Almond milk and other plant-based drinks can be labeled "milk," the Food and Drug Administration said.
But if they do, they should explain the nutritional differences between their plant-based milk and cow's milk, the FDA said.
It also recommends that plant-based milk makers include a statement on their label clarifying the differences between their product and cow's milk.
"We applaud FDA's recognition that consumers understand the difference between plant-based milk and cow's milk and that shoppers choose to purchase plant-based milk specifically because it is not cow's milk," Madeline Cohen, senior regulatory attorney at the Good Food Institute, which advocates for plant-based brands, said in a statement.
The National Milk Producers Federation, which represents the US animal milk industry, said the proposed guidance would allow plant-based companies "to continue inappropriately using dairy terminology."