One of the things people are switching these days is their consumption of milk, trying alternative milk or even completely removing it from their diet. Not just because they decided to try a vegan lifestyle, but also for dietary/health reasons. Many people have discovered that they are lactose intolerant and needed to make the change. For that and many other reasons is that this next 22nd of august we celebrate World Plant Milk Day and, today, I bring all you need to know about the different types, their benefits, and an easy plant-based milk recipe for you to try at home.
By Pat Aguilar
Let’s start (as always) with a little bit of history about this. Plant-based milk has been around us for centuries. Yes, you read it well. Centuries!!
There is data from recipes in Chinese culture from 1365 mentioning soya milk, and almond milk has been used for over 1000 years.
The first mention of almond milk comes from the 13th century from a Baghdad cookery book. Then, in the 14th century we can find it in an Egyptian cookery book describing the use of almonds and almond milk in their recipes.
There is no data registered about coconut milk, but it is believed that it’s also one of the oldest ones as it has been part of Indian cookery books also from many centuries ago.
In regards to nutrition, we have a few differences with each milk. They have different nutritional value and will work best depending on what you need them for.
First, soy milk is the best alternative if you want to have a higher nutritional value. It has 7gr of protein (similar to cow’s milk), contains vitamin D and B-12, and the texture is quite similar. This is the most recommended alternative for people with lactose intolerance and, of course, are not allergic to soy beans.
Almond milk has a creamier texture and high levels of calcium, but it only has 1gr of protein. If you want something with low calories, this is definitely your alternative. If you add it to hot beverages, you will see how it separates.
Rice milk, on the other hand, is a good option if you are looking for something with a neutral flavour and less creamy.
Coconut milk offers a good intake of vitamin D and vitamin B-12. If you are looking for something sweet and creamy, this is your option. Also, keep in mind that it has a similar percentage of fat to cow’s milk.
Oat milk gives you a high percentage of protein (4gr) and also has vitamin B12. It has a mild and creamy flavour, and it’s great for cereals and hot beverages.
Hemp milk is low in calories and has more protein than almond milk. It contains vitamin D and omega3 fatty acids. This milk won’t separate when you add it to hot beverages but its flavour, unfortunately, is not easy to acclimate to.
Luckily for us, the boom of plant-based milk came around 1950 when soya milk started to get manufactured, and the Plantmilk society was formed in 1956. For many years, they weren’t allowed to call it milk, so it was called “soya plantmilk”. And around 1970-1980, it started to become more popular around Asia, Europe and the United States. And, thanks to the development of Tetra Pak, it allowed it to expand even further.
Interesting, right? I feel like everyday we learn something new. And this little fun facts makes it more interesting when we choose which plant-based milk to use.
Now, what I promised: a recipe to make plant base milk at home.
How to make soy milk at home?
After doing my research, I realized that the way to make each milk is quite similar. Or at least for oats, soy and almond, which are the three most consumed. The differences will be in the use of the blender. For oats is just a quick 15-30 seconds in the blender. For almond milk, blend it until the mixture is creamy.
And, here I will leave you the recipe for soy milk. But feel free to experiment at home with another one that you are curious about and share it with us.
You will need:
• ½ cup soybeans
• 2-3 cups of water for soaking
• 4 cups of water for blending
• Sugar to taste (optional)
• Blender
• cheesecloth or nut milk bag.
Instructions:
1. Soak soybeans in 2-3 cups of water overnight.
This will soften the soybeans and get them ready for blending.
2. Discard water and rinse soybeans.
We want to get rid of any of the dirt or contaminants that were on the beans themselves.
3. Remove skins the best you can.
You can rub the beans by hand while they're underwater. The released skins will float to the top and can be skimmed off. Don't worry if you can't get them all. Blending the beans will release all that soy nutrition.
4. Add soybeans and 4 cups of water to a blender. Blend until smooth. This step exposes the entire bean to the water, ensuring we wring all the nutrition we can from these beans into our homemade soy milk.
6. Strain the blended mixture using cheesecloth or a nut milk bag.
7. Heat the strained milk in a heavy-bottom pan to 212ºF (100ºC).
Hold this temperature for 20 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. This is an important step since, as a legume, soy can't be consumed raw.
8. Cool the milk and store it. You can refrigerate it for up to 4 days.
You can always add sugar, honey, chocolate, or even make golden milk by adding turmeric.
Happy world plant-milk day!
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