I made the switch to nut milk several years ago and never looked back. About a year ago, I was gifted a nut milk bag and began making my own. Not only does it taste infinitely better than store bought nut milk (which now tastes salty to me!), but squeezing the crap out of a milk bag is a great way to relieve some stress! And it’s so simple to make your own nut milk at home. I’ve even included a video for you below to show you how I make mine.
The tools you need are:
How Does Nut Milk Compare to Cow’s Milk?
If you’re like me and experience a bubbly tummy or breakouts after consuming dairy, then nut milk would be a great alternative for you. Dairy can cause a lot of gastrointestinal discomfort for some and can also exacerbate the symptoms of polycystic ovarian syndrome.
In addition, I prefer nut over soymilk because soy tends to be heavily processed and contains phytoestrogens, which can cause excessive estrogen in the body, may lead to hypothyroidism, and may contribute to the development of breast cancer (study review). The research is conflicting, so I just don’t mess with soy!
When it comes to nutrients, while whole cashews are high in vitamin E, magnesium and zinc, most of the nutrients are lost if the pulp is filtered out (which it is in store-bought products). If you make your own at home, you can leave the pulp in and just give it a good shake before drinking. However, many store-bought nut milks are fortified and contain the same amounts of calcium and vitamin D as cow’s milk. In addition, conventional cow’s milk can contain hormones, antibiotics, sugar, and pesticides if the cows eat grass that has been sprayed. If you do prefer to drink cow’s milk, choose organic.
For those of you concerned about your calcium intake, you can get plenty of calcium from non-dairy sources, including canned seafood (eat the bones!), sesame seeds, beans, greens, and broccoli.
The Benefits of Making Your Own Nut Milk
The reason I make my own nut milk is because store-bought nut milk tends to have additives and some other funky stuff in it. Some products contain carrageenan, an additive extracted from seaweed that is used to emulsify beverages. Research shows that carrageenan can cause gastrointestinal inflammation. Pass!
The Almond Controversy
While I usually make cashew milk, I will occasionally make almond milk and then dry the pulp to make almond flour. The reason I don’t make almond milk that often is because it takes 1.1 gallons of water to grow just one almond. Just one little almond! Considering that we are depleting our stores of groundwater, this could have dire consequences for our water supply. You can make nut milk out of so many other things: hemp, hazelnuts, or coconut (or a blend!).
How to Make Cashew Milk
I make a very simple nut milk using few ingredients. Yet you can get creative and spice it up (literally!). Some recipes I’ve seen out there include turmeric nut milk, chocolate nut milk, strawberry nut milk…the possibilities are endless!
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews (soak the cashews in filtered water for 4-8 hours prior)
- 1-2 Cups filtered water
- 2-3 Drops liquid stevia
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Directions
| Step 1 | Drain and rinse cashews. Add to blender. |
| Step 2 | Start by adding 1 cup of water. If you like it creamier, use less water. If not, use more. |
| Step 3 | Add cinnamon and Stevia and blend for 60 seconds or until smooth. |
| Step 4 | Optional: Strain through you nut milk bag, squeezing to remove excess liquid. Store in airtight jar in refrigerator and try to use within 3-4 days. |
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You make it look so easy! I had no idea it could be done without owning a factory… thank you for your inspiration!
Haha indeed! I like to keep life simple.