After reading some posts on here & elsewhere, I have found that soy milk/soy products are bad. Same for rice milk - darn, I thought that might be a good alternative.

I haven't found really anything "wrong" with Hemp milk in my searches, except for the fact that it is obviously a "processed" food. I know there are also recipes that yo9u can use almonds & other nuts to make a milk type beverage, but here again, since nuts are pasteurized/sterilized, still not the best choice.

I have tried blending Bananas/water/ maybe a little flax oil for a milk type drink; It is okay, but I still need something a bit more suitable for kids & other family members who are used to drinking the soy/rice milk, especially the chocolate varieties.

Any suggestions? what do you all use?

How are the Hemp seeds "fixed" so that they won't sprout ? Are they cooked or something else ? Are they still raw ?

I was referring to already prepared Hemp milk. I know it isn't raw, but thought maybe it would be better than soy, since I have been hearing really bad things about soy. I was just wondering what others on here are doing as an alternative that may have kids & family that are used to milk products, for cereals, etc.

Of the "milks" you listed, hemp milk is going to be the healthiest, but thats if you prepare it yourself. The store bought stuff is probably pasteurized.

But hemp milk is easy to make. Just hemp seeds and water, and maybe a little date to take the edge off the hemp seed taste.

The hulled hemp seeds are going to be fine. They haven't been cooked, but just had the hulls removed.

agreed, hemp is easy to do no straining etc

if your really stuck for time..just blend the nut butter and water up, add a couple dates. done!

Looks like Hemp seeds are the way to go. There isn't anyplace local for me to purchase them (I live in PA), so I will have to buy online. I didn't realize they were so expensive!

Does anyone have a good place that they buy in bulk online? I am seeing prices like 5 lb./$50.00.

oh I drink rice milk with calcium every day. Why is this not good for you. it still must not be as bad for you as cows milk

sure..healthier than cows milk

but still..pasteurised, old, rancid... old..lol same as cartoned juice IMO

up to you what you use for transition purposes

Ingredients for Almond breeze

Ingredients: Purified water, almonds, cocoa (dutch process), tapioca starch, calcium carbonate, sea salt, potassium citrate, natural flavor, carrageenan, soy lecithin, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D2 and d-alpha-tocopherol (natural vitamin E).

for Rice milk

Ingredients: filtered water, organic brown rice (partially milled), organic expeller pressed safflower and/or canola oil, tricalcium phosphate, sea salt, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D2, vitamin B12.


says it all!! ..hope you have some luck getting cheaper hemp seeds!

I also like almond milk. Soak the almonds overnight, blend in the vitamix with a date and some water, strain and drink. The pulp makes a really nice spreadable "cheeze": flavor it however you want, a little minced garlic, parsley, lemon juice. Spread on flax crackers or celery.

If you're going to do banana milk or eat fruit at all, best to eat/drink it without seeds, without nuts, without grains. Why are you using any type of milk at all? What are you using it for?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/23/2009 04:55PM by Utopian Life.

I used to make a smoothie from strawberries, bananas, a small amount of hulled hemp seeds, a date or agave and it was GORGEOUS! The hemp seeds made it really creamy and helped balance the sweetness.

Hellokitty Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> oh I drink rice milk with calcium every day. Why
> is this not good for you. it still must not be as
> bad for you as cows milk

I don't get the "not as bad as cow's milk" I think this is what we have all been lead to believe, but commercially produced rice/soy milk is just as bad as cow's milk. Rice milk usually has added sugar, MSG, preservatives and like you mentioned is often fortified with calcium. Calcium is a mineral so our bodies only need a small amount of it, usually in our foods calcium is in combination with a bunch of other minerals and vitamins that make sure calcium gets into our bones where it belongs. Without those extra minerals and vitamins calcium can gets stored in the muscle tissue, the linings of the blood vessels, even the heart and cause heart disease. The excess calcium that our bodies do not store or the calcium in the wrong form that our bodies cannot use, which is the kind that they usually fortify food with overworks the kidneys.

juicerkatz Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Looks like Hemp seeds are the way to go. There
> isn't anyplace local for me to purchase them (I
> live in PA), so I will have to buy online. I
> didn't realize they were so expensive!
>
> Does anyone have a good place that they buy in
> bulk online? I am seeing prices like 5 lb./$50.00.


This is an ok price. Most organic nuts/seeds are in that price range of $10 a pound. Even hemp milk is $5 a container and it is not organic.

Chia milk!

Okay, this is from memory, so if it sucks, I'm sorry:

2 Tbls chia seeds
2 Tbls walnuts

Soak these overnight in a cup of water.
In the morning, put in the blender with:
3 cups water
2 pitted dates
dash of vanilla (or vanilla bean, or alcohol-free vanilla, or vanilla powder...)

