SoyMilk Crossroads

If you are avoiding dairy products for health reasons or for strict religious or ethical reasons, identifying and avoiding hidden sources of dairy becomes a very big issue. While some dairy products are easy to spot (like milk, cheese, and butter), others are a bit more cryptic.

Not What They Seem

Anyone who is serious about avoiding dairy should invest in a pocket guide that lists the most common hidden dairy ingredients. Having this information with you when you shop will help you choose the products that are safe for you to eat. Here is just a short list of the most common ingredients that sound innocent enough, but actually contain dairy.

• Artificial Butter Flavor
• Casein/Caseinates
• Hydrolysates
• Lactalbumin
• Lactulose

When in Doubt, Go to the Source

If you run across an ingredient that you’re not sure about and don’t want to take a chance, you can always call the manufacturer of the item. Most companies are happy to communicate with consumers about what’s in their products.
 

With new packaging conventions calling for companies to list common allergens on product labels, we may someday be able to identify dairy-containing products with just a glance. Until then, staying away from dairy requires a little bit of effort on your part.

Plain soy milk is great for making smoothies and using in baked goods, but sometimes you just want something different.
 

For a slightly sweeter “milk” that’s perfect for smoothies and all of your baked goodies, try making this brown rice and almond milk in your Soyabella Soymilk Maker.

Ingredients

1/2 cup almonds, shelled
1/2 cup long-grain brown rice
8 dried, unsulphered pitted dates

Instructions

Soak almonds and rice overnight. Drain and rinse, then run through your Soyabella machine like normal. When the cycle is complete, pour the milk into a clean container and add the dates. Let cool for about an hour, then pour into a blender and process until smooth.
 

This delicious milk is very thick and can be used in nearly any way you would use milk or cream. Try it hot with a splash of vanilla and a shake of cinnamon on top.

By now you’ve learned plenty about the health benefits of soy and the great things that consuming soy milk and tofu can do for your body and mind. But if you’re feeling a little adventurous or just need a change, why not let your Soyabella soymilk maker give you a new experience?

Almond Milk Has a Long, Tasty History

Almond milk is just as easy to make as soy milk. And it’s not some new radical health food fad; its creamy, nutty taste has been prized for hundreds of years. Almond milk has fewer calories than soy milk or cow milk, making it ideal for those who are watching their weight. It can be made in a variety of flavors, but it tastes just as delicious when you drink it plain.

It’s Simply Delicious

Because almonds are high in calcium, almond milk is an excellent source of this important dietary element. Almond milk is also a great source of Vitamin E and is rich in protein. Using roasted almonds gives your almond milk a deep and toasty flavor. If you adhere to a raw foods diet, delicious almond milk can be made from raw almonds!

Use it in Place of Other Milks

Almond milk can be substituted for soy milk or dairy milk in just about any recipe. It’s very thin, so it may not be best for recipes that require a thick milk. Almond milk also tastes amazing poured over your cereal or into your morning coffee.
 

If you have a soy sensitivity of just want to try something new, almond milk is one of the most nutritious and tasty choices out there. And it’s so easy to make - you just can’t beat that!

We’re at the tenth entry of the myth series about the nutritional value of cow’s milk.  Today’s myth….

Milk helps coat the stomach and ease the pain of ulcers.

 This idea has been passed down through the last few generations and seems to still be floating around.
 

Dairy products are acid-forming foods.  Milk will aggravate an ulcer.  You’ll want to talk to your doctor if you think you may be dealing with an ulcer.

Intolerance?

If you suffer from bloating, cramps, gas and even diarrhea after eating a grilled cheese sandwich or drinking a milkshake, you may be “lactose intolerant.”
 

After age four, the intestines slow down the production of lactase, an enzyme needed to digest milk.  Makes sense, nature says that around that age it’s time to wean off milk anyway.  For many people, the enzyme completely stops being produced, so when the milk enters the intestines, the lactose (milk sugar) ferments.  Thus causing various degrees of discomfort. 

The solution!

