Time to compare some more tree nut milks, this time Almonds and Hazelnuts. If you have tree nut allergies avoid these milks, and remember they are not intended for infants.
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Almond Milk History
Almond milk is enjoying its second round of popularity.
Almond Nuts
According to Inquisitr, Almonds have a long history, dating back to at least 4000 BCE, when those living around the Mediterranean Sea grew almond trees so that they could garnish their food with these nuts. Even Hebrew literature from around 2000 BCE specifically talks about almonds.
They note that, when it came time to bury King Tutankhamen in 1324 BCE, he was buried with almonds to take with him on his journey after death, and both Arabs and Persians were skilled in the art of using crushed almonds and mixing it with some water as something cooling to drink.
Medieval Almond Milk
AtlasObscura notes that during the Middle Ages almond milk was very popular with the rich and upper classes. They note, Almonds have been central to Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines as far back as the Roman era, yet almond milk is likely a religiously-motivated, European innovation.
At issue then was the Christian Church’s barring of milk, meat, and eggs during fasting days, and there were a lot of days spent fasting! BritishFoodHistory notes that beside fasting during the time of Advent and Lent, every Wednesday, Friday and Saturdays were also considered fast days. So the common population fasted almost half the year.
- Note that posts on this issue interchange “medieval” and “middle ages” so I looked it up on DifferenceBetween.
- Middle Ages (noun) refers to the time between the 5th and 15th centuries.
- Medieval Ages (adjective) is used to refer to the people, places, things, and events of that same period.
Since Roman times, almonds have been important to Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine. So it was Arabs who supplied the concept and procedure for making almond milk, and were an important part of the nuts distribution. Later, almond milk was first mentioned in 12th Century Salerno, Italy but spread across the Mediterranean and eventually was showing up in England, Denmark and Germany.
Recipes show up all around Europe, in books that only the rich and upper class cold afford, that call for using almond milk in a variety of dishes. Their reasoning for using this version of milk was it had a long shelf life, and was safer to consume than real milk. (Certainly in a time without refrigeration, pasteurization, or sanitary practices milk was more dangerous to consume as a drink.) In fact, during this time cows milk was mainly used for creating butter and cheese.
And just like now it was expensive. From the rich to the well off, this was a part of dishes for the upper class, but also was considered good food to provide to the sick.
Nutrition
Healthline notes that this milk is low on protein, VitD, and fiber, but contains VitE. Since what is missing is critical to proper health, I would not rely on this beverage for its nutrition. Further, I would not choose a flavored drink, but would look for one fortified with calcium and VitD.
Many of the drinks I reviewed in the store had additives like gums, sugars, salt, and others.
Medical
Not suitable for infants, as is the case with all non-human milks.
HealthLine reminds us that people with chronic kidney disease often avoid milk due to its high levels of phosphorus and potassium. Since this drink has those, please check the nutritional label to make sure you are not consuming too much.
Environment
The biggest issues with almonds are its water-cost and its impacts on bees.
Almonds are grown by, large industrialized ag companies, often utilizing mono-crop farming practices that are not good for biodiversity. They utilize year-round irrigation, that impacts very finite water resources (especially in California). Water is taken from river (impacting fish and other wildlife), and from state aquifers.
- UCSF notes: it takes approximately 15 gallons of water to produce just 16 almonds.
- 23,000 acres of natural lands have been converted to almond farms. 16,000 of those acres were land previously classified as wetlands.
- UCSF also notes: pesticide use in the production of commercial almonds, which has been known to contaminate already limited water sources and contribute to the toxification of drinking water for people in California’s farming communities.
Then they ship in massive amounts of bees, who often die due to the pesticides used on the trees (1).
Blue Diamond Almond Breeze (vanilla)
Okay, this is a sweetened, creamy, vanilla flavored almond bevereage that my spoused said tasted like ice cream. This is a very popular plant milk, for years perhaps the most popular these days.
- Color: creamish white
- Viscosity: Like 2% cows milk
- Taste: sweet with a lingering hint of vanilla
- Fortified: Calcium, VitE, iron, magnesium, potassium, etc.
- Uses a cane sweetener
- Advertised as non-GMO, vegan, and does not contain dairy, soy, lactose, peanuts, casein gluten or carrageenan.
- Certified (FSC) as coming from responsible sources.
- Was great in coffee, lending a vanilla taste.
- Storage: Pantry until opened, fridge for 7-10 days
- Company states: Non GMO, they do not disturb top soils and do not use pesticides. Their milk is vegan, lactose free and do not use roasted nuts.
As a tree nuts, this drink can trigger a allergic response in sensitive people.
Review
I do not recommend this drink, although it does taste good in an ice cream way. My spouse and Michelle, my taste tester, thought this drink tasted like vanilla ice cream.
- Environmentally I believe this is a product that requires too much of our limited resources (water and bees).
- The lack of protein, calcium, and VitD are significant (although there are versions of almond milk that has these items added).
- You need to verify the milk is organic to assure avoidance of the dangerous pesticides used on almond trees.
Hazelnuts (aka Filberts)
Nutrition
- Hazelnut milk are free from gluten, lactose, and soy.
- They are low in calories, with no cholesterol or saturated fat.
- Are sources for VitB1, VitB2, VitB6, and VitE and are rich in plant-based omega-3 fatty acid ALA.
Medical
MilksandHelath writes that hazelnut milk has:
- Essential fatty acids (used to build the body’s cells)
- Vitamins A, B, and E
- Vitamin A is especially known for its beneficial actions at the view and the development of bones and skin
- Vitamin B improves the immune and nervous system
- Vitamin E is an antioxidant and plays an important role in neutralizing free radicals
Environmnent
Nearly 99% of the American Hazelnuts are frown in Oregon (2),
TheGuardian writes that for consumers who want the nutritiousness and tastiness of a nut milk but without the environmental impacts of almond farming, the hazelnut is a rising star. They note that similar to all tree nuts, their growth helps pull carbon from the atmosphere, and help reduce greenhouse emissions.
Hazelnuts generally grow naturally in wetter climates, rather than the central valley in California, so that water use is not as much of an issue.
Unlike almonds, hazelnuts are pollinated by the wind rather than bees.
√ Pacific Hazelnut Beverage
This drink tastes like a creamy, hazelnut beverage. The taste lingers a bit so you really need to enjoy that nut to enjoy this drink; I happen to have grown up with hazelnuts so enjoy them a lot. My spouse did not like it as much.
- Color: creamish white
- Viscosity: Like 2% cows milk
- Taste: sweet with a lingering hint of hazelnut
- Fortified: VitD and Calcium
- Uses a rice-based sweetener
- Advertised as gluten free and vegan.
- Was great in coffee, lending a hazelnut taste.
- Storage: Pantry until opened, fridge for 7-10 days
- Company states: Non GMO, they do not disturb top soils and do not use pesticides. Their milk is vegan, lactose free and do not use roasted nuts.
Review
This is recommended, provided you do not have a tree allergy. Creamy, tasty and can be used 1:1 in baking or shakes.