As a child, I have always loved milk. My mom said when I was an infant, the only time I would make a fuss was when I was asking for milk. My affinity with milk continued to my teenage years, but when I reached my 20s I started having stomach aches whenever I would drink or eat something milky. I tried to observe it for a few weeks, and without fail, whenever I would have milk or something made from it, my tummy would start to rumble and hurt.
Worried, I went to my doctor and told him about my symptoms. He then told me the most dreaded words I never want to hear - that I was lactose intolerant. I could not believe it. How was this possible when I have always loved milk? My physician said it happens. With time, our bodies change. He said that it’s the same with allergies. There may be food that you weren’t allergic to before, but now you are and vice versa.
This revelation bummed me out, but my good doctor was quick to thwart my disappointment. He told me that he, too, is lactose intolerant, but that has not stopped him from drinking milk. He introduced me to Elmhurst. He gave me a brief background, but since our time was limited, he told me to research it.
Elmhurst was established in 1925. Founded by his father and uncle, Henry Schwartz actually closed the last dairy in New York. A year later, Elmhurst resurrected as a plant milk company. It turns out, Henry noticed that milk consumptions had been declining since the 1970s while plant-based alternatives grew. First, there was soy milk, and then there was almond.
By a stroke of chance, Henry met with the famous food technologist, Dr. Cheryl Mitchell, who was ready to launch HydroRelease. This was a revolutionary method in plant-based nutrition. With HydroRelease, the components of a nut, grain, or seed are separated and reassembled as creamy, beverage-ready emulsion. Because of this process, the original nutrition of the ingredient is maintained. Gums or emulsifiers are no longer necessary to hold the product together.
Because of this new method, Henry has decided to partner with Dr. Mitchell and together they brought this technology to the market. And the best part? They still have delivery trucks zipping through New York City to bring milky goodness. Now, let’s get to know this rich, creamy, and keto-friendly milk substitute.
Elmhurst has two milk categories: Milked Nuts and Milked Grains. Under Milked Nuts, they have Milked Almonds, Unsweetened Milk Almonds, Milked Cashews, Milked Hazelnuts, Milked Walnuts, Milked Peanuts, Milked Peanuts with Chocolate, Unsweetened Milked Walnuts, and Unsweetened Milked Cashews. Under Milked Grains, they have Milked Oats and Milked Brown Rice.
I decided to go with Elmhurst Milked Hazelnut. It only has 6 simple ingredients: filtered water, hazelnuts, cane sugar, almonds, natural flavors, and salt. A single serving is 240 ml and has 140 calories, 11 grams of total fat, 105 milligrams of sodium, 7 grams of carbohydrates, and 4 grams of protein. Elmhurst has up to two times more nuts per serving compared to other commercial leading brands.
Elmhurst has no added gums, emulsifiers, and artificial flavors. Therefore, it is vegan, dairy-free, carrageenan-free, gluten-free, and Kosher. Since peanuts are rich in fats, this milk is also keto-friendly.
My order arrived while I was at the office so I immediately instructed my sister to put it in the refrigerator for me. I wanted to have it before bed, just like a kid! When I took my first sip, I immediately tasted the hazelnut. It was so rich and creamy. In terms of mouthfeel, there is definitely no difference from regular milk. I loved it so much, I decided to take out my milk foamer to see if foams, and it did! I had a tiny moment of panic after taking a big gulp thinking it was full-cream milk, but then I remembered it is not. I was so happy because there was no stomach rumbling and pain after.
It can be frustrating when we are told we cannot eat certain food because of health reasons, but we must also remember that there are healthier and safer alternatives available to us now. All we need to do is look.