Appetizing, hearty ... This we expect from a milkshake. It will be like that - in appearance, taste ... But practically a fat-free drink will not be a gift from a burenka, but a result of processing, say, almonds. "Non-dairy" milk drinks from soy, nuts or rice are widely sold in developed countries. Rapidly growing sales of such products suggest that such are the tastes of consumers - fans of wellness.
But how much these cocktails are really better than classic milk? Can I cook for them? And are they so good?
According to nutrition, vegetable "milk" is not inferior to the usual, but it does not contain harmful cholesterol, much more useful monounsaturated and less harmful saturated fat.
Soymilk is the most popular, but it is also the most fatty among dairy substitutes (similar to the 2% cow). It is made from soaked, mashed and boiled soya, followed by removal of excess liquid. The drink is a saturated extract of proteins. Soy milk contains vegetable estrogens - isoflavones, which reduce the content of "bad" cholesterol in the blood and, consequently, the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
The taste and consistency of soy milk, obtained from different types of soy, are very different. Sometimes the drink is obtained with a "sandy", chalky or pea flavor, and sometimes almost indistinguishable from cream. It is better if soy milk is made from organic soy, as soybeans are abundant in pesticides grown by standard industrial technologies.
Walnut milk - made from a variety of nuts. Most often it is almonds (almond milk has been popular since the Middle Ages in Europe during strict posts), processed and mixed with water and a small amount of sweetener. This cocktail is much less fatty and caloric than soy milk, it is often enriched with calcium and vitamins.
Grain milk - it is often an enriched calcium and vitamins drink. There are two varieties - ordinary and low-fat.
Oatmeal - is made from a mixture of crushed oats with water, with additives of pea flour and powder from various seeds and cereals. Contains very little fat, advantageously differs by the presence of 2 g of fiber per 1 tbsp. - this is about 10% of the daily requirements of our body in plant fibers.
Rice - a little sweeter than the rest, is made from brown rice (extremely useful), clear water and a small amount of rice syrup. There are many recipes for making rice milk.
Milk from cereals - triticale (a hybrid of rye and wheat), amaranth (shiritsa), spelled (wheat spelled), rye, wheat and barley. As well as other varieties of vegetable milk are produced 3 types: normal, vanilla and chocolate.
"Kompromat" for soy dairy products also exists. Italian scientists found that with a daily intake of 40 g of soy protein by 45%, the frequency of hot flashes in menopause is reduced, but the presence of isoflavones simultaneously increases the risk of developing breast cancer! However, scientists still believe that the benefits of soy milk are much greater than the possible negative phenomena.
Since vegetable milk has a different composition of nutrients than cow's milk, only products enriched with substances that are naturally found in cow's milk: calcium, vitamin D, riboflavin, vitamin A and B12, need to be purchased (especially when completely switching to vegetable milk drinks).
Try not to buy - or do it rarely - milk and vegetable drinks with flavorings and sweeteners that contain sugar.
Do not substitute vegetable dairy products for feeding newborns!