Alternative Milk’s History:
Milk alternatives are nothing new, although they have gained a massive following in the last 10 years or so. In fact, milk alternatives first appeared in 13th century China in the form of soy milk. About a century later we see reference to almond milk in Egyptian cooking. Closely following, almond milk appeared in Europe by 1390. South and Southeast Asia have been using coconut milk in curry recipes for about 2,000 years. We also see horchata, a plant-based milk drink originally made from tigernuts, being spread from North Africa to Spain, and then to South and Central America about 1,000 years ago. Lastly, there is evidence of Native Americans using plant milks for children and infants.
All across the globe things like soy, oats, rice, almonds, coconut, cashews, and tiger nuts have been used to make milk alternatives. Although diet culture would like you to think these non-dairy options are new, don’t be fooled, people have been making them for centuries for many reasons. For one, livestock was not always available, especially all year long, leaving a gap in nutrients and ingredients for cooking. The other main reason was for those who could not consume milk without having gastric distress. We now know this as lactose intolerance, where the body cannot break down the milk sugars, known as lactose. By replacing milk with these alternatives these individuals had a non-dairy option.
How It’s Made:
The actual process of making alternative milk is pretty easy and follows the same steps whether it’s from a grain like rice or oats, any type of nut, or even coconut. When making at home the first step is to soak the raw ingredients. Soaking times vary depending on the ingredient and can range from a few hours up to a day. It also may be soaked in cool, hot, or boiling water. After soaking you will drain, and often rinse. Next is blending the ingredient with fresh water on a high speed. The last step is to strain. You can do this with cheesecloth or a nutbag (these are fine mesh bags especially made for making nut milk). And voila, you now have alternative milk!
As we have seen a sharp rise in varieties and variations of alternative milk in the grocery store, I wanted to touch on how these milks are made commercially as it varies slightly from homemade. There are two main methods that are followed, wet and dry. The wet method is almost identical to the one listed above with the exception that sometimes they will grind the soaked ingredient into a paste and then dissolve it into water instead of blending the ingredient with water. They will also add in thickeners, stabilizers, vitamins, minerals and flavorings followed by pasteurization. The dry method involves drying out the ingredient and then grinding into a flour. They then take this flour and separate out the protein from the starch and then it is added to liquid and processed just as in the wet method.
Health Benefits:
Whether you are lactose intolerant, follow SCD, or are vegan there are lots of reasons to consume alternative milks. While traditional dairy milk does have protein, vitamin D, and Calcium it doesn’t mean milk alternatives don’t have good nutrients too.
- Almond milk is lower in calories and carbs than cow’s milk and a single 8 ounce serving contains 50% of your daily Vitamin E while having a pleasant nutty flavor.
- Coconut milk is tropical and a great option for those with a nut allergy. It is naturally higher in fat, but the fat that it contains is MCT or medium-chain triglycerides, which are actually good for cholesterol levels and heart health.
- Soy milk is closer to cow’s milk in protein count as soy is a complete protein. One 8 ounce serving gives 6 grams of protein, 34% of your daily B12, 30% of your daily calcium, and 26% of your daily vitamin D. It is important to note GMOs in soy milk as almost all soy grown in the US is genetically modified.
- Rice milk is a good source of calcium and vitamins A, B12, and D. In fact, one 8 ounce serving provides 22% of daily calcium, 12% of daily vitamin D, 64% of daily B12, and 17% of daily vitamin A. It is however, low in protein and high in carbs and sugar and should be had in moderation.
Which Alternative Milk Should You Buy?
The dairy section at the store today has dozens and dozens of dairy-free options and it can be hard to know which one is the best. This is in part, an individual decision as allergies and intolerances should be considered. Some good rules of thumb are to check the ingredients first. If it has things you can’t pronounce, carrageen, or other thickeners or stabilizers I would put it back. Carrageenan in particular has been shown to cause inflammation, and exacerbate diabetes, IBD, and other digestive illnesses. While it has been approved by the FDA for use, many concerns about the additive remain, so I would rather personally avoid it. The next thing I would look at is the sugar content. Often added sugars are so high they outweigh the other health benefits, not to mention wreak havoc on your gut biome. If you can find an alternative milk that is non-GMO, organic, sugar free, and additive free you have hit the jackpot! To find one that checks all these boxes can be difficult, the good news is that it’s super easy to make your own. Check out my Coconut Milk recipe for some inspiration!
Alternative Milk & SCD:
On the Specific Carbohydrate Diet nut milks are introduced in Stage one in the form of almond and pecan. In stage two coconut, cashew, hazelnut, macadamia, and other nuts can be used to make milk. Rice, oat, and soy milk are not allowed at all as they contain either grain or soy. Almost all nut milks and coconut milk are allowed though, and can easily be made at home to meet SCD requirements. Of all the premade almond milk brands out there, so far, I have only come across one that is SCD approved, Simply Almond. This almond milk contains no sugars, thickeners, stabilizers or artificial flavors and is simply, pun intended, almonds. I have also been able to find one coconut milk brand as well, and that is Thrive Market coconut milk as it only contains coconut. Both these brands are suitable as I write this, but always check ingredients as they can be updated or changed all together.
Milk alternatives are important in cooking, and especially baking for SCD and can be seen in many of my recipes including; Easy Grain-Free Waffles, Crispy Chicken Tenders, Coconut Shrimp with Mango Dipping Sauce, SCD White Hot ‘Chocolate’, Super Green Smoothie, Blueberry Scones, Dairy Free Cashew Caramel Ice Cream and so many more!
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