Nut milk is milk that is made from crushed nuts. It is non-dairy, and the core ingredients are nuts (such as almonds, cashew, hazelnuts, and macadamias), water and additional flavour if you would like. The liquid that comes from the crushed nuts is what is called nut milk and is extremely nutritious. It contains many vital nutrients including proteins, vitamins, minerals, natural fats and oils. The amount of fats and oil largely depends on the type of nuts used.
Unlike most dairy products which will go sour or spoil after a few days without refrigeration, nut milk has a long shelf life and can sit for a long time without going bad at room temperature. We do prefer to store it in the fridge though. It is able to last a long time due to the natural thickeners and starches from the nuts and these also help produce a consistent texture to the milk. Nut milk is an excellent option for someone that is lactose intolerant. It is easy to digest, it tastes good, and it is very affordable and environmentally sustainable.
There are various ways that you can use nut milk;
- Taken in a hot beverage in replacement of dairy milk.
- Can be used with cereal and in baking
- Can be added to soups and curries while cooking as it will give an exotic flavor to your dishes.
- Taken as a healthy snack because it contains high levels of essential nutrients.
Why is it good to take nut milk;
- The nutrient content is substantially more than regular cows milk which helps the body fight off diseases and keep healthy.
- Most nuts have fewer calories and little saturated fat making nut milk ideal for weight loss or maintaining a healthy weight.
- Helps keep skin healthy and glowing because of the antioxidant properties and Vitamin E found in the nuts.
- Nuts have healthy fats and no cholesterol so is good option to maintain a healthy heart.
- It contributes to the building of strong bones and teeth formation because of the calcium content. It also contains vitamin B which contributes to muscle healing and growth.
- Nuts have a low carbs content so will not have an impact on sugar levels which reduces the risk of getting diabetes.
- The taste is much better than the taste of dairy milk, and the flavor will depend on the type of nut used.
Making Nut Milk at home
Making nut milk at home is easy, all you need is the following:
- I cup of unsalted, raw nuts either cashews, almonds, macadamia, walnuts, hazelnuts.
- 2-3 cups for soaking the nuts
- 4 cups for blending the nuts.
- Flavoring- cinnamon sticks, vanilla extracts (optional)
Step 1: Soak nuts overnight in 3 cups of water. The soaking process makes the nuts soft enough to juice.
Step 2: Pour out the water and rinse the nuts thoroughly. Make sure you rinse until the water runs clear.
Step 3: Add 3 cups of water back into the bowl.
Step 4: Set up your juicer and turn it on. There are many juicers with nut milk producing capabilities in particular vertical juicers.
Step 5: Spoon the nuts and water into the juicer.
Step 7: Once complete strain the milk through a nut milk bag to remove any leftover nut pieces.
Step 8: Add flavor to the milk, like vanilla extract, cinnamon stick or stevia.