How and Why to Make Your Own Nut Milk

Six minutes. I timed it. That's how long it took me to make a batch of nut milk. Not much effort, right?

I decided to time myself after a recent conversation with a friend about the different kinds of milks out there and why someone might drink one versus the other. She was saying that the brand of almond milk that she buys from Trader Joe's, while very tasty, seems to curdle when she uses it in her coffee. Based on that, she assumed that that's a characteristic of almond milk- you can't heat it or use it in coffee.

I assured her that I often use almond or cashew milk in my coffee in the morning. I love it! It makes everything taste rich and creamy. I also have used various brands and varieties of store-bought non-dairy milks: almond, cashew, coconut. plain, vanilla, etc.

The other thing that got me thinking about the benefits of nut milks is a television ad I recently saw that depicts almond milk as unhealthy and dairy milk as the healthy option for all your milk needs. I think it's kinda interesting that the dairy lobby, which for years promoted the benefits of milk, is now on the defensive. I guess this isn't such a new phenomenon- I just don't watch enough tv to have noticed the anti-almond milk ads until now (2017 at the time of writing).

A report from the Atlantic in July 2016 summarizes the issue. Almond milk consumption had grown 250 percent over the past five years, while the dairy milk market shrunk by more than $1 billion during that time; dairy milk consumption declined 37 percent since the 1970s.

Whether we like it or not, our food choices are often heavily influenced by advertising and corporate lobbying. This is certainly true when it comes to the dairy industry (think of the famous "Got Milk?" campaign, the ever attractive milk mustache). One of the main themes of the dairy industry's newest PR campaign is that (store-bought) almond milk, unlike dairy milk, is full of additives and does not contain the nutrients that dairy milk offers. An 8-ounce glass of non-fat milk contains eight grams of protein and 30 percent of your day's calcium needs (according to the USDA). Almond milk, on the other hand, contains only one gram of protein and most vitamin and mineral content is added.

Nutrition facts on Whole Foods brand unsweetened plain almond milk

So dairy milk has more nutrients. But I think this kind of misses the point. As someone who is trying to practice a mostly plant-based diet, I see dairy as an indulgence. I don't expect to get protein or calcium from nut milk, and I get plenty of those nutrients from other plants that I eat: by eating a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and grains, I get plenty of protein and calcium. So, I see substituting nut milk for dairy milk as a way of avoiding the negative health impacts of dairy, and there are many.

Finally, I am fully cognizant of the drawbacks of store-bought nut milks-- they're loaded with additives that are not beneficial to my health. Moreover, in the case of almond milk, you've got what economists like to call negative "externalities". That means that the price you pay for a half gallon of nut milk does not account for the additional cost that producing this milk has on the natural environment. Almonds take a lot of water to grow-- 10% of California's water supply according to one calculation. Of course it's no different for dairy products, since livestock take their own massive toll on our natural environment, polluting the air, consuming tons of water, and taking up space that, if dedicated to farming vegetables, could feed many times more families.

So what's the bottom line in all of this? Environmentally, both almond milk and dairy milk are bad for the environment. Dairy milk provides protein and calcium, while almond milk does not (unless it is fortified). But dairy products unquestionably harm our health. My personal practice is to make my own nut milk at home, which I like to use in my coffee and oatmeal in the morning. In case I run out, I keep a carton of the store-bought stuff on hand, but I see it more as a backup for the 'real' thing. Overall, since switching to nut milk, I have lowered my consumption of milky products in general.

I like making my own nut milk. It's easy to do and gives me a sense of accomplishment. And by making it at home, I can control the sugar content and keep out unhealthy additives.

What kind of Nuts should you use for Making Nut Milk?

Different kinds of nuts will produce different kinds of milks. Think of the flavor of your favorite nut- that’s what you’ll detect if you make it into milk. You can make a milk from literally any nut out there, and even some seeds. Hemp milk is becoming more and more popular. But here’s a few general guidelines:

For a neutral flavored milk that’s great in smoothies or as a coffee creamer, use cashews.
Almonds make a milk that’s great to use with cereal, and it’s also a good choice for smoothies and coffee creamer. But you will notice the flavor so you must be happy with your resulting dish having that flavor.
Other nuts like hazelnuts, macadamia, pecans… You can make milk from them, but I don’t really recommend it unless it’s for some kind of fancy culinary use.
Always use raw nuts to make milks.

What can you do with nut milk?

You might be thinking you’d want to substitute nut milk everywhere you used cow’s milk (or store-bought nut milk). This might be a mistake, however, since it’s a little cost prohibitive. Instead, I use nut milk in small doses and where it will matter the most. For example:

In my coffee as creamer or for making a latte
In smoothies when I want a creamy outcome
In recipes that call for nut milk, especially when I am baking and the additives in store-bought nut milk might impact the outcome of my baked goods

Super Simple Nut Milk Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup of raw nuts
3 cups of water
- Use filtered water if you can. Use more or less water to make your milk weaker or more rich.

optional

1 medjool date
1 teaspoon of vanilla

Directions

First, place the nuts in a medium-sized bowl and soak in cold water for four hours or overnight. If you live in a hot climate, put the bowl in the fridge.
In the morning, drain and rinse the nuts.
Place the soaked nuts, 3 cups water, and the date and vanilla (if using) into your blender. Blend to a puree. This will take only a minute with a high speed blender (like a Vitamix), but if your blender is less powerful, you'll have to blend for a bit longer, maybe a couple minutes.
When done blending, pour the liquid through nutmilk bag or cheesecloth set up over a large bowl. Strain the liquid so that only solids remain in the bag/cheesecloth. Note: you can skip this step if you are using cashews and a high speed blender.
Lastly, transfer the milk into whatever container you're going to use to store it in your fridge. I usually use a funnel for this step, and I love using glass canning jars or glass jars you can find at places like HomeGoods or The Container Store.
And that's it- ENJOY!