How is plant milk made?

How is plant milk made?

All plant milks follow the same idea: break the plant down in water and remove the solids. The details depend on the ingredient.

Soy milk

1. Soak soybeans in water overnight.
2. Grind the soaked beans with more water into a slurry.
3. Cook the slurry, stirring. Cooking soybeans is an essential step.
4. Strain out the pulp. Commercial producers use a centrifuge, while home cooks simply strain it.

Almond milk

1. Soak almonds in plenty of water.
2. Grind them with water.
3. Sift or strain out the pulp, leaving a milky white liquid.

Oat milk

At home: blend oats with ice-cold water for a short time, then strain gently. One cooking site advises not soaking the oats and not over-blending, because both make the milk slimy. Industrial oat milk uses an enzyme step that breaks oat starch into simpler sugars. This is why shop oat milk tastes sweet even when no sugar is added. Harvard notes that sugars created during oat processing are counted as added sugars.

What happens in a factory?

• The mixture is separated by filtering or spinning.
• It is heat-treated (pasteurized or UHT) to kill germs and extend shelf life.
• Many brands add oil, salt, stabilizers and sweeteners to improve texture and taste.
• Many are fortified, for example with calcium. Fortification varies, so check the label.

How long does homemade plant milk keep?

One cooking site says homemade oat milk lasts about 3 to 5 days in the fridge. Shake before use, because settling is normal.

Is homemade the same as store-bought?

No. Homemade milk is simpler but usually has no added calcium or vitamins. Harvard says nutrition varies widely by type and brand, and it suggests choosing unsweetened versions.

Which one should you try?

For protein, soy comes closest to dairy milk (Harvard lists about 7 to 10 g per cup). Plain almond and oat are about 1 g.