I decided to develop this guide to help people make their own vegetable milk, understand the benefits they can offer and the reasons why I encourage each one to do their own at home. Contrary to what many think, making these milks is not difficult, just a matter of custom and flavor adaptation with other ingredients that can help you reach the ideal flavor. For that, I put some recipes that I make at home and it will certainly be a good help for you to enjoy a milk full of flavor and nutritious for your body.
What are vegetable milks?
Vegetable milks can be of numerous origins (oilseeds, grains or seeds) and provide you with the possibility of tasting the versatility of milk, but with a different protein profile from those found in cow’s milk, which would be one of the triggering factors of processes Allergic and inflammatory in your body, therefore ensure better digestibility and balance in the body. In addition, they are also free of lactose, cow’s milk sugar that some people have difficulty digesting due to the absence or insufficiency of the lactase enzyme in the body, the famous lactose intolerance.
The basic ingredients are: mineral or filtered water, chestnuts, seeds or grains (according to your preference) and some extra ingredients to guarantee a special flavor (eg sea salt, cinnamon, vanilla extract and etc…).
Do you have intolerance, sensitivity or allergy to cow’s milk?
There are several factors that contribute to the functioning of our body, so for a better diagnosis I encourage a consultation with a doctor or nutritionist to have a deeper and more personal view.. Here are some symptoms related to the consumption of cow’s milk: Nasal congestion, sinusitis, rhinitis, bronchitis, excess gas, constipation, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headache or migraine and changes in the skin. If you suffer from some or more of these symptoms and consume cow’s milk, it may be that the replacement of this food can improve or end these symptoms. You will only know the impact of milk or if you do not test for a period without including it and its derivatives, but to take this test many points should be considered and if you seek help with an individualized and deeper understanding, a nutritionist can guide you, as these symptoms are often a consequence of others. habits, not just the consumption of cow’s milk.
If not milk then what?
Oh, this is a question that I asked myself when I started to question myself about the consumption of cow’s milk and I always hear from friends or patients. How to offer calcium or vitamin D without cow’s milk? Even because, we grew up guided by the massive marketing of large industries calling for milk and its derivatives as the perfect food and the best source of calcium and Vit D, right? What remains to be explained is that the profile of cow’s milk proteins have a very high allergenic potential, which can significantly increase the level of inflammatory processes in your body, which will consequently interfere with your ability to absorb numerous nutrients from foods. Remember that the intensity of this varies according to each person, there are levels of allergies or sensitivity.
In addition, the quality of the milks we see around is far from being something of quality! There are numerous industrial processes until cow’s milk arrives at your table and many of them extremely questionable. For example, the way in which cows are raised, with most cows receiving thousands of antibiotics and inadequate food, numerous chemical additives are inserted in the milk to increase shelf life, and so on.
But answering the question, in addition to these vegetable milks, There are other food sources of calcium for you to include daily in your routine. Mainly broccoli, spinach, sesame, tahini, humus, kale, salmon, beans, peas, oilseeds. Try to vary and introduce these foods into your routine daily. I always try to include at least two cups of broccoli or one of the dark green leaves at lunch and dinner with tahini or humus to increase my calcium intake. Other than that, I consume almond milk or cashew nut milk daily. Vitamin D would be recommended a few minutes of sunshine (which varies according to skin tone) at healthy times, in addition to supplementation when necessary. If you have a calcium deficiency, it is worth consulting a nutritionist to evaluate your habits and guide you with something more personal. It is worth mentioning that there are thousands of other minerals charged with the absorption and bioavailability of calcium, such as magnesium, which you will find mainly in pumpkin seeds, nuts, artichokes and dark green leaves.
What about ready-made vegetable milks?
Here in California we have an absurd variety of ready-made vegetable milks with a much more affordable price than in Brazil, but I still love to do mine. When I buy in stores, I go straight to the list of ingredients and avoid those who have a preservative that has been questioned in relation to our health, as carrageenan, a “natural” preservative widely used in food and some studies relate its consumption to the risk of cancer and insulin resistance. By making your milk you have the possibility to do something without preservative or any chemical additive, in addition to saving.
Recipes:
Milk de All
INGREDIENTES:
- 1 cup almonds (soak for 6 hours – I leave it before bed)
- 3 ½ cups of water
- A pinch of sea salt
- Vanilla extract (prefer water base, rather than alcohol)
- a pinch of cinnamon
- If you want to sweeten: stevia, coconut sugar, or two chopped dates.
