might be your milk that's making you sad.

00:07Brand new research analysing the diets of over 350,000 Brits

00:11has shown that plant-based milk drinkers

00:13could be more susceptible to depression

00:15than traditional milk drinkers.

00:17The decade-long study carried out by researchers

00:19at Southern Medical University

00:21found that people who drink dairy alternatives

00:23such as soy, oat or almond milk

00:25had a 14% increased chance of experiencing depression.

00:28Whereas cow milk drinkers,

00:30specifically those who drink semi-skimmed,

00:32were 12% less likely to be depressed

00:34and 10% less likely to experience anxiety.

00:37So why is this?

00:39Cow's milk contains vitamin D and calcium,

00:41both of which are crucial nutrients for mood regulation

00:44and increasing levels of serotonin.

00:46The nutrient profile of plant milks

00:48can, however, vary enormously

00:50depending on brand quality and fortified nutrients.

00:52Even though many plant milks actually contain

00:55more phytonutrients and less saturated fat than cow's milk,

00:58this could help explain the results of the study.

01:00And why has semi-skimmed milk come out on top?

01:03The idea is that a fatty acid profile of semi-skimmed milk

01:06is more brain protective

01:08than both full-fat milk and skimmed milk.

01:10The authors noted that high levels of saturated fat

01:13has shown to positively correlate with depression.

01:16This could explain why drinking semi-skimmed,

01:18which has lower levels of saturated fat,

01:20might be beneficial for our mental health.

01:22The truth is that despite the controversial research,

01:25there is no clear-cut rule

01:26on whether dairy or plant milks are better for human health.

01:29If you opt for a vegan milk,

01:31the best thing to do is rotate your choice of plant milks

01:33for optimum nutrient density

01:35and make sure to eat plenty of non-dairy sources of calcium.