Which Plant Milks Best Trigger Satiety Peptide Hormones? Comparing GLP-1 and CCK Release | Research

The takeaway

Spelt milk triggered the highest GLP-1 satiety hormone release (rivaling cow's milk), while tiger nut milk was the top CCK stimulant, suggesting some plant milks may be as satiating as dairy.

910 vs 877 pg/ml GLP-1
Spelt milk triggered GLP-1 release nearly equivalent to cow's milk in gut hormone-producing cells, making it the most potent plant-based alternative for this key satiety peptide

What the researchers found

Using STC-1 enteroendocrine cells after in vitro digestion:

• GLP-1 release: Spelt milk was highest (910.17 pg/ml), followed closely by cow's milk (876.59 pg/ml), with no significant difference between them

• CCK release: Cow's milk stimulated significantly more CCK than plant milks overall. Among plant alternatives, tiger nut milk was highest (228.96 pg/ml), followed by hazelnut milk (220.04 pg/ml)

• Antioxidant capacity: Total phenolic content increased after digestion for all samples. Soymilk had the highest antioxidant values (ORAC: 25.41 µmol TE/ml)

• Cow's milk and soymilk had the highest post-digestion total phenolic content (165.76 and 153.71 mg GAE/100 ml)

Why it matters

As millions of people switch from dairy to plant milks, understanding their effects on satiety hormones is important for weight management and appetite regulation. GLP-1 and CCK are the same peptide hormones targeted by blockbuster obesity drugs. If certain plant milks naturally stimulate these hormones more effectively, they could be promoted as more satiating alternatives for people watching their weight.

How the study worked

In vitro study using simulated gastrointestinal digestion followed by exposure to STC-1 enteroendocrine cells (a gut hormone-secreting cell line). CCK and GLP-1 release were measured by ELISA. Antioxidant capacity was assessed using ORAC, FRAP, and ABTS assays. Total phenolic and flavonoid content were measured before and after in vitro digestion. Plant milks tested included tiger nut, hazelnut, spelt, soy, and others, compared to cow's milk.

What this study cannot tell us

This is entirely an in vitro study — STC-1 cells in a dish do not replicate the complexity of the human gut, where hormonal responses involve neural signaling, microbiome interactions, and gastric emptying. The peptide hormone levels measured in cell culture may not translate to meaningful blood levels or subjective satiety in humans. Only a limited number of plant milks were tested. Commercial plant milk formulations vary widely in composition.

How to read the evidence

This is an in vitro laboratory study using a cell line model of gut hormone secretion. While it provides useful screening data comparing different milks, it cannot predict human physiological responses. In vitro satiety hormone studies represent a preliminary evidence level that requires human feeding trial validation.

When this study was published

Published in 2022, this study addresses the growing plant milk market with relevant peptide hormone data. As the functional food industry matures, in vivo validation studies may follow.

The bigger picture

The $20+ billion plant milk industry has focused on taste and nutrition, but satiety — how well a food keeps you full — has been largely ignored. This study connects plant-based nutrition to incretin biology, the same science behind GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide. If specific plant milks can naturally boost GLP-1 and CCK secretion, this could inform functional food formulation and dietary guidance for appetite management.

Questions still open

Do spelt milk and tiger nut milk actually increase satiety in human feeding studies?
What specific components of these plant milks are responsible for triggering GLP-1 and CCK release?
Could plant milk formulations be optimized to maximize satiety hormone stimulation?

Common questions

Can drinking plant milk boost GLP-1 like obesity drugs do?

This study found that spelt milk triggered GLP-1 release comparable to cow's milk in lab cells. However, this is very different from the sustained, high-level GLP-1 receptor activation produced by drugs like semaglutide. Natural food-derived GLP-1 stimulation is transient and much weaker. Still, choosing foods that naturally promote GLP-1 release could provide a modest contribution to satiety alongside a healthy diet.

Which plant milk is most filling?

Based on this lab study, spelt milk was the best plant-based stimulant of GLP-1 (a fullness hormone) and tiger nut milk was best for CCK (another satiety signal). However, these are cell culture results, not human feeding studies. In practice, protein content, fiber, and fat levels also influence how full a milk makes you feel. Higher-protein options like soymilk may still be more satiating overall.

Read the original research

In vitro digestion effect on CCK and GLP-1 release and antioxidant capacity of some plant-based milk substitutes.

Journal of food science, 87(5), 1999-2008

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Aly, Esmat; Sánchez-Moya, Teresa; Darwish, Aliaa A; Ros-Berruezo, Gaspar; López-Nicolás, Rubén. (2022). In vitro digestion effect on CCK and GLP-1 release and antioxidant capacity of some plant-based milk substitutes.. Journal of food science, 87(5), 1999-2008. https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.16140