Three easy steps to making your own plant-based milk at home

Milk is a household staple in most homes with cow's milk being the most commonly consumed one. Countless TV adverts, billboards and posters promote the creamy beverage and its health benefits. This is primarily because cow’s milk is nutritious and is good for bone development as well as dental and heart health.

In contrast to this, more and more people are shifting to consuming plant-based milk, especially within the ever-growing population of plant-based dieters. Some are avoiding cow’s milk because it is high in lactose, and can cause acne and allergic reactions among its consumers.

Plant-based milk may just be what you need if your body reacts negatively to animal milk. Most plant-based kinds of milk have no cholesterol, are low in fat and rich in vitamins and minerals. This is all great, however, good brands of plant-based types of milk don't come cheap.

To make your very own nutrient-rich milk at home, some popular seeds, nuts and grains that you can use are almonds, soybeans, shredded coconut, cashews, oats, rice, macadamias, pumpkin seeds and pecans among many others.

The above seeds, nuts and grains are great substitutes for animal milk and, since you’re preparing them yourself, they’ll be free from additives and preservatives. The method for preparing your own plant-based milk using the above ingredients is the same. Here are the steps to follow:

It’s extremely important that you soak the nuts, seeds or grains to make them soft and easier to blend. Place one cup of your plant of choice in a bowl with filtered water and soak them overnight. The next morning, drain and properly rinse them.

Once your nuts, grains or seeds have been drained and sieved, put them in a high-speed blender with one and a half cups of filtered water. As it starts to get smooth, continue adding water until you achieve the consistency you like.

Some nuts typically produce smooth milk but for a completely smooth texture, place a cheesecloth over a bowl then pour the milk over it. Squeeze the cheesecloth to get out as much milk as possible. Your milk is now ready to drink and remember to keep any leftovers in the fridge to be consumed within three days.