Almond Milk

Ah milk alternatives.  We've tried them all, spent way too much time at the store staring at the ingredients in those mysterious Tetra Packs wondering, "what's THAT?".  We've dabbled in cows milk, awkwardly trying to figure out the best one to choose, seeking out sources for raw milk, and still, nothing resonates.   

Here is my conclusion:  homemade almond milk is a super effective way to incorporate the yummy, comforting, white liquid into one's diet without compromising health, ethics, and budget.  As a Mom who practically lives at the grocery store, I am constantly weighing out the nutritional value of foods I spend money on, versus their actual cost.  In other words, why spend $3-$4 on a box of some snacky type food which has very little nutritional value, is highly processed, and comes with all kinds of packaging when I could make a big batch of homemade granola bars which would not only be just as, if not more cost effective, but also more delicious, more fun, and of course, much healthier.  Or, use that $3-$4 on some extra pieces of fruit to have for a snack, what an idea!  

So once my son finally weaned himself from breast milk we went on the search for a good alternative that would soothe and delight him, and not make me worried about compromised quality of ingredients, etc.  Making my own nut milk has proven to be the best alternative for us.  Here are some of the options we tried:   

First, cow's milk (and dairy products in general).  Organic, hormone free, etc, the stuff is expensive and you still don't know the particular ethics and methods of the company you're buying from.  If you have the opportunity to get involved with a local dairy farm, that is wonderful.  I highly encourage anyone adamant about having dairy in their diets to visit the local farm or even volunteer to work on the farm for a day.  Experience the food, the animals, and make sure it continues to resonate.  

I'm not going to pretend that I support this industry for the sake of not being controversial on my blog.  As a Holisitc Health Counselor, 100% committed to sustainable agriculture and environmental practices, I simply cannot advocate the use of abundant dairy in any diet.  The hazardous environmental impact that dairy farming has had on the environment is catastrophic.  When examining the nutritional value of milk and dairy products, it becomes clear that they cause more harm than good in humans- raw or pasteurized.  There is nothing found in dairy products that cannot be found in fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains.  Nothing.  Plant based alternatives are also easily digestible and have many  other nutrient-dense qualities.  What was once a comforting luxury is now an overused staple in American diets and many common health ailments could easily be minimized with the elimination of dairy in the diet such as obesity, sinus and respiratory problems, headaches, hormonal imbalances, acne, and indigestion to name just a few.

Needless to say that experiment didn't last very long.  When giving Leo cows milk (both raw and pasteurized), I found him to have excess mucous, congestion when sleeping at night, and inconsistent bowel movements.  

I have heard wonderful things about the benefits and digestibility of raw goats milk.  While having the pleasure of spending a summer landscaping in Woodstock, NY, I couldn't resist the urge to stop by the infamous herb and nutrition guru Susun Weed's place for some of the real deal raw goats milk.  It was fun.  I didn't like the taste of it, and quite simply, if I don't like the taste of something, I don't eat it.  A wise philosophy indeed.  

Onward to soy milk and nut milks.  There is so much contradictory information out on soy these days, it can be mind boggling.  In a nutshell (or perhaps a bean pod) soy beans have an immense wealth of nutritional benefits.  They are an excellent source of protein with higher levels of folate, calcium, magnesium, iron, fiber, vitamin K, as well as other minerals and omega-3 fatty acids than animal proteins.  Fermented soy beans in products such as miso, tempeh, and tofu take on a magical quality.
      

However, something to mull over.  Pick a bunch of soybeans from your garden, or get some from the grocery store, and see how long they stay fresh in your fridge.  Then take a look at the expiration date on a carton of soy milk at the store.  Hmmmm.  How can something that lasts for only five or six days in your fridge last for several months, un-refrigerated, in a store or warehouse you wonder?  Heavy, heavy processing.  The nutritional benefits of soy are not recognizable by the time you pour the stuff onto your favorite granola.  Paul Pitchford so honestly expresses:  "Regular soymilks are corporate junk, they are denatured and a non-food. Be part of the revolution to grow and make your own soymilk!"  http://www.documents.healingwithwholefoodsproducts.com/a_soygood+.pdf

Apply the same logic to other milk alternatives.

Aside from heavy processing, unless you very specifically seek out unsweetened milk alternatives, they almost all have evaporated cane juice or some other type of processed sweetener.  This perpetuates an unfortunate cycle of tricking people who try to make healthy food choices into becoming addicted to sugar.

Lastly, the Tetra Packs used to package various foods these days such as milk alternatives, soups, and stocks, are not as environmentally sustainable as they claim to be.  Tetra Pack prides itself on being "green", and while it is positive that the inner linings of Tetra Packs do not contain BPA, only 20% of America has access to the recycling facilities that process Tetra Packs.  The rest goes into landfills.  Just a thought.  

 Here are the ingredients in Blue Diamond brand Almond Milk:  ALMONDMILK (FILTERED WATER, ALMONDS), EVAPORATED CANE JUICE, CALCIUM CARBONATE, SEA SALT, POTASSIUM CITRATE, CARRAGEENAN, SUNFLOWER LECITHIN, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, VITAMIN D2, D-ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL (NATURAL VITAMIN E).

The ingredients a homemade recipe calls for are:  

• 1 1/2 cup of raw almonds
• 64 ounces good quality water

Here is the link to the almond milk recipe on my website as well as three recipes that incorporate the use of the leftover almond pulp:
http://lisahickshc.com/almond-milk
....Including raw chocolate pie...

Enjoy!

And Asheville peeps, stay tuned!  A fermentation class at my house is in the works!  Soy milk, tempeh, coconut kefir, sourdough starter and other easy DIY delights!

Lisa Hicks is a Board Certified Holistic Health Counselor who loves living in Asheville, NC, being a Mama, and spends entirely too much time in her kitchen... visit her website to get inspired and learn more about Grassroots Nutrition:  http://lisahickshc.com