Instructions:
1) Dispense the water to soak. In a blender combine all the ingredients and let it beat until all the almonds are well crushed.
3) Place a voucher bag in a glass jar and pour the milk, then squeeze it until the last drop of the bag falls. It is important that your jar is well sealed when storing and that you keep it inside the fridge.
4) Your milk will remain tasty for up to 4 days in the fridge.
cashew nut milk
(my favorite)
INGREDIENTES:
- 1 cup of cashew nuts (soak for 6 hours – I leave it before bed)
- 3 ½ cups of water
- A pinch of sea salt
- Vanilla extract (prefer water base, rather than alcohol)
- a pinch of cinnamon
- If you want to sweeten: stevia, coconut sugar, or two chopped dates.
Instructions:
1) Dispense the water to soak. In a blender combine all the ingredients and let it beat until all the chestnuts are well crushed.
3) Place a voucher bag in a glass jar and pour the milk, then squeeze it until the last drop of the bag falls. It is important that your jar is well sealed when storing and that you keep it inside the fridge.
4) Your milk will remain tasty for up to 4 days in the fridge.
pumpkin seed milk
INGREDIENTES:
- 1 cup pumpkin seeds (soak for 6 hours)
- 3 ½ cups of water
- A pinch of sea salt
- Vanilla extract (prefer water base, rather than alcohol)
- a pinch of cinnamon
- If you want to sweeten: stevia, coconut sugar, or two chopped dates.
- Optional: 1 tablespoon of coconut oil for a creamier and more nutritious milk.
Instructions:
1) Soak the seeds overnight, or for at least 4 hours.
2) Pour the water. In a blender combine all the ingredients and let it beat until all the seeds are well crushed.
3) Place a voucher bag in a glass jar and pour the milk, then squeeze it until the last drop of milk falls from the bag. It is important that your jar is well sealed when storing and that you keep it inside the fridge.
4) Your milk will remain tasty for up to 4 days in the fridge.
hemp
Stuff
- 1 cup hemp seeds
- 3-4 cups of filtered water (depending on consistency, I prefer more concentrated, I put 3 cups of water)
- A pinch of sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional, but I think it’s a key ingredient for the taste of my milks)
- Optional for sweetening: 2 dates or coconut sugar to taste or stevia if you are looking for something more neutral, without carbohydrates.
Directions
- Mix all the ingredients in a blender and beat until you see that everything is well mixed.
- This is the only milk I don’t usually filter, especially if it doesn’t include fruits for sweetening. But, if you feel the need, place a voile bag over a glass jar and pour the milk, then squeeze it until the last drop of milk comes out.
- Make sure your jar will be sealed and try to keep it inside the fridge as much as possible.
- Enjoy immediately or store in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
Brazil nut milk
Stuff
- 1 cup Brazil nuts (soak for 6 hours)
- 3 ½ cups of water
- A pinch of sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional, but I think it’s a key ingredient for the taste)
- Optional for sweetening: 2 dates or coconut sugar or stevia if you are looking for something more neutral, without carbohydrates.
Directions
1) Soak the chestnuts overnight, or for at least 4 hours.
2) Pour the water. In a blender, combine all the ingredients and mix until all the chestnuts are completely crushed.
3) Place a voucher bag under a glass jar and pour the milk, then press the bag until the last drop of milk falls into the jar. Make sure your jar is well sealed and try to keep it as much as possible inside the fridge.
4) Enjoy freshly or store in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Milk Oats
Stuff
- 1 cup of oatmeal
- 3 ½ cups of water
- A pinch of sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional, but I think it’s a key ingredient for the taste)
- Optional for sweetening: 2 dates or coconut sugar or stevia if you are looking for something more neutral, without carbohydrates.
Directions
1) Soak the oats in water overnight, or for at least 4 hours.
2) Pour the water. In a blender, combine all the ingredients and beat until the mixture is very homogeneous.
3) This milk, like hemp, you don’t necessarily have to strain with the voal bag. If necessary, place the voile bag under a glass jar, pour the milk, then squeeze it until the last drop of milk falls from the voal bag. Make sure your jar is well sealed and try to keep it as much as you can inside the fridge.
4) Enjoy freshly or store in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
**Questions or comments are welcome! Scroll down to the bottom of the page (after English version)! Thanks.
I decided to develop this guide to help people make their own vegetable milk, understanding the benefits they can offer and the reasons why i encourage so much everyone to make their own milk at home. Contrary to what many think, making these milks is not difficult, just a matter of custom and adaptation of flavor with other ingredients that can help you get the perfect flavor. Because of this I devised a few recipes that I make at home, and is sure to be a good help for you to enjoy a milk full of flavor and nutrition for your body.
what are vegetable milks or nut milks?
