More about Milk! (Non dairy options)
12:21 Posted In almond.milk , hemp.milk , milk , milk.substitute , rice.milk , vegan Edit This 0 Comments »
Part two of one of my first ever blogs, about milk. In the first milk blog I discovered that if you are drinking cow milk, then 100% grass fed, organic, whole milk was the healthiest, and not lower fat varieties. For a refresher, here is that blog: The Truth about Milk.
Since then I learned my cholesterol was way too high, 251 to be exact. I examined my eating habits and decided to become vegan because at my age, I don't want to have to start taking life-long medicines quite yet (or ever...). To date I have been about 95% vegan (because there is quite a learning curve) for 6 months and my cholesterol has come down to 188 and will hopefully keep dropping.
Because of this new lifestyle I have had to learn an entire new way of cooking, eating and living. One of the things I have had to do is replace milk because I still like to eat cereal and cook things that normally require milk!
And finally, the research:
I am including research on Rice milk (Rice Dream) and Almond milk (Almond Breeze). I was going to include Hemp milk, but so far I can only find limited research. I will include a couple helpful links at the bottom of the page. These can be made at home, except Hemp milk if you live in the United States and abide by the laws. Don't get me started on laws regarding hemp! If you are interested in soy please see my two posts: Soy: The Good, and Soy: The Bad.
Rice Milk
Brown Rice itself:
Nutrients that are naturally found in brown rice include magnesium, manganese and selenium. 1 cup of brown rice, not the milk, supplies 88% of the manganese you need in a day. Manganese ensures healthy bone structure, bone metabolism, and also helps build your bones.
Rice also supplies 4% DV Iron, 10% DV Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) and 10% DV Vitamin B3 (Niacin).
Brown Rice Milk, Unsweetened:
Ingredients: filtered water, brown rice (partially milled), expeller pressed high oleic safflower oil, tricalcium phosphate, sea salt, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D2, vitamin B12.
In an 8oz (1 cup) serving there are 120 Calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 23 grams of carbohydrates with 10 of those grams being sugar and 1 gram of protein.
Some of this may be naturally occurring, but it's also fortified (added in by people) to contain 30% Daily Value (DV) Calcium, 4% DV Iron, 25% DV Vitamin D, 25% Vitamin B 12 and 15% DV Phosphorus
(Tangent: To learn more about Vitamin D, there is a good chart on this site. On the Table of Contents is says Sources of Vitamin D.)
In my research I found an interesting article on a question and answer board which you can find by Clicking Here. The man who wrote the letter was concerned that his wife had changed from cow's milk to rice milk and about the effect on his young children. Part of the reply was:
"Milk, per se is not absolutely essential in early brain development, although human milk is superior in that department. What is important is that fat, and essential fatty acids be included in their diet. In sum, Rice Dream can be okay for your sons, just so long as you are sure they are getting in other foods what they are no longer getting from milk."
Because plain, unsweetened rice milk doesn't have a robust flavor it is good in baking and won't flavor the foods you are making.
Rice is cheap so if you make rice milk yourself you will save a lot of money vs. buying it in the store. In my area it's almost the same price as almond milk, which is more expensive to make.
It is not high in nutrients naturally, and I prefer to get my nutrients from real food and not additives. If you make it yourself you won't have the additives, so there will be way less nutrients in your milk, but it will also be more natural.
It has a light "oaty" flavor, it's not super creamy
It's extremely high in carbohydrates.
Almond Milk
Almonds themselves
In a serving of 1oz, Almonds contain: 170 Calories, 15 grams of fat, 6g protein, 6g carbohydrates with 2 of them being sugar. They are high in Vitamin E at 35% DV, they supply 20% DV Magnesium and 8% DV of Calcium. They supply other nutrients as well, look here for a more detailed look.
Almond Milk (Unsweetened Almond Breeze)
Ingredients: Filtered water, Almonds, Calcium Carbonate, Tapioca Starch, Natural Vanilla flavor with other natural flavors, sea salt, potassium citrate, carrgeenan, soy lecithin, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D2 and D-alpha-tocopherol (Natural vitamin E)
I am embarrassed to say that I did not look at the ingredients list when I bought this. I was surprised to see they put soy in my almond milk!
In an 8oz serving it has 40 Calories, 3 grams of fat, 190mg (5% DV) Potassium, 2g Carbohydrates, 0g Sugar, 1g Fiber and 1g Protein.
Because it's fortified (and some of it natural) it also has 10% Vitamin A, 30% Calcium, 25% Vitamin D, 50% Vitamin E and 6% Manganese, 4% of Iron, Magnesium, and Copper, and 2% Zinc.
In doing online research I found more doctors and health food advocates recommending almond milk than other alternatives.
Almonds naturally have a little bit of calcium.
