Essential and toxic elements in plant-based dairy alternatives: implications for vegan diets

Abstract Plant-based dairy alternatives (PBDAs) have become essential components of the diet for individuals adhering to vegetarian, vegan, and flexitarian diets. In this study, levels of essential (Ca, P, Fe, Zn) and toxic (Cd, Pb) elements were assessed in commercially available and homemade PBDAs, including non-fortified plant-based milk, cheese, yogurt, cream alternatives, and tofu. The obtained data revealed a critical deficiency of calcium in non-fortified PBDAs, with a concerningly low Ca/P ratio. In the least favorable scenario modeled, consuming three servings of PBDAs would only provide a hypothetical daily calcium intake of 10 mg. The toxic elements lead and cadmium were generally very low, with the exception of homemade poppy seed milk, exhibiting an elevated cadmium level (0.052 ± 0.04 mg/kg). These findings highlight the importance of calcium source diversification in vegan diets, potentially through fortified plant-based foods or selected vegetables.