Vegetable Milks or Nut Milks Are Vegetable Milks Which Dont Have The Same Profile Of Proteins That Cows Milk Has, Which Would Be One Of The Triggering Factors Of Allergic And Inflammatory processes in the body, so ensuring better digestibility and balance. Also, they are free of lactose, sugar from the cows milk, that some people have difficult digesting due to the absence or insufficiency of the enzyme lactase in the body, the Famous lactose intolerance.
Their Basic Ingredients Are: Mineral or Filtered Water, Nuts, Seeds or Grains (According to Your Preference) and a Few Extra Ingredients to Guarantee a Special Flavor (e.g.: Sea Salt, Cinnamon, Vanilla Extract and etc…).
Do you think you have intolerance, sensitivity or allergy to cows milk?
There are several factors that contribute to the functioning of our body, so for a better diagnosis, I encourage a consultation with a physician or nutritionist/dietitian to have a deep More Personal View. here are some symptoms related to the consumption of cows milk: nasal congestion, sinusitis, rhinitis, bronchitis, excess gas, constipation, diarrhea, abdominal Cramps, Headache or Migraine, and Skin Changes (Such as Appearance of Acne or Cellulite). if you suck from some or several of these symptoms and consumes cows milk, you might have to try avoiding dairy for a while, it is the only way to see if that is The Main Cause Of Your Symptoms. then again, to really get to the point and make the right substitutions, people should be followed by nutritional consultation and discover how some habits can improve their organisms, because when having one or more of those symptoms, it could be due to other factors together, not just the consumption of cows milk.
If not milk, then what?
Theres the question I used to ask myself when I started questioning the consumption of cows milk and I always hear it from friends and patients. because we grew up guided by the massive marketing of large industries clamoring milk and its derivatives as perfect food and the best source of calcium and vit d, right? What remains to be explained is that the profile of proteins in cows milk has a very high allergenic potential which can significantly increase the level of inflammation in the body. Furthermore, the quality of milk we see out there is far from being something of quality! There are numerus industrial processes until the milk gets to your table and many of them extremely quesable. Such as the way in which the cows are raised, with most of them receiving back of antibiotics and inadequate nutrition, and numerus chemical additives being inserted in milk to increase shelf life, and so on.
As to the question, you can also count on the inclusion of other foods which are sources of calcium, like broccoli, kale, spinach, sesame seeds, cabbage, tofu Preferred), Salmon, Beans, Peas, Almonds, and Nut Milks. I try to add at least 2 cups of broccoli or dark green leaf in my luch and dinner, with 2 tbs or more of tahini/humus for extra calcium. i like to highlight that other minerals are crucial in order to make calcium more absorbed by our organism, specially magnesium, which you will easily find in dark green leafs, Nuts, Pumpkin Seeds, Cocoa, Banana, and Avocado. For Vitamin D, a Few Minutes (20-3o) of Sunlight at Healthy Hours of the Day Would Be Recommended (which varies depending on the skin tone), Besides Supplementation When Necessary. Note that sunscreen and clothing may block this process, that is why the sun exposure should be during healthy hours.
What about vegetable milks at Grocery Stores?
here in California we have an hug variety of nondairy milks ready to buy and with much more affordable prices than in Brazil, but I still love to make my own, homemade. Especially because most processed products contain certain preservatives that are questionable for our health, such as carrageenan, the \”natural\” preservative widely used in food that some studies have linked consumption with risk of cancer and insulin resistance. By making your own milk, you have the ability to make something without any chemical additive or preservative.
I hope that through these recipes, you can find a pleasant and viable way to include homemade milk in your routine.
Recipes:
almond milk
ingredients:
- 1 cup of soaked almonds
- 3 ½ Cups of Water
- Pinch of Sea Salt
- Organic and Alcohol Free Vanilla Extract
- pinch of cinnamon
- Optional: Stevia Extract, Coconut Sugar, or 2 Pitted Dates As Sweeters
instructions
1) Soak the Almonds Over Night, or for at least 4 hours.
2) Pour the water. In a mixer combine all the ingredients and blend until all the almonds are completely.
