How to make your own dairy-free milk
Going dairy-free
Going dairy free or reducing overall dairy intake in your diet can be beneficial for many health concerns, whether it is due to allergies, intolerances, to reduce skin irritations like acne and eczema, to help get your inflammation under control or for ethical reasons more of us are searching for dairy free alternatives.
Dairy is one of the most common allergenic foods I see in clinic - for some intake may be followed by digestive upset such as bloating, indigestion, abdominal cramping, diarrhoea or constipation. It is also one of the most common contributing factors I see for acne - the reason being that dairy increases the hormone Insulin-like growth factor-1, this in turn stimulates keratin, inflammation and sebum production all of which contribute to acne progression.
Milk is one of the most common dairy products people have problems replacing, many of the store bought dairy free options have added sugars, thickeners, stabilisers and oils which can all be avoided if you make it fresh at home. Here I show you how to make a simple dairy free milk all of your own.
Ingredients
1 Cup of Nuts or Seeds of your choice (My favourites are almonds or pumpkin seeds)
Filtered Water
2-4 dates (optional for sweetness)
Nut milk bag, fine strainer or muslin cloth - I use the Honest to Goodness nut milk bag
Method
Soak your choice of nut or seed overnight or for at least 8 hours, you can do this by placing them in a jar or bowl and filling it with filtered water
Drain the water from the nuts or seeds
Blend the nuts with 5 cups of filtered water (you can add less water if you would like a thicker milk) and dates for 45 second - 1 minute
Strain the nut or seed mixture separating out the milk
Store milk in a glass jar in the fridge for 3-4 days
If you want some great tips of what to do with your left of nut or seed pulp The Healthy Chef has some great tips