Blend like crazy until smooth. You can strain it if you like, to get rid of the black bits from the chia seed. Use within 3 days.

When it's fresh, it's really good.

> I don't get the "not as bad as cow's milk" I think
> this is what we have all been lead to believe, but
> commercially produced rice/soy milk is just as bad
> as cow's milk.

Even though store-bought rice milk isn't just rice and water it is a far healthier alternative to cow's milk (http://www.milkmyths.org.uk/health/index.php).

Most popular rice milk brands usually add sea salt, sometimes agave or a different fruit-based sweetener, *sometimes* calcium, b12 etc (only some are fortified), I've personally never seen MSG in any popular rice milk product.

IMHO, rice milk is one of the best (if not the best) non-raw alternatives to milk. It's also quite easy to get hold of, which is good. Or you could make your own which would be more ideal as you could control the ingredients.


dhsredhead Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hellokitty Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > oh I drink rice milk with calcium every day.
> Why
> > is this not good for you. it still must not be
> as
> > bad for you as cows milk
>
> I don't get the "not as bad as cow's milk" I think
> this is what we have all been lead to believe, but
> commercially produced rice/soy milk is just as bad
> as cow's milk. Rice milk usually has added sugar,
> MSG, preservatives and like you mentioned is often
> fortified with calcium. Calcium is a mineral so
> our bodies only need a small amount of it, usually
> in our foods calcium is in combination with a
> bunch of other minerals and vitamins that make
> sure calcium gets into our bones where it belongs.
> Without those extra minerals and vitamins calcium
> can gets stored in the muscle tissue, the linings
> of the blood vessels, even the heart and cause
> heart disease. The excess calcium that our bodies
> do not store or the calcium in the wrong form that
> our bodies cannot use, which is the kind that they
> usually fortify food with overworks the kidneys.

Really fighting an uphill battle with this one... I don't have any problem giving up anything "cold turkey" when I know it is bad for my health, but the rest of the family doesn't find it so easy. Too bad so many of us are controlled by our taste buds. And, to add insult to injury, the food companies put all these addictive chemicals in the foods to boot.

I haven't had a chance to try the hemp/almond recipes yet, but they are definantly on my short list of things to do. For now I am making banana milk for Muesli, etc. I was using granola until I learned recently that it is made with honey!

Darn, just can't escape it!!! The "bad" stuff is everywhere!!!

My favorite "milk" is made by blending the juice & pulp of a fresh, raw, young coconut.

coconut ... so simple
so good

suspendedindefinitely Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > I don't get the "not as bad as cow's milk" I
> think
> > this is what we have all been lead to believe,
> but
> > commercially produced rice/soy milk is just as
> bad
> > as cow's milk.
>
> Even though store-bought rice milk isn't just rice
> and water it is a far healthier alternative to
> cow's milk
> (http://www.milkmyths.org.uk/health/index.php).
>
> Most popular rice milk brands usually add sea
> salt, sometimes agave or a different fruit-based
> sweetener, *sometimes* calcium, b12 etc (only some
> are fortified), I've personally never seen MSG in
> any popular rice milk product.
>
> IMHO, rice milk is one of the best (if not the
> best) non-raw alternatives to milk. It's also
> quite easy to get hold of, which is good. Or you
> could make your own which would be more ideal as
> you could control the ingredients.
>
>
> dhsredhead Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Hellokitty Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > oh I drink rice milk with calcium every day.
> > Why
> > > is this not good for you. it still must not
> be
> > as
> > > bad for you as cows milk
> >
> > I don't get the "not as bad as cow's milk" I
> think
> > this is what we have all been lead to believe,
> but
> > commercially produced rice/soy milk is just as
> bad
> > as cow's milk. Rice milk usually has added
> sugar,
> > MSG, preservatives and like you mentioned is
> often
> > fortified with calcium. Calcium is a mineral so
> > our bodies only need a small amount of it,
> usually
> > in our foods calcium is in combination with a
> > bunch of other minerals and vitamins that make
> > sure calcium gets into our bones where it
> belongs.
> > Without those extra minerals and vitamins
> calcium
> > can gets stored in the muscle tissue, the
> linings
> > of the blood vessels, even the heart and cause
> > heart disease. The excess calcium that our
> bodies
> > do not store or the calcium in the wrong form
> that
> > our bodies cannot use, which is the kind that
> they
> > usually fortify food with overworks the kidneys.


Well I just checked out Pacific and Rice Dream's websites. Pacific Rice Milk does contain MSG and Rice Dream contains "natural flavors" which could also be MSG. There is an article on this website about some of the bad things about agave. The website you provided has data that can only really be applied to pasteurized milk, not raw. I believe their are negatives aspects to both drinking cow's milk and drinking rice milk because of the added sugars and MSG. BTW sea salt has the same level of sodium as normal salt. I also found the website you provided was created by Viva which is an animal rights group and is clearly bias. I think both are bad.