A switch from animal based to plant based drink.  If milk is a major part of your life style and you are looking for an alternative, you should consider soymilk.  It’s high in calcium and its protein is easy to digest.  And when you make it yourself, it costs a factor of store bought.

Today’s myth about the nutritional value of cow’s milk always makes me crazy.  I’m sure that once again it’s that push for more calcium.  But don’t forget those side effects mentioned in Day 6 and Day 7.  Today’s myth……

Breast feeding mothers need to drink more milk.

What, we have to drink milk to produce milk?  Have you ever heard of a cow drinking milk so that it has better and more nutritious milk for its calf?  They eat plant life and produce milk.
 

No adult mammal on this planet drinks milk except for the human.  For some reason we’ve put ourselves above the laws of nature.

Plant Life.

If we look at nature we’ll find the plant life foods to make nutritious breast milk for our species’ young.  Together and with wonderful variety; fruits, vegetables, seeds, grains, and beans supply the human body with calcium and protein. 
 

The soybean is a “complete protein,” meaning it contains all of the eight essential amino acids that humans need.  And silken tofu contains more calcium by weight than dairy milk.  And when you’re looking for something extra good to pour on your cereal in the morning, soymilk fills the bill.

Today’s blog entry hits close to home.  I can only hope that it raises questions and inquiries so that women will do some research resulting in educated choices that they truely believe in.  Today’s myth…..

Pregnant women need to drink more milk.

I have to believe that it’s because of the need for calcium that pregnant women are told to drink more milk.  It certainly can’t be because of the high fat content of milk.  Doctors are always concerned with “too much” weight gain during pregnancy, for which milk would contribute.

Infant Health

The more cow’s milk a pregnant woman drinks, the more likely the infant will need that suction tube hospitals always have on hand.  It sucks out the thick mucus from the baby’s nose and throat at delivery so he/she can breathe.
 

It’s called “muco-protein” and mothers-to-be may want to learn more about this.  Remember, your unborn is eating what you’re eating.  The high mucus content of milk passes into your baby.  You may want to consider cutting back on dairy products during pregnancy and look at other calcium and protein alternatives.
 

Of course, soymilk and soy foods are a great choice, high in both calcium and protein, without the side effects of the above discussion. 

Some may look at today’s topic as somewhat of a continuation of the Day 6 discussion about osteoporosis.  But it moves beyond that.  We’re going to look closer at the common myth…

We need milk and dairy for calcium.

I believe it’s because of the heavy promotion done by the American dairy industry that large amounts of people have this crazy idea that cow’s milk is the sole source of calcium.
 

The calcium path.  Calcium is in the soil.  Plants absorb it and it becomes part of their structure.  Animals eat the plants.  Their bodies absorb the calcium.
 

Cows don’t drink milk for their calcium.  Calves do, but not mature cows.  They eat plant life.  So should we.  Fruits, vegetables, raw nuts, grains, seeds and beans all have calcium in them.
 

There is as much calcium in 5 oz. of firm tofu as there is in one cup of cow’s milk.  One cup of collard greens has more calcium then one cup of cow’s milk.  Generally, the greener the leaf veggie, the more calcium it contains.

How much calcium do we really need?

The U.S. RDA says that adults age 25 and older should get 800 mg per day.  They recommend 1200 mg of calcium per day for ages 11 to 24.  The calcium recommendations in other countries are lower.  For example, in Japan, adults are adviced to have 600 mg and if you live in Britain, the recommendation is 500 mg per day.
 

Who’s calling the shots?  Who’s deciding on these amounts?  Is it science?  How much does the political scene influence these recommendations?  Are economic factors given weight to increase the use of dairy?  What’s the role of the National Dairy Council in coming up with the magical number of milligrams of calcium that each American should consume each day?  This is something I may pursue at a future time.
 

Meanwhile, don’t rely on dairy for your calcium.  Experience some veggies and fruits.  Figs are high in calcium, so are almonds, sesame seeds, spinach, molasses, soybeans and soymilk, of course.  And the great thing… none of these have the damaging side effects of cow’s milk.

Today we move into the second half of our top ten myths about the nutruitional value of cow’s milk.  Today’s myth…..

