Why not celebrate World Plant Milk Day?
Plant milk is produced using water-based extraction process from the plant grain and nuts. Often plant-based milk has a mild aroma. It is white like dairy milk but due to the addition of flavoring it can be off white. It is a great alternative to dairy milk.
If you never had nondairy milk, you should try it. Growing up on cow milk you would think I drink it a lot. When you go through life experiencing changes in your body often, what you consume may not soothe your appetite. I would buy cow milk and it would go bad before I could finish all its content. Reducing my food waste is always something I keep in mind. A pro for me is plant-based milk having a longer expiration date compared to dairy milk.
Impact on Environment
There are organizations such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and individuals who are concerned about climate change. Livestock such as cows release methane into the atmosphere contributing to the cause of greenhouse gases. Methane happens to be much more potent the carbon dioxide. For some choosing to go plant based is a no brainer. If you do not, no worries it sure does not mean you’re not environmentally friendly.
If you choose to purchase plant milk, on the container you will see diary-free, genetically modified organism (GMO)-free, and gluten free. When deciding to purchase plant milk it may come with a higher price tag than cow’s milk.
Dietary
You do not have to be vegan or vegetarians to consume plant-based milk more. You are seeking out different dietary option. Or suffering from celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, lactose intolerance, milk allergies, plant milk is a must try. Nutritional value differs between plant milk and mammal milk. Before you start swapping out for dietary reasons, it is good to follow up with your physician or dietitian.
Plant Based Milk Options
There are over fifteen different plant-based milk options. There are a variety of flavors you can try such as sweeten vanilla, unsweetened vanilla or plain unsweetened.
Options that can be purchase from the local market that you can enjoy are…
- Almond milk
- Coconut milk
- Hazelnut milk
- Hemp milk
- Macadamia milk
- Oat milk
- Pea milk
- Peanut milk
- Pistachio milk
- Potato
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sesame
- Soy
- Spelt
- Tiger Nut
- Walnut
Culinary Uses
Get creative and find reasons to get a taste of something new.
You can create many dishes from the different types of plant milk. Coconut milk is used in widely in many Caribbean dishes like curry chicken, peas-n-rice, and stews. Almond and hazelnut milk are good addition to coffee to give it some added flavor. Also taste great in cereal and smoothies. There is vegan cheese, plant-based ice cream, plant cream, which are just a few food selections to think about indulging in.
Comment below…. What is your most & least favored plant milk?