Make Your Own Almond Milk To Avoid This Ingredient

A real blogger would have their own photos, this from Vitamix

I am not one of those people who feels I have to make everything myself. Part of me would like to be that person. Realistically, I’m of the belief if someone else can do it better I will defer to them. I buy Rao’s tomato sauce, Purely Elizabeth granola and Siggi’s yogurt. I could technically make of each of these things but not like Raos, Elizabeth or Siggi. There are other foods I make at home either because it tastes better or has better ingredients.  I like my smoothies better than any shop or juice bar; I also make my own almond milk.

Homemade almond milk is delicious and incredibly easy (if you own a good blender). You can use it in smoothies or oatmeal, for chia pudding or steamed with matcha. Almond milk is a good source of magnesium. Warm it up, add some cinnamon or lightly sweeten and it’s amazing after dinner.

I didn’t always make my own almond milk but started when I read the ingredients on my unsweetened almond milk and saw carrageenan. Carrageenan is a thickener derived from seaweed; it’s related to Irish Moss and very difficult to digest. Research has confirmed it’s inflammatory and can affect insulin function. Dr Tobacman is one of the primary carrageenan researchers; it’s hard to believe carrageenan is so widely used once you start reading her work. When you make almond milk at home, simply shaking the jar avoids the need for any additive of this type, what would you prefer?

So, to make your own almond milk you’ll need

1 cup raw almonds

3 to 4 cups filtered water

pinch of Himalayan salt

optional: stevia or maple syrup

optional: cinnamon, vanilla bean, cardamom, nutmeg, cacao powder

What you’ll do:

1. Place almonds in a bowl or jar and cover with water. Soak almonds overnight (some at the Foodtrainers’ office rush this soaking but I like an overnight soak). The almonds plump up nicely.
2. Rinse the almonds and put in the blender (Vitamix plug, works beautifully for this) cover with 3-4 cups of water.
3. Add sweetener or spices if you’d like. I was burned by a potent vanilla bean one time so I often make the milk plain and spice/flavor when I add it to a recipe..
4. Blend 1-2 minutes or until smooth.
5. You can stop here but I suggest straining through a fine sieve. There also are such things as nut milk bags for this process but I’ve never gone there. I have been known to strain twice.I know people do amazing things with the almond meal (baking and such). Mine goes bye bye.

Store in a large Mason jar for 3-5 days.

Yield is approximately 3 cups and in the vicinity of 100 calories per cup.

If you’re not interested in DIY-ing; OMilk in NYC and 365/Whole Foods make nut milks without carrageenan.

http://foodtrainers.blogspot.com/2012/05/foodtrainers-favorite-milk.html

Where do you stand on the DIY spectrum? What do you make yourself? Which foods to you purchase premade? Are you aware of carrageenan? Any nut milk variations to suggest?

While I have no almond milk photos I do have some recent celebration pictures. A thank you to Fat Witch bakery for these football-themed brownies and blondies (see I didn’t make my own) and a shout out to Hint, kids loved it.

Color Me Carcinogenic

On Thursday I am giving a nutrition talk at a preschool in Manhattan. I plan to cover a few topics: organics, healthy snacking and vitamins. When talking about snacks for kids and vitamins I find it impossible to ignore the topic of food dyes.  Certain artificial food dyes have been shown to be carcinogenic to animals, others affect mood and intensify ADHD and a few are associated with fertility even sterility. This is not a laughing matter. I bet you’re wondering how these dyes are approved for use; I don’t blame you if you do. The British government has urged companies to stop using most dyes, and the European Union requires a warning notice on most dyed foods. In European countries these colorings are considered hazardous until they can be proven safe. Sadly, in the US we have the opposite approach. These colorings are safe until proven otherwise.  As a consequence, Kellogg, Kraft, McDonald’s, and other American companies that do business in Europe use safe, natural colorings over there — but harmful, synthetic chemicals here. As far as I’m concerned, this is a case where the proof may indeed be in the pudding and I’ve already reached my verdict, read on and see what you think.

I asked Lisa, Foodtrainers’ favorite nutrition nerd to provide answers to some questions I’m “dye-ing” to know:

I always tell parents the food dyes are more likely to blame for hyperactivity than the sugar, what does the research show?

A British study reported in "Archives of Disease in Children" in 2004 found that hyperactive behavior increased in children given food coloring plus sodium benzoate, a preservative. Hyperactive behavior decreased when the additives were withdrawn. A 2007 study published in The Lancet showed that children have increased levels of hyperactivity after consuming drinks laced with food coloring. According to the Mayo Clinic, yellow food dye no. 5, no. 6 and no. 10, and red no. 40 all cause an increase in hyperactivity. Food additives that may increase hyperactive behavior include: Sodium benzoate, Yellow No. 6 (sunset yellow), Yellow No. 10 (quinoline yellow), Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine) and Red No.40 (allura red) Yellow No. 5, used in beverages, candy, ice cream, custards and other foods, may be more likely to cause reactions than other additives. The Food and Drug Administration requires that Yellow No. 5 be clearly labeled on food packaging along with other ingredients.  This label is just indicating Yellow 5 is in the food. This is not a warning label.

People may think food dyes aren’t an issue if you don’t eat candy or neon-colored food but food dyes are found in some sneaky places, aren’t they? 

Food dyes can be found in pickles, some farmed salmon, certain mustards, granola bars and Life Cereal. As you see from this list, food coloring is lurking in foods that seem pretty much colorless. And another place dyes are used is in medicine. Specific colors are not always listed but look for “color added”, “artificial color” or “artificial coloring added.”

Aside from mood, what more serious things are dyes connected with?

 According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, food coloring such as blue no. 1, red no. 40, yellow no. 5 and yellow no. 6 cause allergic reactions. Yellow food dye no. 5 has triggered asthma episodes in children and other dyes, such as red no. 40, cause skin conditions such as eczema. Yellow #2 has been connected with male sterility and ADHD. Blue 1 and Blue 2 used in beverages and often in pet food has been associated with brain tumors in animal studies and Red 3 is linked with thyroid tumors.

What are examples of healthy ways to color food?

Better choices include annatto extract (yellow), dehydrated beets (bluish-red to brown), beta-carotene (yellow to orange) and grape skin extract (red, green).  These colorings are not required to be named and you may simply see colorings or color added. For home use matcha green tea powder, beet juice (makes icing pink), cocoa and avocado can be used. Here is a recipe you'll love for frosting for St Patrick’s Day. 

Thanks Lisa, this is great information. My advice is that everyone needs to check their food labels particularly for foods they consume regularly. If these foods contain dyes consider switching to a product that doesn’t.  And parents, know that when children leave a birthday party their behavior is not due to a “sugar high.”

Do you look for food dyes on food labels? Have you ever had a reaction to a food dye? Are you at all shocked that these are approved for use?


*Congratulations to Gayle, she's the winner of the Hardwick giveaway.