Milk Builds Strong Bones.  We need it to Fight Osteoporosis.

In reality, dairy products are the number one cause of osteoporosis.  Yes, other contributors are tobacco, alcohol, caffeine, soft drinks, salt, antacids, and lack of exercise, but the major cause is dairy products.
 

Yes, cow’s milk does have calcium, but it also has casein protein, which is impossible for our digestive systems to handle, so we end up with excess.  Amino acids try to break down the casein protein.  It gets metabolized in the liver, and travels through the kidneys.
 

If that excess protein would just leave our bodies via the urine, I suppose all would be well, but it doesn’t do that.  Clinging to it on its way out are large amounts of minerals, among them being calcium.  Here’s the catch; the more animal protein you consume, the more calcium you lose.
 

Osteoporosis has been studied worldwide and the correlation holds true.  Countries with higher consumption of dairy products also have higher reports of osteoporosis.

Stop the Cycle

You can stop the cycle of flushing calcium out of your body by changing the type of protein you consume.   The protein in soybean is a complete protein and digestable.  Soy is also very high in calcium. 
 

Tomorrow…more on calcium….

When it comes to the nutritional value of cow’s milk, this is one of the major reasons people give for using dairy products.  Today’s myth….

We need Milk and Dairy Products for Protein.

The protein component in cow’s milk is casein.  This substance is so thick and coarse that it’s used to make some of the strongest wood glues you can buy.
 

Cow’s milk contains 300 times more casein than human milk.  But then, cows also have four stomachs for digestion.  Human bodies lack the digestive ability to break down the casein protein.  This creates other problems in our bodies, making dairy protein more harmful than it may be worth.  So what can we do?  What has nature given us?

Other Options

Protein is built from amino acids.  Every amino acid needed to build human protein can be found in fruits and vegetables.  So add variety and color to your life.
 

The soybean is a complete protein and easily digested by the human system.  It makes a great protein alternative to dairy.
 

Tomorrow, a look at Osteoporosis….

Here’s some great, easy to follow instructions on how to make rice milk as well as a bonus dessert:

We make our own rice milk. It’s easy, cheap and you can adjust the sugar and add flavorings as per your preferences (we’re fond of frozen strawberries to make strawberry ‘milkshakes’!). You can use this rice milk with frozen bananas to make a sort of ice-cream like treat too. We really didn’t like the price for commercially prepared rice milk and after the info came on the list that one of these commercial products was not necessarily gluten free (the one we used to use) we came up with this recipe:

RICE MILK (need a blender)

        INGREDIENTS
        1 cup dry white rice
        1 litre (~ 4 cups) water
        1 tbsp (up to 1/2 cup) white sugar
        1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

1. Add rice and water, let soak room temperature for at least 4 hours  or in
the refrigerate over night (we put rice n’ water right into the blender
container!)
2. Blend rice and water in blender on high for about 1 minute
2. Strain out rice from water (SAVING WATER  SOLUTION!)
3. Add sugar and flavorings (ie. fruit), blend again
4. Refrigerate (we’re comfortable using this within 48 hours; maybe a
longer shelf life, we don’t know, never tried!)

CHOCOLATE-BANANA ‘ICE CREAM’ (need a food processer of some type)
Use about 1/2 cup rice-milk with 3 frozen bananas, that have been sliced in half and length-wise before freezing  (from a refrigerator freezer NOT a deep freeze, if you take the bananas from a ‘deep’ freeze microwave them first to soften them a bit first or your processer may protest, loudly!)
and add chocolate syrup and a little bit of vanilla extract if desired. Blend in food processer until smooth but NOT melted! We find this best if eaten right away but our 9 year old likes it even after its been in the freezer for a couple of days (it gets crystaline like a sherbert if kept in freezer after it’s made).

OTHER THINGS TO ADD: chocolate chips, frozen fruit, whatever you like and is gluten-free; FYI, non-GF people may like this concoction too!

Hope these recipes are of some use. You may have to play around with them a little until you get it just the way you like it. I know we’ll never buy rice milk again!