Why plant milk?
The popularity of plant-based milk in the world is gaining momentum. Half of Americans drink plant-based ingredients in their diet – of which 68% of parents and 54% of children are under 18 years old. The researchers note that by 2025, the market for alternative plant products will grow three times. The growing popularity of herbal drinks is due to the fact that more and more people in Russia are beginning to monitor their diet. More and more people are ready to experiment with plant-based drinks due to cow’s milk allergy and environmental concerns. Herbal drinks are a trend, and a very pleasant one at that. We are used to cooking many dishes with ordinary cow’s milk, so it is not so easy to refuse it. Drinks made from herbal ingredients come to the rescue. They are suitable for those who refuse dairy products for medical reasons and because of lactose intolerance or allergy to cow’s milk protein, and also think about the environment and ethical treatment of animals, or simply want to diversify their diet.
Which plant milk to choose?
Herbal drinks are obtained by a stepwise process of processing vegetable raw materials and their restoration with water to the desired consistency. Leading manufacturers have been improving the production process for years, and modern technologies make it possible to obtain a homogeneous, creamy and pleasant-tasting drink. In addition, responsible manufacturers also add vitamins and trace elements, such as calcium, to the composition.
For example, I would like to cite a pioneer of herbal products in the Russian market – the brand. It was one of the first producers of plant-based drinks in Europe, and today the brand has the most diverse line of alternative milks in Russia: plain and sweet soy drinks, with almonds and cashews, hazelnuts, coconut, rice and oat. The advantage of Alpro products is pure taste without bitterness and other unpleasant notes and texture. In the Alpro line you can find products for people who avoid sugar in their diet (Unsweetened), for adding to coffee and foaming (Alpro for Professionals), as well as chocolate and coffee cocktails for lovers of a variety of tastes. The company’s specialists note that in order to maintain a homogeneous consistency of the product, it is necessary to add a number of natural stabilizers, such as gellan gum, locust bean gum and carrageenan. It is they that allow you to maintain a silky texture during storage and in the preparation of drinks and dishes.
For the production of Alpro drinks, high-quality oats, rice, coconut, almonds, hazelnuts, cashews are used. All raw materials, including soy, do not contain GMOs. Alpro does not use artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, acesulfame-K and sucralose. The sweet taste of drinks is given by high-quality raw materials. Some products have a minimal amount of natural sugar added to maintain flavor.
What else is included?
Soy milk contains 3% soy protein. Soy protein is a complete protein, it contains essential amino acids necessary for an adult. 3% soy protein is comparable to the percentage of protein in whole cow’s milk. Oat milk is additionally enriched with vegetable dietary fibers. The Alpro range of plant-based drinks is characterized by a low fat content: from 1 to 2%. Sources of fat are vegetable oils, sunflower and rapeseed. They contain unsaturated fatty acids that are useful and necessary in the daily diet. Most Alpro products are enriched with calcium, vitamins B2, B12, and vitamin D.
All Alpro products are XNUMX% plant-based, lactose- and other animal-based ingredients free, and suitable for vegans, vegetarians and fasting people. Alpro produces its drinks at modern factories in Belgium using unique technologies and uses the most local products: all almonds are supplied from the Mediterranean, soybeans – from France, Italy and Austria. The company monitors the supply of raw materials and never uses ingredients that are deforested to grow. Alpro’s beverage production is sustainable: the company is constantly reducing carbon emissions and minimizing the use of water resources at all stages of production. Manufacturers use waste heat energy and renewable energy sources. Alpro also works with WWF (World Wildlife Fund) to support programs around the world.
The easiest dish you can make with plant-based milk is a smoothie. We share our favorite recipes of the singer and actress Irina Toneva, who has been a vegetarian for many years:
Strawberry cashew smoothie
1 cup (250 ml) fresh strawberries
1 cup (250 ml) Alpro cashew milk
6 dates
pinch of cardamom
vanilla pinch
Remove pits from dates. Mix all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
Protein smoothie with carrots
2 cups (500 ml) Alpro coconut milk
3 pcs. carrots
3 art. tablespoons vegetable protein
1 tbsp. the sweetener
Grate carrots. Mix all ingredients in a blender until smooth.