Vegan or not, you will have noticed vegan milk showing up everywhere. From supermarkets to your favourite coffee shop, almost everyone is aware of vegan milk now, but why is this so popular and what are the benefits of changing from dairy milk to something plant based?
First of all, vegan milks do not contain lactose. With lactose intolerance being a common digestive problem, vegan milk is a massive benefit for those who are suffering.
Secondly, vegan milk is growing in popularity due to ethical considerations. Modern day dairy farming is very different to what you would think and honestly, very shocking. If you are interested, we would suggest reading Veganuary’s article regarding the subject, below.
Another benefit of vegan milk is the nutritional factors compared to cow’s milk. According to nutrition.org’s article on plant based milk alternatives, “dairy-alternative milks tend to have fewer calories, less fat, more water content (better for hydration), less protein (except soy). Some are fortified with other vitamins and minerals”. When looking at nutritional comparisons per cup, there are different benefits to different vegan milks, so switching between which one you are consuming would be the best route!
The choice with vegan milk is massive and growing larger every single day. There are so many different types to choose from, with different tastes and textures, and we believe this is why vegan milk is gaining its popularity also.
Which Vegan Milk Should I Choose?
Wow, what a question. From almond milk to soy, to the more obscure such as pea milk, all have different benefits, all work well for different things. Below are just a few types of vegan milk to try out and some of their benefits.
Soy Milk
Said to be the closest plant based milk to cow’s milk, soy milk contains as much protein as cow’s milk, along with containing vitamins such as B12. This milk works well in any recipe that requires cow’s milk and is one of the most commonly available plant milks.
Oat Milk
High in fibre and protein, plus containing no saturated fat, oat milk is naturally sweet so works perfectly in baking or for adding some creaminess to your coffee!
Cashew Milk
Cashews contain high levels of iron and magnesium which are essential for the body. Along with having various other health benefits, this creamy plant based milk is an excellent alternative for cow’s milk. Creamy in consistency with a subtle nutty taste, we love this one for making home-made ice cream and using to make a creamy curry sauce.
Hazelnut Milk
Naturally gluten, lactose and soy free, hazelnut milk is deliciously creamy with a strong nutty flavour. As it has a strong flavour, this works well primarily for drinking by the glass, but we do love adding it to chocolate chip cookie recipes for that perfect nutty chocolate combo!
Rice Milk
Rice milk is naturally sweet tasting and has a very light consistency, so is super refreshing! Sipping it alone or poured over cereal is a great way to consume this one.
Pea Milk
Yes, sounds like a strange one, but give it a chance!
According to the Evening Standard, pea milk contains “high levels of protein per glass (around 8x more than almond milk!), 40% less sugar than cow’s milk and twice the calcium of cow’s milk”. Pea milk is very creamy and as it does not have an overpowering flavour, is a very versatile milk. We love using the sweetened version in our coffee and the unsweetened in smoothies.
Coconut Milk
Creamy and loaded with healthy fats, coconut milk is perfect for making ice cream with or using to make a lovely curry sauce. Commonly available now in coffee shops, this works well in hot drinks, but if you’re not a fan of coconut flavours, be aware that this milk’s flavour is strong.
Along with its versatility, Livestrong have reported that coconut milk keeps your brain sharp, promotes cardiovascular health and boots your immune system. Take a look at the article below to find out more.
Almond Milk
Containing no saturated fat, this vegan milk is low in calories and commonly enriched with multiple vitamins and minerals. Almond milk works well in porridge, and because of its taste not being overwhelming, it works well in cooking and baking too.
When thinking about making your own vegan milk, it all sounds quite daunting. Maybe you’re thinking you better leave it to the professionals, or perhaps that it’s time consuming, but you would be wrong! We absolutely love oat milk, it seems to go with almost anything, so here is a quick and easy oat milk recipe for you to try!
How To Make Your Own Oat Milk
You will need:
- 1 cup of oats
- 5 cups of water
- A high-speed blender
- A nut milk bag (optional)
Method
- Soak the cup of oats in water overnight in a jar until soft. Alternatively, if you are wanting to speed up the process, soak the oats in hot water for 1-2 hours.
- Once the oats are lovely and soft, strain them all of the water is gone.
- Rinse the oats with cold water. This step is vital as it ensures your oat milk is smooth and creamy.
- Add the rinsed oats to your blender with 5 cups of water. At this point, if you would like to add something for sweetness you can, such as 2 pitted dates, half a teaspoon of vanilla essence or a teaspoon of maple syrup. Of course, amounts depending on if you have a sweet tooth or not!
- Blend for approximately 2 minutes until smooth.
- At this point, you can drink your oat milk, but if you are looking for something super smooth – Go onto step 7!
- Strain your oat milk through a nut milk bag or a cheesecloth. This will remove any lumps you may not be able to see and make your oat milk silky smooth!
- Sip away, your oat milk is ready! Now, how easy was that?!
If you are using a nut milk bag or cheesecloth to strain your oat milk, you will notice that you have some blended oats left over, this is called oat pulp. With your oat pulp, we would highly recommend not letting this go to waste and making cookies with them – There are lots of recipes online and they are delicious!
So Now You Have All Of The Facts, Which Vegan Milk Are You Going To Try?
We would love to hear which vegan milk you like the sound of the most, or which one is already your favourite!
Further Reading
On Dairy Farming https://veganuary.com/why/animals/cows/
On Vitamin B12 https://www.vegansociety.com/resources/nutrition-and-health/nutrients/vitamin-b12/what-every-vegan-should-know-about-vitamin-b12
On Plant based Milk Alternatives https://nutrition.org/going-nuts-about-milk-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-plant-based-milk-alternatives/
On Coconut Milk https://www.livestrong.com/article/409614-the-health-benefits-of-coconut-milk/
