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Study Links Plant-Based Dairy Swaps to Low Iodine

healthNov 8, 2026·298 words·3 min read

Swapping some of the milk, cheese and yoghurt in your diet for plant-based versions could leave many more young people and women without enough iodine, a new study suggests. The research was published in the journal The Lancet Planetary Health. Researchers calculated what would happen if people in the United Kingdom replaced dairy with products made from soya, oats or almonds.

The problem is that plant-based products have very little iodine unless companies add it. The body uses iodine to help children grow and to support the brain. In the UK, dairy gives children about half of their iodine. But companies do not have to add vitamins and minerals to plant-based products. The researchers looked at many plant-based milks, yoghurts and cheeses. Only 12% had added iodine.

If people stopped eating dairy completely, 80% of teenage girls would not get enough iodine. The researchers want a new rule that makes companies add iodine. Some brands, like Alpro and some Oatly drinks, already do this. A UK dietitian, Nichola Ludlam-Raine, said people who switch are not always at risk, because their whole diet matters. She told shoppers to check the label.

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