Ecoislogical

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Which is the most sustainable plant-based milk? + benefits + oat milk recipe

Which is the most sustainable plant based milk? + recipe

I am not sure who came up with a plant-based milk alternative, but in my opinion, it is rivaling the invention of sliced bread. And that we can all find our favourite based on your dietary requirements and tastes is absolutely wonderful!

There as simply so many types of plant-based milk one can choose from like oat milk, hazelnut milk, almond milk, rice milk, soy milk, coconut milk, mixed nut milk, pea milk, peanut milk, hemp milk, cashew milk, the list seems to be endless, which gives so much variety and options.

Also, it has many benefits from, like it being cruelty-free, lactose-free, environmentally and eco-friendly and does not include the negatives of cow milk which are: often contains antibiotics, puss, artery-clogging saturated fat, hormones and is a cruelty-filled business (where female cows get raped by humans and their newborn calves are stolen, male calves are killed soon after for their ,veal meat, and female calves are having a hard short life). It is already 2020 and we do not need to support these types of massive, cruelty-filled businesses. Cow milk is breast milk. It belongs to their babies, just as human breast milk belongs to human babies.

DID YOU KNOW?

- around 65% of all people in the world have some type of lactose-intolerance.
- dairy consumption is linked to increased rates of acne (it stimulates the release of insulin and IGF-1)
- that the countries with the highest consumption of dairy are also the countries with the highest rates    of osteoporosis.
- Henry Ford was an advocate for soy-milk and opened up a soy-milk plant in his Michigan research    center in 1934.
- cows live naturally 22 years but the demand of giving birth and pumping their milk is extremely        harsh on their body and they are often sent for slaughter (to become hamburgers and similar) at the      age of 4.
- animal agriculture is responsible for 83% of total global agricultural land but it only produces 18%    of the world's calories and is a leading force in deforestation of rainforest and killing of many              native animals and species and an extreme burden on drinking water as well as cows release                methane into the air
- livestock is responsible for about 14,5% of global greenhouse gas emissions (according to FAO).

BENEFITS OF PLANT-BASED MILK: 

- they do not contain cholesterol
- cruelty-free
- environmentally friendly
- good for lactose sensitive and lactose intolerant people
- does not contribute to inflammation
- does not contain hormones or antibiotics
- they have a healthy combination of mono and polyunsaturated fats

WHICH PLANT-BASED MILK IS MOST SUSTAINABLE,  ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECO-FRIENDLY?

When reading into this topic there where many factors considered, from deforestation, water use, pesticides use, transport, methane, storage of carbon and re-forestation.
Based on the information I was able to find, any swap from cow milk to plant-based milk is a good ethical and environmental swap. Personally, to me, the ones that stood out the most were organic oats and nut-based milk which are the best options one can choose in my personal opinion. Organic oats are crops that are easy to grow and do not contribute to deforestation nor pollution of nature with pesticides. Nut-based milk could replace croplands and promote re-planting trees, carbon is stored in the trees as well, they produce oxygen, help to protect us from erosion and flooding, and also not as many pesticides are needed compared to other crops.

PLANT-BASED OAT MILK RECIPE: 

Oat milk is a wonderful plant-based milk option, as it is gentle on the environment, affordable (even in the organic version which I recommend if you can afford it), you do not need a top of the range blender which is often the case with nut milk and is one of the easiest plant-based milk recipes to make and simply, oh, so yummy.

Ingredients:

1 cup of rolled oats (your favourite kind as taste plays a role in the finished product)
4 cups of drinking water
pinch of salt

Optional: 1-2 dates for sweetness (or 1-2 teaspoons of syrup or sugar), vanilla extract,
                  cocoa, cinnamon

Directions: 

Place all your ingredients in your blender and blend for about 30 seconds if your oats are more soft or 45-if your oats are more hard and thick (as over blending can make your oat milk a little ,slimy, tasting).

Taste if you like the taste and amend amounts and ingredients to suit your preferences.

Now sieve it through a very fine mesh, coffee cafetiere or cloth (not with a too high thread count or it will take ages).
I use my 30p recyclable mesh bag from Sainsbury (it is sold as a reusable bag for your fruits and vegetables) or trough an old cloth (like a t-shirt) or a coffee cafetiere, depending on what you have at home. An old t-shirt works the best in my opinion. Double or triple strain for best results.

Transfer into your container and refrigerate.

Enjoy.




NOTES:

Plant-based milk can separate, I recommend double or triple straining them for best results, shaking them before each use or adding lecithin or xanthan gum (0.4%  of the volume) to combat it.

It holds well up to 5 days in the fridge providing you store it air-tight with a lid. You can freeze it as well, just remember that it expands, so never fully fill your freezer bottles.

The leftover pulp can be mixed into your breakfast oats, crumble, granola or kept frozen for when needed.

