The word is out that dairy may not in fact, be part of a healthy diet. Some say it’s fine, as long as it’s organic, but let’s talk about some reasons to ditch the breast milk (cows, not nursing mommies) .
It’s well known that dairy is mucus forming in the body. It causes a buildup throughout the digestive system that exacerbates respiratory issues, as well as causing difficulty in the assimilation of nutrients in the large intestine.
Beyond that, we are all lactose intolerant, essentially. Our bodies stop making lactase at 5 years old (when we should be done breast feeding). Some people have a more allergenic response to dairy, but the truth is, none of us are making the enzyme needed to properly break it down in our bodies.
If by chance, you’re using conventional dairy, you may want to read this to see what additives may be lurking in your milk. When there are other options available, why take the chance putting random chemicals, and hormones in your body? I’d go one, but this is a blog about the alternatives, so here is a great article that talks about 10 great reasons to ditch the dairy for better health.
So what’s the alternative? Well, it’s pretty limitless; you’ve got almond, hemp, oat, rice, flax, pistachio, cashew, and coconut, to name a few. I leave out soy, because I’m not a fan of taking in processed soy and generally only use fermented soy products, such a miso and tempeh.
The benefits are as wide and varied as the alternatives themselves. Here are my top 5 nut milks, based on taste, versatility, and nutrient profile. I’ll also tell you how to make it yourself and which store bought brands are your best option (based on taste, absence of carrageenan, and other questionable additives).
- 1. Almond This is probably my favorite of the five. It’s the least expensive store bought and extremely easy to make at home. Amond milk is a great source of healthy fats (promotes healthy cholesterol levels and cardiovascular health), vitamin E, folate (necessary for a healthy pregnancy) and calcium. Store bought-my suggestion here would be Tree of Life original Almond beverage. It’s carrageenan free, about $1.99 at the store and contains 30% of the daily recommendation for calcium, 25% vitamin D, and 50% vitamin E. It’s low in fat, and sugar. My preference for this milk however, is to make it yourself. To do this, you’ll need at least 8 hours, or overnight to soak your almonds.
HOMEMADE ALMOND MILK
1 Cup of almonds
4 cups of water
Sweetener (I use coconut nectar, or organic medjool dates)
Cover almonds in water (separate from the water used in recipe) and soak for at 8 hours. Drain almonds and give them an extra quick rinse. Add water (the 4 cups), almonds and sweetener to a blender (I use a Vitamix). Blend for 60-90 seconds and then strain through a fine mesh sieve or nut milk bag. Store for up to 3-4 days. *For this particular milk, I use an Omega VERT350 juicer (run nuts and water though, and add sweetener directly to milk at the end). These directions (using a blender) are the same for all the seed and nut milks mentioned
- Hemp is well known for it’s abundance of omega fatty acids (reduces inflammation)and it’s complete protein profile (all the amino acids necessary to make up a protein are present). The presence of bot good fats and protein make it a great milk to help fill you up and fuel your day. I generally mix this with another milk because it does have a distinct flavor that my kids don’t like on it’s own. Store bought – my recommendation is Pacific Original Hemp milk. It’s the only one that I have found that is carrageenan free. It has %0% DV for Calcium, 6% for Iron, and 10% Vitamin A . Homemade – use the same method as above, but the ratio is 1 Cup of hemp seeds to 6 cups of water. Here, I prefer maple syrup and a touch of sea salt to sweeten. *No soaking is necessary for hemp seeds.
- Coconut is a good source of magnesium (helps with muscle cramps and general relaxation), iron, and contains MCTs (medium chain triglycerides) which are excellent fats for using as fuel. They transfer to energy more readily than other triglycerides. Store bought – I prefer Native Forest organic, unsweetened coconut milk (classic and low fat). It’s carrageenan free, and only contains coconut, water and guar gum. I buy it by the case through amazon subscribe and save to cut costs. I use it to make Chis pudding, yogurt, and breakfast porridges. Homemade – I use a 2 cups of shredded, unsweetened coconut to 4 cups of water. I either leave it plain, or add some vanilla. *Coconut does not need to soak
- Oat -contains ample amounts of protein and fiber (great for weight management, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels). Store bought – Pacific Organic Oat Original. Again, the original blend is the only one without carrageenan. It’s also fortified with 35% DV Calcium, 25%Vitamin D, as well as 10% Iron, and 30% Riboflavin. Homemade – The ratio here is 1 cup of rolled oats to 4-5 cups of water. Soak the oats for 20 minutes (or you can omit if pressed for time). Blend for 60 seconds, and then strain. this is a sweet milk all on it’s own, so I don’t add anything. *For me, this is the messiest of the milks to make, so I buy this one at the store the most.
- Cashew-these makes a wonderful thick, creamy milk. Great for sauces, vegan cheeses, and just about anything that you’d add regular milk, or cream. This milk has about 6 grams of protein in 1 cup (homemade). Cashews also contain vitamin K (great for bone health and optimal blood clotting), iron, and magnesium. I like to make homemade yogurt with a mix of coconut milk and cashew. Store bought – I would recommend Blueprint cleanse cashew milk. It tastes amazing and has no harmful additives. It’s fresh, cold pressed milk, so you won’t find it on the shelf, but rather, in the cold section of some health stores. It contains 7 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, 4% DV for Calcium, 10% for Iron, and 4% for Vitamin A. Homemade – I use a ration of 1 cup of cashews to 4 cups of water. Soak cashew for 4 hours (in water other than your 4 cups in recipe). Strain, blend for 60-90 seconds, and strain. I tend to use organic medjool dates for this one (3-5 per cup of cashews).
Here is a great recipe (with video) from Jason Wrobel (he’s a bit quirky, but bear with it ) on how to make your own Cashew coconut cinnamon yogurt
These are just a few of the major benefits associated with these different sources of milks. as you can see, the variety and benefits, are well worth giving a try. The nutrient profile of each of these nuts is based off of the homemade varieties. Most store bought milks are fortified with calcium, and vitamin D. Read your labels. There will be varying amounts of protein, fat, and calories between the store bought versions. I generally make our milks at home, but have a few store bought milks on hand that I will mix in. I choose milks that do not contain carrageenan. Carrageenan is found in many nut milks that you purchase at the store. It’s derived from seaweed, and although it seems harmless, there are studies showing carcinogenic capabilities. So, I opt for the safe route and only buy carrageenan free milks (when i have to buy them). My favorites are Pacific organic original oat milk, Tree of life original almond milk, and Pacific original hemp milk. The other variations of these milk made by the same company may contain this additive, so read your labels!!
I also do not purchase “enriched” varieties. Most already add Calcium and Vitamin D, I don’t see any value in putting additional low grade, synthetic vitamins and minerals into my body (and my kids), if I don’t need to. Instead, get them from real food!
With all of the variety, both in taste and nutrients, present in no dairy milks, it’s no wonder the market is seeing a spike. This is also why you need to be diligent in using products that are as “clean” (chemical, and additive free) as possible. Once there is a buzz about something in the food industry, you can bet that the big companies will want a piece of the pie. that usually results in poor quality food/milks saturating the shelves. I know it seems like a ton of information, but there are some of us trying to sift through it for you (and hopefully, with you), to bring you quality information to help make the process of cleaning the garbage out of your kitchens, a simpler one.
SEIZE EVERY MOMENT!
