Plant Milk: Types and Recipes

Plant Milk
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Vegetable Milk or Plant based Milk is a drink made from cereals or dried fruits, generally lighter and digestible of animal-based milk. It is now an increasingly popular food and appreciated even by non-vegetarians. The most well-known and available variants are the soybeans milk, oats milk, rice milk and, secondly, coconut, almond and hazelnut milk but there are also variants such as millet milk or quinoa milk. The important thing as always is read the labels to choose more consciously the products we buy (Surely there should be no saturated oils such as palm oil, but also added sugars such as glucose and especially fructose!!).
But why limit yourself? You can do it with any kind of nuts! These variations are especially important for those who have made a choice of vegetarian or even vegan life: in these cases it is important to alternate and combine different types of vegetable milk, in order to have access to the greatest possible variety of nutrients that the plant world can offer us and thus avoid the risk of nutritional deficiencies.
Here are some easy examples to prepare at home:


Brazil Nut Milk

(slightly sweet)

Ingredients

- 150g Brazil nuts
- 2 Tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon agave syrup
- 1 teaspoon satin vanilla extract
- 1 pinch of salt

Brazil Nut Milk Preparation

For a tastier milk, leave the Brazil nuts soaked for a few hours and leave to dry before starting the process.
Pour all the ingredients into the blender with 600mL of water and blend for at least 1 minute. For a better result, pass the mixture in a colander or gauze, pressing with a ladle or spoon to obtain to get as much liquid as possible (for those who want a milk with a classic consistency, I personally liked it even with lumps).
This milk is rich in fiber, selenium and vitamin E. Great for the immune system.

Pine nut Milk

(doses for a glass)

Ingredients

- 75g pine nuts (it is not necessary to leave the pine nuts to soak)
- 1 teaspoon of honey (or stevia)

Pine Nut Milk Preparation

Set the ingredients in the blender with 250 mL of water and blend for a minute. Pass the mixture into a colander (or gauze), pressing with a ladle to get as much liquid as possible.
Pine nut Milk is rich in protein, fiber, source of zinc, vitamin B2 and potassium. Also present, in smaller quantities, calcium, magnesium, iron and vitamin E. In addition, the valuable substances contained in pine nuts help our body to counteract the action of free radicals and the aging process and promote anti-inflammatory action.
The presence of vitamine K makes pine nuts a useful food to take in the case of menstrual. This vitamin also helps to improve circulation of blood.

Pumpkin Seed Milk

(slightly sweet)

Ingredients

- 125g pumpkin seeds
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- 1 date
- 1 pinch of salt

Pumpkin Seed Milk Preparation

(slightly sweet)

Explor all ingredients for about a minute with 500 mL of water. Pass the mixture into a colander (or gauze), pressing with a ladle to get as much liquid as possible.
Thanks to the very high content of zinco the lacts of pumpkin seeds will solve many problems of insomnia, moodiness, stress, dyspesia and indigestion. It is Alcalinizing and anti-inflammatory, rich in fibre and protein. There are also magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, iron.
The constant intake of these seeds has a beneficial effect on the muscle tone of the vescica: it helps to prevent disorders related to enlarged prostate and is useful in general to fight disorders affecting the urinary system, even female, such as inflammation and cystitis.
The presence of cucurbitin also gives these seeds worm and pesticide action.

Hemp Milk

Ingredients

- 200g of organic hemp seeds
- 1L of water
- 1 date or a banana washer
- Sweetener stevia or honey (optional, according to taste)
- 1 pinch of salt

Hemp Milk Preparation

Explor all ingredients for about a minute with 500 mL of water. Pass the mixture into a colander (or gauze), pressing with a ladle to get as much liquid as possible.
The compound obtained as a "waste" can be used for different recipes such as rustic cakes or vegetable meatballs.
The Hemp Milk is rich in proteins, essential amino acids and fatty acids such as omega 3 and omega 6.
It is a source of fiber and several mineral salts such as iron, potassium, magnesium and calcium (contains more than 40% of the daily requirement) and is an energizing drink and also a valuable aid to the immune system.

Flaxseeds Milk

Ingredients

- 200g organic flaxseed
- 1.2 L of water
1 date
- Sweetener stevia or honey (optional, according to taste)

Flaxseeds Milk Preparation

Blend all the ingredients for about a minute with 500 mL of water. Pass the mixture in a colander (or gauze), pressing with a ladle to obtain the greatest amount of liquid possible.
flax seeds are one of the richest plant sources of omega3 present in nature, to obtain a regular supply of omega3 from these seeds, we recommend taking at least three teaspoons of raw and chopped flax seeds per day . They are rich in important nutrients for the body such as fiber, vitamins and essential fatty acids.
They are low in sodium and cholesterol but rich in calcium (useful against osteoporosis and for the circulatory system in case of hypertension ). The constant intake of these seeds contributes to an improvement of the functions of the digestive tract, in particular they are indicated in case of constipation.
Warning!! Excessive consumption of these seeds can lead to episodes of colon irritation in predisposed subjects and can affect the absorption of drugs (if you are being treated). However, these contraindications do not concern the consumption of milk derived from them.

Obviously these are special products, for those who are passionate and have the pleasure of dedicating themselves to cooking and preparing homemade products but, as mentioned at the beginning of the article, it is important to vary the type of milk used especially if you are practicing a vegetarian diet or vegan.
These are just a few examples but you can indulge yourself with all types of organic seeds on the market or dried fruit.




Curated by
Dott.ssa Patalano Myriam Biologist Nutritionist

Ischia Nutrizione Patalano