3) Place a nut bag over a glass jar and pour the milk, then squeeze it until the very last drop is out. make sure your jar will be sealed and try to keep inside the fridge as long as you can.
4) usually remains good for 3 to 4 days if refrigerated properly.
Tips: Clean Your Nut Bag As Fast As Possible So You Can Reuse. Don’t waste the pulp, you can dehydrate and use it to make crusts or cookies. Nut bags are easy to be found and health food stores or online stores.
cashew milk
my favorite!!!
ingredients:
- 1 cup of soaked cashew
- 3 ½ Cups of Water
- Pinch of Sea Salt
- Organic and Alcohol Free Vanilla Extract
- pinch of cinnamon
- Optional: Stevia Extract, Coconut Sugar, or 2 Pitted Dates As Sweeters
instructions
1) Soak the Almonds Over Night, or for at least 4 hours.
2) Pour the water. In a mixer combine all the ingredients and blend until all the almonds are completely.
3) Place a nut bag over a glass jar and pour the milk, then squeeze it until the very last drop is out. make sure your jar will be sealed and try to keep inside the fridge as long as you can.
4) usually remains good for 3 to 4 days if refrigerated properly.
Tips: Clean Your Nut Bag As Fast As Possible So You Can Reuse. Don’t waste the pulp, you can dehydrate and use it to make crusts or cookies. Nut bags are easy to be found and health food stores or online stores.
pumpkin seed milk
ingredients:
- 1 cup of soaked pumpkin seeds
- 3 ½ cups of water
- Pinch of Sea Salt
- Organic and Alcohol Free Vanilla Extract
- Optional: Stevia Extract or Coconut Butter for a Richer Milk
instructions:
1) Soak the Seeds Over Night, or for at least 4 hours.
2) Pour the water. In a mixer combine all the ingredients and blend until all the seeds are completely dissolved.
3) Place a nut bag over a glass jar and pour the milk, then squeeze it until the very last drop is out. make sure your jar will be sealed and try to keep inside the fridge as long as you can.
4) usually remains good for 3 to 4 days if refrigerated properly.
Tips: Clean Your Nut Bag As Fast As Possible So You Can Reuse. Don’t waste the pulp, you can dehydrate and use it to make crusts or cookies.
hemp seeds milk
ingredients
- 1 cup hemp seeds, shelled
- 3 to 4 cups filtered water (depending how concentrated you like)
- Pinch of Sea Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Organic and Alcohol Free Vanilla Extract (Optional)
- 2-3 dates, Pitted or Coconut Sugar (Optional for Added Sweetness)
instructions
- Blend all the ingredients together together until combined.
- This is the only milk I don’t usually strain, especially if I don’t add dates. but, if you feel the need, place a nut bag over a glass jar and pour the milk, then squeeze it until the very last drop is out. make sure your jar will be sealed and try to keep inside the fridge as long as you can.
- enjoy immediately or store in the bridge for up to 3 days.
brazil nuts milk
ingredients:
- 1 cup of soaked brazil nuts
- 3 ½ cups of water
- Pinch of Sea Salt
- Organic and Alcohol Free Vanilla Extract
- pinch of cinnamon
- Optional: Stevia Extract, Coconut Sugar, or 2 Pitted Dates As Sweeters
instructions
1) Soak the Brazil Nuts Over Night, or for at least 4 hours.
2) Pour the water. In a mixer combine all the ingredients and blend until all the almonds are completely.
3) Place a nut bag over a glass jar and pour the milk, then squeeze it until the very last drop is out. make sure your jar will be sealed and try to keep inside the fridge as long as you can.
4) usually remains good for 3 to 4 days if refrigerated properly.
Tips: Clean Your Nut Bag As Fast As Possible So You Can Reuse. Don’t waste the pulp, you can dehydrate and use it to make crusts or cookies. Nut bags are easy to be found ad health food stores or online stores.
oat milk
ingredients:
- 1 cup of oats
- 3 ½ cups of water
- Pinch of Sea Salt
- Organic and Alcohol Free Vanilla Extract
- Optional: Stevia Extract, Coconut Sugar, or 2 Pitted Dates As Sweeters
instructions
1) Soak the oats over night, or for at least 4 hours.
2) Pour the water. In a mixer combine all the ingredients and blend until all the almonds are completely.
3) This milk you don’t currently need a nut bag over a glass jar and pour the milk, then squeeze it until the very last drop is out. make sure your jar will be sealed and try to keep inside the fridge as long as you can.
4) usually remains good for 3 to 4 days if refrigerated properly.