Almonds are more expensive, so making almond milk at home is more expensive, but has a higher nutrient content. This is the only type of milk I have made on my own. I prefer home made to store bought, store bought is cheaper, but has far less nutrients because they have to water it down more to keep the prices low.
It tastes kind of bland, it's creamier than other alternatives and has a slightly nutty aftertaste. When I make my own I usually add a small amount of 100% natural maple syrup to boost the flavor.
This can be made with roasted or raw almonds so it can be a completely raw food.
It may also be a healthier option for children because it has a higher "good fat" content.
Recipes:
Click here to find a recipe for rice milk and oat milk.
My recipe for Almond milk (there are a lot out there so you can find your own if you don't want to use mine.)
1c almonds
3 c water
1/4 c or less 100% pure maple syrup (optional)
Soak the almonds in the water, uncovered over night, at least 8 hours, I have soaked them up to 24 hours. (I tried doing it covered to see if it made a difference and the result was nasty slimy milk.) After 8-24 hours put the water and almonds in the blender and blend it until it's fine. I used a regular blender, this was before the blendtec so what you have will work fine. Then you strain it through a cheesecloth. You can discard the almond bits, bake them into bread, or cookies or whatever, or use them as compost. (The Hippie in me begs you to not discard them!)
What you have left will be your milk, add the syrup to taste or leave it out. You can vary the amount of almonds, you can use more or less, it all depends on your taste.
A note on Sweeteners:
I found this on an article that is pro-Almond milk and against Soy and rice milk, which you can find here. Regardless of the type of milk you get, watch out for the sweeteners.
"Some brands of soy and rice milk contain rice syrup, evaporated cane juice, or some other natural sweetener. Natural or not, most sweeteners put significant stress on your pancreas and liver. They also raise your insulin levels, which significantly increases your risk of suffering from unhealthy weight gain, high blood pressure, heart disease, premature aging, and several other negative side effects."
What I will do with this information:
I am going to make both kinds of milk in my blendtec and give them a try for flavor. I prefer Almond milk because the nutrient content is higher, but the price of it is a problem. I think I will mix them together so I can still have the benefits of the almond milk that I like, but with the the added benefit of having more quantity. And the nutrient content will still be higher than store bought because I will be "watering it down" with rice milk instead of water.
Hemp Milk Sites
Here is a site for a product and it's nutrient content. http://www.worldpantry.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prmenbr=655972&prrfnbr=950025
This is an article about why Hemp milk: http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/benefits-of-hemp-milk/
I have tried one brand of Hemp Milk from Trader Joe's. The flavor was fine, but the texture was a little strange, it was almost like they had stirred in flour, it was grainy. This may not be true for all brands though.
Since then I learned my cholesterol was way too high, 251 to be exact. I examined my eating habits and decided to become vegan because at my age, I don't want to have to start taking life-long medicines quite yet (or ever...). To date I have been about 95% vegan (because there is quite a learning curve) for 6 months and my cholesterol has come down to 188 and will hopefully keep dropping.
Because of this new lifestyle I have had to learn an entire new way of cooking, eating and living. One of the things I have had to do is replace milk because I still like to eat cereal and cook things that normally require milk!
And finally, the research:
I am including research on Rice milk (Rice Dream) and Almond milk (Almond Breeze). I was going to include Hemp milk, but so far I can only find limited research. I will include a couple helpful links at the bottom of the page. These can be made at home, except Hemp milk if you live in the United States and abide by the laws. Don't get me started on laws regarding hemp! If you are interested in soy please see my two posts: Soy: The Good, and Soy: The Bad.
Rice Milk
Brown Rice itself:
Nutrients that are naturally found in brown rice include magnesium, manganese and selenium. 1 cup of brown rice, not the milk, supplies 88% of the manganese you need in a day. Manganese ensures healthy bone structure, bone metabolism, and also helps build your bones.
Rice also supplies 4% DV Iron, 10% DV Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) and 10% DV Vitamin B3 (Niacin).
Brown Rice Milk, Unsweetened:
Ingredients: filtered water, brown rice (partially milled), expeller pressed high oleic safflower oil, tricalcium phosphate, sea salt, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D2, vitamin B12.
In an 8oz (1 cup) serving there are 120 Calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 23 grams of carbohydrates with 10 of those grams being sugar and 1 gram of protein.
Some of this may be naturally occurring, but it's also fortified (added in by people) to contain 30% Daily Value (DV) Calcium, 4% DV Iron, 25% DV Vitamin D, 25% Vitamin B 12 and 15% DV Phosphorus
(Tangent: To learn more about Vitamin D, there is a good chart on this site. On the Table of Contents is says Sources of Vitamin D.)
