Wholesome, easy heart-healthy nut milk
By Sari Huhtala
A friend shared this idea with me, and it’s a keeper, and a whole lot cheaper than store-bought nut milk. Not to mention the fact it is void of any fillers. Turns out some almond milk brands on the market only contain about two per cent almonds – the rest are fillers like carrageenan, sugar, sunflower lecithin and water.
Seeking heart healthy hacks?
A large-scale study of 80,000 people found study participants who consumed protein from red meat had a 60 per cent increase in cardiovascular diseases while those who consumed proteins from nuts and seeds experience a 40 per cent decrease in cardiovascular diseases. The study was published in the International Journal of Epidemiology.
Almonds contain healthy antioxidants, particularly vitamin E, and are rich in fibre and omega-3 fatty acids, which help lower cholesterol and reduce inflammation, according to Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Consuming one cup of homemade almond milk provides the daily recommended serving of 28 grams or ¼ cup, for boosting heart health.
I also did the math to compare pricing, and homemade almond milk is about one-third of the price of store-bought nut milk.
You can experiment with other nuts as well, just remember to always soak your nuts beforehand to decrease the amount of phytic acid in the nuts, and increase your body’s ability to digest nuts. Cashew milk and macadamia nut milk are wonderful treats to experiment with too!
Nut milk
- 1 cup of raw almonds
- 4 cups of pure, filtered water
Soak nuts in glass jar filled with water overnight. Strain and rinse the nuts well after soaking.
Toss nuts into a high-speed blender and blend to masticate nuts. Then add 4 cups of water and blend well. Pour into a glass jar, seal and refrigerate for up to five days. It’s a good idea to use sterilized glass jars to eliminate potential bacteria growth.
For a thinner nut milk version, after blending nuts and water, pour nut water through a nut milk bag or cheesecloth.
I enjoy the pre-strained version for its simplicity and nutritional value.
Sari Huhtala is the publisher and editor of Alive and Fit Magazine. She has over 25 years experience in journalism. She is a mother of 3 adult children. She has spent over 20 years navigating a healthy path for her family, one health hack at a time, as a single mom feeding her kids healthy on a shoestring budget. She also has over 15 years experience as a certified fitness specialist and personal trainer, 10 years experience as a reiki practitioner; she studied Shamanism and is currently completing yoga teacher training certification.
