Plant milk comparison chart

The comparison chart

Plant milk protein per 100ml compared: soy carries 3-6× the protein of any other option

Milk	Protein (per 100ml)	Calories	Best for	Worst at	Widely available brands
Soy	3.0g	35	Chai, baking	Sweet desserts	Sofit, Staeta, Urban Platter
Oat	1.0g	45	Coffee, cereal	High-heat chai (can split)	Oatly, Alt Co, Plantmade
Almond	0.5g	15	Smoothies, baking, low-cal	Anything needing creaminess	Sofit, So Good, Borges
Cashew	1.0g	25	Sweets, sauces	Cereal (thin)	Homemade is easiest
Coconut	0.5g	30	Curries, kheer, baking	Daily drinking	Dabur Hommade, Sofit
Rice	0.3g	50	Sweet recipes, kids	Anything needing protein	Pacific (import)
Hemp	1.0g	50	Smoothies	Cooking	Import only
Pea	3.0g	45	Coffee, baking, kids	Hard to find	Limited in India

Which to choose

For chai

Winner: Soy. Holds the boiling temperature without splitting. Closest to dairy mouthfeel.

For coffee

Winner: Oat (barista edition). Creamiest, doesn't split in espresso. Oatly Barista is the gold standard. Alt Co Barista is the Indian equivalent.

For cereal / oats

Winner: Oat or almond. Light, sweet, doesn't compete with the food.

For smoothies

Anything works. Almond if you want low-calorie. Soy if you want protein.

For Indian sweets (kheer, basundi, payasam)

Winner: Cashew or coconut. Rich, creamy, takes long simmering. Cashew (blend ½ cup soaked cashews + 1 cup water) is closest to evaporated milk.

For baking

Winner: Soy or oat. Both behave like dairy milk in cakes, breads, muffins.

For kids

Note: plant milks should not replace breastmilk or formula before age 1. After 2, soy or pea milk is the best protein-matched option. Avoid almond or rice as primary milk for kids - too low in protein and calories.

What to look for on a label

Unsweetened. Most flavoured/sweetened versions have 8-12g of added sugar per 100ml.
Fortified. Look for added calcium (120 mg/100ml), vitamin B12, vitamin D.
Low in additives. Some plant milks have gellan gum, locust bean gum, sunflower lecithin - these are safe but minimal is better.

Choosing between them

Soy remains the highest-protein and best all-round choice; oat performs best in coffee and cereal; almond and coconut suit specific uses. Prices and availability vary by region.