What to Know About Dairy-Free Milks (+ Recipes)

Dairy-free milk alternatives can be a healthy choice, especially for those who can’t tolerate dairy.

I personally prefer dairy-free milks because store-bought dairy milk is pasteurized, which destroys many nutrients and alters the protein, making it more inflammatory and harder to digest. Most store-bought dairy is also homogenized, a process that breaks down fat globules into tiny particles that can stress the gut and digestive system. For these reasons, I usually opt for a dairy-free alternative. But not all dairy-free alternatives are good for you.

The Problem with Most Store-Bought Dairy-Free Milks

Unfortunately, most commercial dairy-free milks aren’t very healthy. They often contain:

• Inflammatory oils

• Processed sugars

• Artificial additives and chemicals

This is largely because food companies want products that taste great and have a long shelf life, often at the expense of nutrition. While there are a few brands with just two simple ingredients, they can be expensive and sometimes hard to find.

Making Your Own Dairy-Free Milk

The best way to support your health is to make your own dairy-free milk at home. It’s:

• Much cheaper than buying store bought 

• Healthier, since you control the ingredients

• Easy, needing only a blender, a nut milk bag (find them on Amazon), water, and your food of choice

Why I Don’t Recommend Oat Milk

Even homemade oat milk isn’t ideal for most people. Oats are starchy, and when blended and strained into milk, they become mostly sugar water. Without any fat or fiber present, oat milk can spike your blood sugar, so it’s best to have it only occasionally

My Favorite Homemade Dairy-Free Milks

• Cashew milk – doesn’t require straining

• Coconut milk – better for you and tastier than most canned or boxed versions

• Almond milk

• Pumpkin seed milk
  
  
  

Recipes:

For full recipes on how to make these click here