I like to make raw walnut milk as a base for smoothies:


1/4 cup walnuts and 1 cup of water. blend and strain

dhsredhead- I'm UK based. The supermarkets only carry usually carry 1 or 2 rice milk brands, but since I tend to frequent health food shops more, their non raw alternatives to cow's milk tend to have very basic ingredients, that includes nut milks too. As for the salt, many 'raw' food recipes are loaded with it! Obviously, two wrongs don't make a right, but I guess it depends on the individual and their attitude to salt.

Just because Viva is an animal-rights group, doesn't mean the info is rubbish I agree they will be biased but both Viva and the Vegan Society are very thorough when releasing their information, with sources to back up their claims, many of which can apply to raw milk as well as pasteurised.

Hi dhsredhead, I am trying to find the information that you found on the websites of Pacific and Rice Dream that you were writing about. I looked on their websites but cannot find that information. Can you tell me where to look for the web page? I found a list of ingredients on the Pacific website but cannot find the other information about MSG. Can you help? Thanks!
(

I am going to email Pacific and Rice Dream and hopefully they will be knowledgeable and truthful enough to answer my query of "is there MSG, Autolysed Yeast Extract or any other Glutamate in the product"

"Natural Flavor" is know as a catch phrase for MSG...In addition to that, the other posters did mention that it is a pasteurized, dead, bottled food...

I've definantly looked at my food intake since joining this forum & others like, & have made changes in the consumption of dead foods such as this.

When I first learned about MSG and the other names it falls under, I went through my pantry and found over half of my foods contained MSG. I got rid of all of those products immediately. I am so disappointed with our FDA (Food and Drug Administration.). They really should be protecting the population much better than they have.

I just emailed both companies. Curious to see what they say. I'll let you know. Here is a list of ingredients (supposedly all of them) in Rice Dream that I took a picture of.

I did the same thing; went to the pantry & cleaned house!

"I am so disappointed with our FDA (Food and Drug Administration.). They really should be protecting the population much better than they have."

I feel they are bought, just like politicians and all the rest... They aren't interested in protecting us, just how much $$$ they can rake in.

Just my personal opinion...

I called about the Rice Dream milk. They apologized for not emailing back but they were behind due to the long holiday. I asked the person there ""is there MSG, Autolysed Yeast Extract or any other Glutamate in the product" and she said that in the past it was not required for companies to disclose the Glutamates and that they could be listed under "Natural flavors". She said that current laws require that if there were any glutamates used that they must be listed seperately. If this is true, then Rice Dream does not have MSG......deenis

I got an email response from Pacific Natural Foods. What a nice letter:

Dear Deenis,
Thank you for emailing us. Pacific Natural Foods does not use Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) in any of our products. We understand your concern, as many people who are allergic to MSG are worried about hidden sources of free glutamates. Consumers have been incorrectly educated that any ‘natural flavoring’ is indeed a source of MSG.

Pacific Foods does not add MSG to any of our products, nor do we or any of our suppliers add MSG, hydrolyzed vegetable protein or any other source of free glutamate to our natural flavorings. We insist on a full disclosure from our natural flavoring suppliers through our Certified to the Source program, and if a supplier fails to comply we will not do business with them.

Autolyzed Yeast Extract starts from whole yeast grown typically in beet molasses. At the end of the yeast life cycle, the yeast cells will be ‘autolyzed,’ or broken down. This is a naturally occurring form of self-digestion that takes place within the organism. It is a comprised component of the yeast cell, the composition of which is primarily amino-acids, peptides, carbohydrates and salts. L-Glutamate is one of the amino acids that are present. L-Glutamate is not MSG. One of the differences between MSG and autolyzed yeast is the MSG is produced using an acid hydrolysis, resulting in potentially harmful contaminants.

Our Rice Beverage does not contain any MSG, Autolyzed Yeast or other Glutamates. I have attached a product guide for your convenience. I will also be sending coupons in the mail and you can expect to see those shortly.

At Pacific Natural Foods, we're passionate about great taste and quality products. Our delicious all natural recipes capture all the health, vitality and nutrition nature has to offer. We're also dedicated to making products that are of the absolute highest quality, and doing so in a way that is environmentally responsible. Our commitment to creating delicious, nutritious and convenient natural foods delivers a difference that you can taste.

With kind regards,




Cyndee Olsen
Consumer Services Coordinator
Pacific Foods of Oregon
(503) 692-9666
[www.pacificfoods.com]

Please consider the environment before printing this email.
Pacific Natural Foods does not share information.

I hope I was not out of place by making this letter public. If so, admin, please delete the previous post. Have a healthy day! ......deenis

deenis,

Wow, it's awesome how forthright these manufacturer people were with you--good job doing the legwork!