Yes, according to a new study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Researchers say children who consumed milk from alternative sources, such as almond, rice and soy milk grew less than children who consumed cow’s milk.

For every cup of non-cow’s milk a child drank, they grew 0.4 centimeters (0.15 inches) less in height than average for a child’s age. The decreased growth was dependent upon the amount of non-cow’s milk that the child drank, thus a child who drank 3 cups of non-cow’s milk was 1.5 centimeters shorter.

There could be several reasons for this finding:

• Alternative milks have less calories and protein than cow’s milk. They also have less vitamins and minerals.
• Children who drank alternative milks also drank less than those who drank cow’s milk. (Further analysis showed that this only accounted for part of the difference in height.)

So, what should your family do?

You should know that there is nothing magical about milk, but it’s an easy way to get your child’s calories, protein and calcium. If they’re getting those nutrients from other sources, I’m not concerned about how much cow’s milk they drink.

For children who are allergic to cow’s milk and families who decide to drink milk alternatives for various reasons, talk to your pediatrician about how to adjust your child’s diet to make sure they are receiving the proper amount of calories and protein.

Focusing on a balanced diet is the most important thing you can do.

About the Source

Justin Smith, M.D., is a pediatrician and the Medical Advisor for Digital Health for Cook Children's in Fort Worth, Texas. He has an active community on both Facebook and Twitter as @TheDocSmitty and writes weekly for Cook Children's checkupnewsroom.com. He believes that strategic use of social media and technology by pediatricians to connect with families can deepen their relationship and provide a new level of convenience for both of their busy lifestyles.Dr. Smith’s innovative pediatric clinic, a pediatric clinic “designed by you,” is set to open in Trophy Club in 2017.

Some choose to stop breastfeeding. Some move on from spending all their extra money on formula. Everyone is wondering what milk to move to next.

The standard answer used to be ... whole cow’s milk. Now 2 percent seems reasonable; even soy in those who have had issues with cow’s milk before. Let’s start off by saying that there’s nothing magical about milk. I like to think of it as an easy way to get your child calories, protein and calcium. But, if they are getting those nutrients from other sources, I am not too concerned about how much milk they drink.

What about almond milk?

Almond milk sales have gone through the roof over the past decade. As more adults identify as lactose intolerant and are turning to plant-based alternatives, it’s no surprise that they are starting to consider it an alternative to cow’s milk for their children.

Let’s start by comparing the nutritional information:

Almond milk is made by crushing up some almonds and mixing them with some water. It’s not fancy. In commercially available products, 1 cup has the equivalent of about 4 almonds worth of nutrition in it.

Given that I consider the primary benefits of milk to be a source of calories (35 in almond compared vs 160 in whole cow’s milk), protein (1 vs 9 grams) and calcium (2% RDA vs 30%), almond milk doesn’t exactly measure up. This could be a problem with a picky eater whom the family is relying on almond milk, thinking it will help supplement when they do not eat well.

Could almond milk be harmful?

A case study published online for Pediatrics (February 2016) describes a case where a child fed predominately almond milk and almond flour from 2.5-10 months of age resulted in the child having scurvy. Scurvy is a disease that is the result of having too little vitamin C and can result in bone thinning and fractures. Of course, the improper use of cow’s milk over this time could also cause a number of health problems as well, including anemia.

Prolonged use of almond based milk has been linked to low chloride levels and failure to gain weight in other patients. I believe these are both also related to poor intake of other foods, as a child can grow just fine without nutritional deficiencies with a balanced diet and water.

What’s the bottom line?

Is almond milk the most terrible thing in the world? No.

Is it a good alternative to cow’s milk for your child? No.

It just doesn’t have the same nutritional value. Your child might as well just drink water. Focusing on a balanced diet is key no matter what.