Nowadays I store my oat-milk in upcycled pickle jars as they are the easiest to clean and easy to stack.

This milk is low in calories and is only about 19 calories per half a cup.

If possible, try to purchase your oats organic from a bulk-free shop or packaged in a recycled paper bag. But if that is not an option, then plastic packaged oats is much better from the ethical and environmental point as well, of course. :)



37 comments

  1. Yes I am a bit lactose intolerant because of some complicated health issues which effects my digestion. I probably should not eat dairy but I do. I have never tried Oat Milk, though I have done almond. I don't drink milk, but I do like half and half in my coffee.

    Allie of
    www.allienyc.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Welcome to the lactose intolerant group! It is amazing how many adults become lactose intolerant, but I guess that is because we are not supposed to be breast fead no more :)
      I adore oat milk and it is so easy to use but hazelnut milk is amazing, too!
      Thank you for your most lovely comment :)

      Delete
  2. Have never tried oat milk, but will give it a whirl! At the moment, I'm consuming the soy milk the most

    xoxo
    style frontier

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oat milk is very yummy, indeed but soy milk is an excellent choice as well!
      Oat milk is however very well prices even in the organic version and so so easy to make at home :)
      Thank you for stopping by :)

      Delete
  3. I've never tried a plant based milk before, but I would love to as I'm intolerant to cows milk so thank you for sharing xo

    Gemma | Makeup Muddle

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oooh, I am sorry to hear your are intolerant :( So am I :( I think that nature did not intend us to drink breast milk in adulthood no more. If you do well with oats then I recommend you trying it out as it is the easiest, cheapest milk with a small environmental impact. If you want it nutritionally similar to milk then choose soy (not so good unsweetened in my opinion, so choose a sweetened one) or hazelnut milk which works perfect in coffee or anything with chocolate:)

      Thank you for your lovely comment :)

      Delete
  4. Thanks for sharing this recipe. I am just starting to get away from milk and looking for plant bases alternatives.

    https://www.kathrineeldridge.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Congratulations on your journey! I am so happy to hear that :)
      Play around with them all and find your favourite one. But I really recommend the oat milk one as it is SO SO easy to make and tastes so creamy :) Let me know which became your favourite, please :)
      xx

      Delete
  5. I don't drink milk, never have! So I'm not a huge fan on plant based milks either because my brain won't distinguish the two hahahaha! That said I do buy plant based over cows milk. I definitely prefer it in my coffee. Haven't tried to use it with baking so not sure how it would turn out as I've heard mixed reviews. I also was so dissapointed to hear how BAD almond milk is because of so much water wastage involved in its process. I think they mentioned that Oat milk was the best to buy because it's eco friendly all round. Never thought to make it myself so will bookmark this for a later date to try it out.

    Sxx
    daringcoco.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello dear Sonia, thank you for your lovely comment:)
      Plant-based milk really is so versitale, buy for baking I believe soy milk is supposed to be the best as it is the most similar one to cows milk so should make the best replacement.
      Yes, oats are very heavy on water usage but in my personal belief is, if they are grow in the right climate (where it naturally rains as well) I think they are still an excellent choice as the trees on which the almond grows are doing so much good for the environment and negating some of the negative properties and this Earth needs trees. Also, EVERY plant-based milk is so so much better than the cow alternative from any aspect :) But oat is cheap, even organic oat-milk is cheap and the easiest one to make at home which makes it most eco-friendly to skip all the extra packaging and shipping :)
      Thank you for stopping by here :)
      xx

      Delete
  6. I love trying plant based milks, as I mainly drink black coffee it's primary in cereals, porridge and cooking for me. I must admit coconut is my favourite but I need to give oat a second chance xx

    Violethollow.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello, thank you for your lovely comment and well done for dinking your coffee black as that is the most eco-friendly version :) I struggle with that as I find it bitter (or I might drink the wrong kind of coffee, I am currently also looking into coffee-substitutes as well), however supposingly a little bit of salts should help with the bitterness (it helps but not enough for me as I have a sweet tooth as one can see from all my baking recipes :D ).
      Ooooh, coconut is my least favourite plant-based milk, hehehehe, I is so wonderful how the world is so diverse:) I would recommend: oat, soy and hazelnut :). Oh, but coconut is amazing with pineapple! A most dreamy combination :) I am experimenting with new recipes as well :)
      Thank you for stopping by :)

      Delete
  7. Such a great summary! I think really that sustainable based milk sometimes is the better solution ...
    xx from Bavaria/Germany, Rena
    www.dressedwithsoul.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Rena, thank you for your comment. I am very glad you liked the summary.
      Yes, cruelty-free milk really is the future way to go! Which one is your favourite?
      xx

