Interesting and useful information about plant-based milks

As we, the ZELEN team, are big fans of plant and nut milks, we decided to tell you more about them so that you would like them too, but most importantly - to know how to use them. That's why we invited Chef Nikoleta Koleva, who gladly shares the subtleties in the use of each of the drinks.

Almond Milk
The most popular among plant-based milks, it can be used in raw desserts, as an addition to coffee or in smoothies. It is suitable for all kinds of sweet and savory recipes, although for some of the latter, the aroma can be too sweet.

Soy Milk
It is a good addition to coffee. It withstands high temperatures, so it can easily replace animal milk in almost any recipe - baking, sauces, and savory dishes. It has a light beige color and a nutty-beany taste.

Coconut Milk
This product has the highest fat content among all plant-based milks. It is a great addition to smoothies, coffee, and other beverages. It is suitable for sweet and savory dishes, for cooking, baking, sauces, desserts, and for oatmeal. When mixed with other ingredients, the coconut flavor is not as strong.

Rice Milk
It is suitable for young children and is much lighter than other plant-based milks. Some find it to be the closest in taste to cow's milk. It pairs well with coffee or oatmeal. Due to its sweet taste, it is suitable for desserts and some soups or sauces. It is not suitable for savory dishes. When used in baking, due to the fine consistency of the drink, it is good to add some kind of thickener, such as cornstarch or flour.

Oat Milk
It has a fine consistency, a mild and slightly sweet taste. It is suitable for preparing everything - drinks, cream soups, sauces, baked goods, sweet and savory dishes.

Hemp Milk
It has a specific strong nutty taste and a thick consistency. It pairs better with savory dishes. It is a good alternative to soy milk for baked goods and bread.
 

What are the reasons to choose plant-based over animal milk?
 

1. The absence of lactose, present in animal milk. Lactose is a type of sugar that is difficult or impossible to digest because the enzyme lactase is needed for this process. The problem is that this enzyme stops being produced or is produced in very small amounts in the human body after we stop suckling.

2. Animal milk can cause acne, eating disorders, digestive problems.

And a little more information about the nutritional value of different plant-based milks:

 

• Proteins. Soy milk has the largest amount, followed by hemp, and the rest have almost none. The protein in soy drink is as much as in cow's milk. The proteins in the latter are whey and casein, with casein being difficult to digest and its accumulation in the human body forming mucus.

• Sugars. If not additionally sweetened, plant-based milks contain almost no sugar. Due to the fiber and carbohydrate content, they do not have a high glycemic index. Soy, hemp, and almond milk have the lowest content of natural sugars.

• Fats. Coconut milk has a high content of saturated fats, similar to cow's milk. It also has a high fiber content. Other plant-based milks have a low fat content with a beneficial profile. Hemp milk is rich in Omega-3. Soy, oat, almond, hemp, and rice milk have the lowest fat content.

Besides the fact that plant-based milks are much healthier for us, the choice of flavors and combinations is also huge. We recommend you try some of our favorite milks, such as vanilla soy drink, cocoa oat milk, rice drink with coconut, and hazelnut.

Browse all products HERE and some of them below.