Coco–Nut Milk
The plant-based milk industry has boomed in recent years with the rise of the vegan diet, lactose intolerance & changing taste preferences. Plant milks range from less processed to ultraprocessed, and many have additives that can cause digestive problems and weight gain, among other issues. Additionally, it is important to recognize the different health benefits and drawbacks of different types of plant-based milks.
Making your own nut milk is a good way to avoid these additives, save money, and adapt your beverage to your individual health and taste preferences.
Health Benefits
This recipe for nut milk uses coconut flakes and almonds, but can be altered to your own tastes.
Coconut is high in caprylic acid, a medium-chain fatty acid that is beneficial for the prevention or treatment of candida overgrowth, bladder infections, and UTIs because of its antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antifungal properties.
Almonds are high in unsaturated fats, vitamin E, and fiber, and can help balance blood sugar levels, which is especially important in the morning. The almond butter used in this recipe can be replaced by another nut butter or soaked nuts.
Making nut milk in a nutshell:
(1) Soak the nuts.
Different nuts may need to be soaked for more or less time, but a general rule is to soak the nuts overnight (for 8+ hours). Milks can also be made with seeds (like hemp) or using a nut butter without presoaking.
(2) Rinse nuts & blend with filtered water + flavoring of choice in a 1:4 nut to water ratio.
In general, use 1 cup soaked nuts to 3–4 cups water (less water = more creamy). After blending your nuts and water, you can add different natural flavoring (like vanilla or cinnamon) or a bit of sweetness (a date or monk fruit/stevia for a completely sugar-free option) to your liking.
(3) Strain the milk if needed.
Use a nut milk bag or cheesecloth. These can be purchased from a health food store for around 5 EUR/USD and are a very handy and multipurpose addition to your kitchen. If nuts are soaked long enough, they should blend completely and straining is not necessary.
The attached recipe allows you to make a fresh nut milk in 15 minutes.