In my research I found an interesting article on a question and answer board which you can find by Clicking Here. The man who wrote the letter was concerned that his wife had changed from cow's milk to rice milk and about the effect on his young children. Part of the reply was:
"Milk, per se is not absolutely essential in early brain development, although human milk is superior in that department. What is important is that fat, and essential fatty acids be included in their diet. In sum, Rice Dream can be okay for your sons, just so long as you are sure they are getting in other foods what they are no longer getting from milk."
Because plain, unsweetened rice milk doesn't have a robust flavor it is good in baking and won't flavor the foods you are making.
Rice is cheap so if you make rice milk yourself you will save a lot of money vs. buying it in the store. In my area it's almost the same price as almond milk, which is more expensive to make.
It is not high in nutrients naturally, and I prefer to get my nutrients from real food and not additives. If you make it yourself you won't have the additives, so there will be way less nutrients in your milk, but it will also be more natural.
It has a light "oaty" flavor, it's not super creamy
It's extremely high in carbohydrates.
Almond Milk
Almonds themselves
In a serving of 1oz, Almonds contain: 170 Calories, 15 grams of fat, 6g protein, 6g carbohydrates with 2 of them being sugar. They are high in Vitamin E at 35% DV, they supply 20% DV Magnesium and 8% DV of Calcium. They supply other nutrients as well, look here for a more detailed look.
Almond Milk (Unsweetened Almond Breeze)
Ingredients: Filtered water, Almonds, Calcium Carbonate, Tapioca Starch, Natural Vanilla flavor with other natural flavors, sea salt, potassium citrate, carrgeenan, soy lecithin, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D2 and D-alpha-tocopherol (Natural vitamin E)
I am embarrassed to say that I did not look at the ingredients list when I bought this. I was surprised to see they put soy in my almond milk!
In an 8oz serving it has 40 Calories, 3 grams of fat, 190mg (5% DV) Potassium, 2g Carbohydrates, 0g Sugar, 1g Fiber and 1g Protein.
Because it's fortified (and some of it natural) it also has 10% Vitamin A, 30% Calcium, 25% Vitamin D, 50% Vitamin E and 6% Manganese, 4% of Iron, Magnesium, and Copper, and 2% Zinc.
In doing online research I found more doctors and health food advocates recommending almond milk than other alternatives.
Almonds naturally have a little bit of calcium.
Almonds are more expensive, so making almond milk at home is more expensive, but has a higher nutrient content. This is the only type of milk I have made on my own. I prefer home made to store bought, store bought is cheaper, but has far less nutrients because they have to water it down more to keep the prices low.
It tastes kind of bland, it's creamier than other alternatives and has a slightly nutty aftertaste. When I make my own I usually add a small amount of 100% natural maple syrup to boost the flavor.
This can be made with roasted or raw almonds so it can be a completely raw food.
It may also be a healthier option for children because it has a higher "good fat" content.
Recipes:
Click here to find a recipe for rice milk and oat milk.
My recipe for Almond milk (there are a lot out there so you can find your own if you don't want to use mine.)
1c almonds
3 c water
1/4 c or less 100% pure maple syrup (optional)
Soak the almonds in the water, uncovered over night, at least 8 hours, I have soaked them up to 24 hours. (I tried doing it covered to see if it made a difference and the result was nasty slimy milk.) After 8-24 hours put the water and almonds in the blender and blend it until it's fine. I used a regular blender, this was before the blendtec so what you have will work fine. Then you strain it through a cheesecloth. You can discard the almond bits, bake them into bread, or cookies or whatever, or use them as compost. (The Hippie in me begs you to not discard them!)
What you have left will be your milk, add the syrup to taste or leave it out. You can vary the amount of almonds, you can use more or less, it all depends on your taste.
A note on Sweeteners:
I found this on an article that is pro-Almond milk and against Soy and rice milk, which you can find here. Regardless of the type of milk you get, watch out for the sweeteners.
"Some brands of soy and rice milk contain rice syrup, evaporated cane juice, or some other natural sweetener. Natural or not, most sweeteners put significant stress on your pancreas and liver. They also raise your insulin levels, which significantly increases your risk of suffering from unhealthy weight gain, high blood pressure, heart disease, premature aging, and several other negative side effects."
What I will do with this information:
I am going to make both kinds of milk in my blendtec and give them a try for flavor. I prefer Almond milk because the nutrient content is higher, but the price of it is a problem. I think I will mix them together so I can still have the benefits of the almond milk that I like, but with the the added benefit of having more quantity. And the nutrient content will still be higher than store bought because I will be "watering it down" with rice milk instead of water.
Hemp Milk Sites
Here is a site for a product and it's nutrient content. http://www.worldpantry.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prmenbr=655972&prrfnbr=950025
This is an article about why Hemp milk: http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/benefits-of-hemp-milk/
I have tried one brand of Hemp Milk from Trader Joe's. The flavor was fine, but the texture was a little strange, it was almost like they had stirred in flour, it was grainy. This may not be true for all brands though.
