Almond milk is made from almonds and water. Like soy milk, (as an alternative to conventional dairy milk) it is popular in vegetarian and vegan cuisines.
Making almond milk yourself:
“The basic method of modern domestic almond milk production is to grind almonds in a blender with water, then strain out the almond pulp (flesh) with a strainer or cheesecloth. Almond milk can also be made by adding water to almond butter.”
Click on the link to go to our recipe for Raw Almond Milk.
General information:
From Wikipedia: “Almond milk is a plant milk manufactured from almonds with a creamy texture and nutty taste. It contains neither cholesterol nor lactose, and is often consumed by the lactose-intolerant and others who wish to avoid dairy products, including vegans.”
Nutrition:
“If unfortified, almond milk has less vitamin D than fortified cows’ milk; in North America cows’ milk must be fortified with vitamin D, but vitamins are added to plant milks on a voluntary basis. Because of its low protein content, almond milk is not a suitable replacement for breast milk, cows’ milk, or hydrolyzed formulas for children under two years of age.”
Types of almond milk:
“Commercial almond milk comes in sweetened, unsweetened, plain, vanilla and chocolate flavors, and is usually enriched with vitamins.”
Commerce:
“In the United States, almond milk remained a niche health food item until the early 2000s, when its popularity began to increase. In 2011 alone, almond milk sales increased by 79%. In 2013, it surpassed soy milk as the most popular plant-based milk in the U.S. As of 2014 it comprised 60 percent of plant-milk sales and 4.1 percent of total milk sales in the US. ...
Within the Italian regions of Sicilia, Puglia, Calabria, and Campania almond milk is a protected traditional agricultural product.”
History:
“In the Middle Ages, almond milk was known in both the Islamic world and Christendom. As a nut (the "fruit of a plant"), it is suitable for consumption during Lent. Almond milk was a staple of medieval kitchens because cow's milk could not keep for long without spoiling.”
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