Cheney - The New Milks: 100-Plus Dairy-Free Recipes for Making and Cooking with Soy, Nut, Seed, Grain, and Coconut Milks

Today, the term could just as well connote a creamy beverage made from water plus nuts, seeds, legumes, grains, coconuts, or tubers. Although not a new invention, these plant-based milks (also known as alternative, vegan, or non-dairy milks) taste amazing, are as delicious as their base ingredients, and address many nutritional, philosophical, and culinary needs. Turns out there are at least fifty shades of white. On the nutritional front, non-dairy milks are a boon for anyone who is lactose intolerant. This condition appears in people who lack the enzyme responsible for digesting lactose (the sugar naturally present in milk). When consuming dairy productsespecially those that arent fermented, namely milkthese people experience stomach discomfort and a variety of other symptoms.

Lactose intolerance is surprisingly common. The National Institutes of Health estimates that approximately 65 percent of the human population has a reduced ability to digest lactose after infancy, with the condition especially prevalent among those of West African, Asian, Arab, Jewish, Greek, and Italian descent. According to the website for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (www.fda.gov), The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases estimates that 30 to 50 million Americans are lactose intolerant, including up to 75% of all adult African Americans and Native Americans and 90% of Asian Americans. Even if you arent lactose intolerant, you may be one of the millions of people who follow a low-cholesterol, vegan, kosher, or Paleolithic diet. Or, perhaps youre allergic to dairy.

If you fit into one or more of these categories, youll find that non-dairy milks offer an exceptional alternative to dairy. Philosophically, non-dairy milks represent a humane and ecologically sensitive choice. On many large dairy farms, female cows are separated from their young, constricted in small pens, and kept in a perpetual nursing state. When let out to graze, these same cows require ample land, and release significant amounts of methane gas into the atmosphere, which takes a toll on the environment. Perhaps most important of all, plant-based milks are a cooks dream. They enrich our culinary arsenal, allowing us to tailor milks to specific recipes.

We can use sweet and nutty hazelnut milk for porridges, thick coconut milk for ice creams, and creamy cashew milk for cream sauces. Nearly every supermarket now stocks a selection of nut, seed, legume, grain, and coconut milks, and many coffee shops offer soy, almond, and coconut milks. However, if you want full control over the consistency and content of your milk, or wish to experiment with alternative flavors, youll find that you can prepare your own batches with minimal effort. Given all of these benefits, its high time we broadened our definition of milk and explored the uncharted territory of plant-based alternatives!

In addition, many varieties are high in calcium, vitamins, and minerals, thanks in large part to fortification. Pistachio nuts and pumpkin seeds are particularly high in protein, and nearly every seed milk is a good source of healthy omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. However, most packaged milks are strained and prepared with a low ratio of solids to water. As a result, they tend to be less nutrient-rich than their dairy counterparts. As Guy Crosby, science editor for Americas Test Kitchen and adjunct associate professor at Harvards T. H.

Chan School of Public Health, puts it, nut milks contain the contents of only a small number of nuts. So drinking an eight-ounce glass is equivalent to eating about four nuts. The solution to this nutritional imbalance is to purchase fortified products, or prepare your own unstrained versions with higher ratios of solids to water. To decide which milk alternatives are best for your particular needs, look over the chart on the next page, talk with your doctor, and consider any food allergies or health issues you have. The chart on the next page compares the nutritional stats of some of the most popular and widely available packaged alternative milks, as well as their dairy counterparts. Keep in mind that the exact nutritional content of non-dairy milk varies from brand to brand.

If you prepare your own unstrained milks and use a higher ratio of raw materials to water, youll glean more nutrients. NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (PER EIGHT-OUNCE CUP)