Of all the plant-based milks on the market today, the most unusual has to be potato milk. What? Yes, potato milk, which is simply milk that is made out of potatoes and little else. There are two ways you can get a hold of potato milk and drink it: buy a commercial potato milk in the stores, or make the potato milk yourself. The thing is, there is currently only one company that makes potato milk, and the product is only available in certain parts of Europe. This means that people in North America and other parts of the world will either have to make their own potato milk or wait until this product reaches their country.
What Is Potato Milk?
Potato milk is the latest plant-based milk to hit the market, and it is made for people who want to eliminate dairy products from their lives, either due to being lactose-intolerant or because they are interested in following the vegan lifestyle. If you choose to switch to potato milk, you’ll be able to use it in your tea and coffee, poured on top of your breakfast cereal, or even used when making macaroni and cheese. The thing is, some people do claim that potato milk has a “saline aftertaste,” which is something to keep in mind when you’re adding potato milk to your diet.
The transition from potato field to an ingredient used with your coffee starts with the potato being heated, strained, and emulsified with water and rapeseed oil so that it has a creamy and liquified consistency. The rapeseed oil is heart-healthy because it is loaded with omega-3s, and it helps make the potato milk the right texture, which is similar to cow’s milk. Some manufacturers add chicory fiber and pea protein, while others add vanilla and other sweeteners to the milk.
Because of these things, and because most people tend to love the taste of potato milk once they try it, many experts believe it is all set to replace other types of non-dairy milk, including oat milk, in part because it is more sustainable and still offers great taste and nutrition, not to mention a reasonable price. Soy, almond, pea, and oat milk have all increased in popularity in the past few years, and many people believe it is now potato milk’s turn. Only time will tell.
What Is So Special About Potato Milk?
There are numerous things that make potato milk so unique. First of all, it doesn’t contain any of the usual allergens that are sometimes present in other plant-based milks, including soy. It has a mild flavor but a texture that is super creamy, thanks to the natural starch that is found in potatoes. Even better, potato milk is far more sustainable than other types of plant-based milk. It requires 50 times less water than almond milk, and it produces far less carbon dioxide than milk that comes from animals.
In addition, growing potatoes requires much smaller spaces than growing things such as oats and even almonds. Not only is potato milk a sustainable product, but it is also a healthy one. Potatoes, and therefore potato milk, have lots of antioxidants, fiber, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin C. These ingredients have been proven to reduce the likelihood of getting heart disease, diabetes, and even certain cancers. It also helps with digestive and blood sugar issues.
The thing is, right now there is only one brand of potato milk, manufactured by Veg of Lund and called DUG. DUG is available in three different flavors: original, barista, and unsweetened. The problem is that currently, DUG is only found in European countries and no other location, which means if you live in North America or one of the Asian countries, you won’t be able to find it. That being said, most people expect DUG to be available in North America and the rest of the world fairly soon, so you shouldn’t have to wait long to find it.
Can You Make Potato Milk Yourself?
There are only two options when it comes to consuming potato milk: buy it from the store or make it yourself. Currently, there are tons of recipes found online for potato milk, and one of the advantages of making it yourself is that you’ll know exactly which ingredients are going into your milk. Of course, commercial potato milk has the advantage of adding certain nutrients to it, which are added by the manufacturer. These include calcium, vitamins D and B12, and folic acid. When you make your own potato milk, you won’t be able to add these things to it, but you’ll still have a very pure form of potato milk in the end.
More often than not, recipes for potato milk consist of one or more of the following ingredients (besides potatoes, of course): water, vanilla extract, maple syrup, crushed almonds, and sometimes sugar. The sugar can be artificial or real, depending on your preferences. Basically, recipes for making potato milk require that you boil the potatoes in water until they’re soft, put them in a blender, and add a few other ingredients before blending thoroughly. You can add water as necessary to get the milk the consistency that you prefer. Homemade potato milk lasts around two to three days if you keep it in the refrigerator, and it’s best when kept in a glass container in the meantime.
Conclusion
Potato milk is the newest type of non-dairy, plant-based milk, and it’s taking the world by storm. The ingredients found in potatoes make for a very healthy type of milk, but the company that makes the only potato-based milk adds several vitamins and minerals to the milk to make it even healthier. Potatoes alone carry quite a punch when it comes to nutrition, so even if you make your potato milk yourself, it is still going to be chock full of vitamins and minerals for you to enjoy.
One thing is certain – whether you make potato milk yourself or buy it off the grocer’s shelf, you’ll get tons of nutrients to get healthier in no time, and the fact that the milk has such good taste and texture is just icing on the cake.