What Is Nut Milk?

This might come as a surprise – there is no actual milk in nut milk. It’s a great alternative for those who have difficulty digesting dairy products. And, while commercial brands of nut milk are quite expensive, it’s possible to save money by making it at home. Read on to learn more about nut milk, most commonly almond milk, and why you need to consider drinking (and cooking with) it instead of cow’s milk.

Health Benefits of Nut Milk

Nut milk has many health benefits. These benefits vary slightly depending on the type of nut used to make it. Nuts are rich in fiber, and fiber aids in healthy digestion. Other benefits include:

* Nut milk helps with weight management. On average, one cup of nut milk contains 60 calories. Compare that to one cup of whole milk, which contains 146 calories. Nut milk is a tasty alternative, with less than half the calories.

* Nut milk is heart-healthy. Why? It contains zero cholesterol and zero saturated fat. It’s also high in omega-3 fatty acids and low in sodium.

Do you want glowing skin? Drink nut milk. Almonds, for example, contain 50 percent of the recommended daily amount of vitamin E. Vitamin E contains antioxidants that help to protect your skin against the damaging rays of the sun.

* Statistics indicate that nut milk helps to lower and maintain healthy blood pressure.

Nut Milk Ingredients

The typical recipe calls for nuts, water, and a sweetener, such as honey, maple syrup, or agave syrup. Many recipes also call for the addition of dates. The texture of nut milk is comparable to that of 2% milk.

The process of making the milk is simple. Soak one cup of nuts in the water at least overnight, or as long as two days. The longer you soak them, the creamier the milk will be. Drain and rinse. Place in a blender with two cups of water. Blend at high speed for at least three minutes.

Strain the milk through cheesecloth, or a nut bag which is made expressly for this purpose. Press all of the milk from the meal and sweeten to taste. Hint: save the meal to use in things like smoothies, oatmeal, and muffins.

If you haven’t already tried it, what are you waiting for? Chances are, you’ll be glad you did.