      Delete
  8. Dear Simone, thank you for your lovely comment and for stopping by here :)
    Ooohhh, I really do hope you will like it. I recommend to sweeten a bit for the first time before
    you get fully used to the taste (to maximise the chances of you liking it). It really is such an amazing, healthy, eco-friendly and cruelty-free option milk.
    I recommend oat or hazelnut for your drinks and soy for baking :) Oat plant-based milk is the easiest to make, hazelnut has an amazing depth of flavour and goes perfectly with any chocolate flavour and the brand Oatly makes the most wonderful options from barrista milk, normal milk , to oat cream and more.
    xx

    ReplyDelete
  9. I've tried almond milk and didn't love it. I don't drink milk straight, anyway - just use it in cooking and protein shakes and coffee. I would like to find one I can love and will have to give the oat milk a try. I'm pretty sure I won't be making it myself, though. I can't even grind my own coffee or brewer's yeast tablets for my dogs :/ Thank you so much for reminding me that it's something I want to try!

    Ruth
    VogueFauxReal

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello dear Ruth, hope you are much well :)
      I am so happy you are willing to give it a second try. Yes, almond milk is my least favourite as well.
      For cooking, soy milk would be your best substitute as it is the most similar to cow milk in structure. With chocolate drinks I recommend hazelnut as that simply has an amazing flavour and pair so ell (think nutella). But oat milk is the easiest and cheapest to make. But if you want to purchase it, you can start with an organic soy milk first. Try to have it sweetened for the beginning :)
      Thank you for stopping by here :)
      xx

      Delete
  10. Yes all my boys are lactose intolerance, so we use Almond milk.


    How awful for you darling, so sorry for all the losses. Hopefully as time goes on it gets better, wishing you all the best.


    xoxo
    Lovely
    www.mynameislovely.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello lovely, thank you for your comment.
      Ooohh, yes, it can be tricky with being lactose intolerant especially in the beginning or at least it was for me
      but it opened up a who new journey with focus on a more environmental and cruelty-free food journey which I am
      very thankful for.
      Thank you dear for stopping by here:) Hope to see you back soon.
      xx

      Delete
  11. Thanks for all the interesting news in this article!

    https://julesonthemoon.com/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Jules for your kind words :) I am so happy you find it interesting :)
      It is the best motivation to read such lovely comments.
      xx

      Delete
  12. I love oat milk but didn't know it was so easy to make! I'll have to try it soon since oat milk can get pricey!

    https://sundaydahlias.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello and thank you for your lovely comment! Yes, it is really so easy to make and often just with items one has at home (oats, water, salt, something sweet and an old t-shirt). I hope you enjoy it :)
      xx

      Delete
  13. I'm shocked that cows who can live 22 years, live only 4. That is crazy. I don't drink milk because I don't like it, but maybe I would try with this soya or some other plant based. Thank you for sharing this great post.

    New Post - https://www.exclusivebeautydiary.com/2020/03/beauty-of-small-things_10.html

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thank you dear for taking the time to read this post. Yes, it is really heart-breaking when one realises what is truly happening.
    I hope you will enjoy plant based milk, my personal favourites are oat, hazelnut and soy (oat is an all rounder, hazelnut has an amazing deep and rich taste and soy it the most suitable for baking).
    Hope you are much well.
    xx

    ReplyDelete
  15. Amazing, this is great as you want to learn more, I invite to This is my page.measuring scoop

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your lovely comment! Nice magnetic measuring spoons. I already have old steel ones but they are still serving perfectly well.
      Hope to see you back soon.
      xx

      Delete
  16. I'm vegetarian but I always drink plant-based milk. Usually soy or rice đŸ™‚

    www.aishettina.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Aisha, thank you for your comment and for stopping by.
      That is amazing that you are vegetarian! Oat milk is so yummy, creamy and if made at home
      you can save so much money:)
      xx

      Delete
  17. I have been wanting to try oat milk since long. I will give the recipe posted by you a try. Thank you for posting...


    Recently posted...Best Makeup Removers In India

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your lovely comment, I hope it turns out great for you and that you will enjoy it :)
      Let me know :) I hope you are keeping safe.
      xx

      Delete
  18. Non l'ho mai provato,lo faro' =)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ciao, grazie per il tuo commento. Spero che ti piacerĂ  tanto quanto me! :)

      Delete
  19. A very interesting and informative post! I've been drinking almond and coconut milk for a while now on my cereal and in coffee, but am still struggling to steer away from cow's milk in my tea!

    /teandtwosugars.blogspot.com xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello dear Georgia, that is amazing:) Every little helps :) I find that hazelnut milk is absolutely delicious in hot coca and oat and soy is nice and creamy and really similar to the cow version :)
      Thank you for stopping by.
      xx

      Delete
  20. In this article understand the most important thing, the item will give you a keyword rich link a great useful website page: OrganicDonkey Milk Soap

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Happy that you liked the plant based milk article and recipe :)
      Hope you have a lovely day :)
      xx

      Delete