New research from Toronto suggests children who are given dairy alternatives like soy, rice or almond milk may end up shorter than those given cows' milk.
The researchers aren't sure why, but they report that for each daily cup of non-cows' milk consumed, children were 0.4 cm shorter than those who drank dairy milk.
The study looked at more than 5,000 children between the ages of two and six.
The study's lead author says the protein and fat content of non-dairy milks can vary widely which, for a young child, can mean in a lot in terms of growth.
The study doesn't prove that non-dairy milks affect growth, just that there is an association.