Pea, Hemp & Banana: What’s New in Plant Milks

A Shift Away From Dairy

Sales of almond milk have skyrocketed by more than 250 percent over the past five years, according to Nielsen.

The days when a milkman would drop cows’ milk on our doorstep every morning are far behind us! It seems that from one day to the next, the world has shifted to plant-based alternatives. Of course, there is a good reason for that! The negative health effects of dairy are now widely acknowledged by both the scientific community and the general population.

The sales of plant kinds of milk have skyrocketed in the past few years and the increasing variety reflects the increasing demand.  Almond, soy, and coconut milk have dominated the non-dairy world for decades but now they have plenty of competition! Rice, oat, and other nut milk such as hazelnut and cashew have also been trending. But that’s not all!

Hemp Milk

Hemp milk is relatively new to the dairy-free market and it is made by crushing and soaking hemp seeds in water.

Hemp milk has a very impressive nutritional profile. For starters, a single cup of hemp milk can provide nearly half of your daily requirements for calcium and it has a great balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Hemp milk is also a good source of iron, potassium, magnesium, and zinc.

Studies suggest that because of some of its properties, hemp milk can prove health-promoting.

Some of the health benefits include:

• Improved cognition.
• Bone density improvement.
• Lowered blood pressure.

Pea Milk

No, it doesn’t taste like peas and no, it’s not green!

Pea milk is one of the new, cool kids on the block! The making process begins with harvesting yellow peas and milling them into flour. Then, the protein is separated from the starch and fiber and diluted in water and other ingredients.

Compared to almond, pea milk has 8 times more protein which makes it great for plant-based athletes.

Banana Milk

The banana milk hype is real. You’ve seen it on Instagram, you’ve seen it on every vegan blog out there. It’s the newest non-dairy milk trend.

All you need to make it yourself is some bananas, water, and a blender. Voila! Banana milk in a matter of seconds!

But if spending time in the kitchen is not your thing, worry not! A new company called Banana Wave produces and sells non-GMO, gluten-free banana milk made from bananas, grains, and seeds. And you’d be happy to know that a glass of this new plant milk contains as much potassium as a small banana!