In recent years, consumer demand for plant-based milk alternatives has risen sharply. They are often advertised as a healthy alternative to cow's milk. We take a closer look at the milk alternatives - from soy milk to hemp milk. Small spoiler: Hemp milk comes off well from a nutritional point of view, but see for yourself.
Goodbye milk nose
Can you still remember your childhood? Maybe your mom gave you a glass of milk every day to make you big and strong. Or maybe you still remember the popular commercials? A big gulp from the glass of milk and then wiping the milk from your mouth with a broad hand - such scenes suggested pleasure and bursting health. For a long time, drinking a large glass of milk every day was considered very healthy and even essential for growing children - all because of the high calcium content. But is cow's milk really as healthy as it is always denounced? More and more people are discovering an intolerance and cow's milk is even said to cause damage to the body under certain conditions. But the same applies to cow's milk as to many other foods: some say so, others say so. Not even studies by nutritionists provide definitive answers. But why is that the case? Nutritional studies are prone to errors and usually only provide correlations, not causal relationships. Last but not least, studies are often financed by the manufacturers of the products. In recent years, however, more and more ethical questions have arisen regarding the production of cow's milk, which has led to a considerable increase in consumer demand for plant-based alternatives to cow's milk.
Milk alternatives on trend
Plant-based milk alternatives are becoming increasingly popular and are advertised as a healthy alternative to cow's milk. But is this justified? We take a closer look at the various milk alternatives for you. While you've probably already come across soy, almond, rice, oat and coconut milk on supermarket shelves around the world, you've probably not come across other sources of plant-based milk. Milk alternatives made from hemp, hazelnuts or macadamia nuts, flax and spelt are less common. Conversely, however, this does not mean that the lesser-known milk alternatives have less to offer from a nutritional point of view - on the contrary. Non-dairy drinks are produced by extracting plant material such as soy, nuts, rice etc. in water. The plant materials are homogenized and thermally treated to increase shelf life. They are made to visually resemble cow's milk and often include the word "milk" in the beverage name. But do these milk alternatives actually offer a nutritional advantage over cow's milk?[1]
And what exactly can hemp contribute now?
Hemp seeds are rich in vitamin E, iron and magnesium.
Hemp milk - the secret milk king?
Vahanvaty compared various dairy products and found out the following. All figures refer to 240 milliliters - i.e. a large glass full of liquid.
What else do you need to know?
Compared to soy or rice milk, hemp milk doesn't taste all that different - it has a "nuttier" taste. Hemp milk does not need to be kept in the fridge until it is opened. Hemp milk is a little thicker and creamier than soy milk and not as grainy as soy milk. Hemp milk is dairy-free, soy-free, tree nut-free, gluten-free, cholesterol-free, vegan, non-GMO, kosher, low in sodium and has no trans fat. Hemp milk may not be the miracle food, but it certainly deserves the title of Olympic decathlete. We are looking forward to the hemp milk survey. In any case, we are already working hard to ensure that you will soon be able to enjoy our self-proclaimed Milk King. Get ready!
[1] Vahanvaty US. Hemp Seed and Hemp Milk: The New Super Foods? ICAN: Infant, Child, & Adolescent Nutrition. 2009;1(4):232-234.