Plant Milk Makers: Are They Really Worth It?

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Coconut, almond, soy, oat or other plant-based milks — should you buy it at the store or make it at home?

 

I confess, I am no KonMari follower. My kitchen is stuffed with specialty appliances ranging from a Benedict egg maker to a miniature Bundt cake baker. But there always comes a time ― usually after the turn of the year, when my husband is cleaning out but I’m eyeing the after-holiday sales ― when my husband looks at me and intones, “No more.”

This January, with three different kinds of turkey fryers from the holidays still lingering out on the patio, I replied, “Not even a plant-based milk maker?”

And I could swear, as an avowed oat milk drinker, he hesitated.

What is plant-based milk?

Most of us are familiar by now with soy, almond or oat milk. But plant-based (i.e., nondairy or vegan) milks really can be manufactured with any nuts, seeds, legumes, grains or even fibrous plant matter. From pea to hemp, these materials are first soaked, then pureed, strained and sometimes boiled.

The resulting milk is often sweetened with anything from agave to dates and flavored with spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon. If it’s going on the market, it’s also occasionally stabilized (with ingredients like carrageenan) or preserved (with other multisyllabic ingredients). Commercial nondairy milks are sometimes organic, and sometimes not.

So, should you make it or buy it?

The advantages to making your own vegan milks are manifold. For consumers like She L. Robinson, a public relations and branding strategist who is diabetic, it was initially about controlling her sugars and carbs. But the Georgia-based marketing professional quickly learned that her preferred healthy choices, walnut and pecan, were not widely produced. This led her to start rendering a variety of flavors, including hemp.

“Hemp is what I have used to replace cow’s milk in formula for my grandchildren who had an extremely hard time processing traditional formula, when mom wasn’t consistent in milk production to keep up with baby’s needs,” she said. “I mean, have you had the chance to read the ingredients in the commercial baby formula? The list is outrageous.”

However, she does concede that she’ll purchase the more popular choices, including coconut and oat milk, both out of convenience and because the products are good. “Buying them is a lot easier than making them. I tend to go for Silk when I buy coconut milk and Elmhurst when I buy oat milk. These two are amazing in making sauces, creams or drinks that you want to have a heavier, more creamy texture.”

Darline Dorcely, chef and general manager of Chef Liline, a premium catering service based in Stamford, Connecticut, decries canned coconut milk. “I prefer to make my own,” she said. “It tastes so much better. It’s fresh from the coconut and there are no preservatives.”

“Homemade or store-bought, a good quality nut milk will supply vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and antioxidants,” said Serena Poon, certified nutritionist and celebrity chef to clients such as Kerry Washington. “Some of my personal favorite plant-based milks include almond milk, cashew milk, macadamia milk and pumpkin seed milk (a great source of zinc).”

Still, you’re not likely to find macadamia or pumpkin milk in the local market. These are just some of the reasons you might want to, as she says, “experiment in the kitchen and deepen connections to your food.”

“That being said, I don’t want to discourage anyone from buying packaged nut milk in the store if that is the better option for their lifestyle,” Poon said. “It does become important to really check the labels on these milks. Opt for organic nut milk with few ingredients, ideally just two: nuts and water. Packaged plant-based milks tend to contain fillers and added sugar that can detract from their nutritional value.”

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This content is strictly the opinion of Chef Serena Poon and is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of medical advice or treatment from a personal physician. All readers/viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Serena nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement or lifestyle program.

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