Replacements For Milk In Raw Diets

The raw food diet disallows any animal products in each meal, snack or drink, including animal milk. While not enough scientific evidence supports the raw diet's holistic healthfulness, a raw vegan diet, according to the Living Light Culinary Arts Institute, is highly nutritious and low in cholesterol. To replace milk, raw vegans often use sprouted nuts and seeds to make a liquid replacement, often called mylk. If you are thinking about changing your diet, speak with a registered dietician, your doctor or a nutritionist to determine whether or not the diet is healthy for your specific nutritional needs.

Nut Milk

Nut milk is considered a healthy, cholesterol-free way to enjoy milk on raw cereals, granolas or in shakes. Many raw food advocates drink milks made out of almonds, but any nut or seed will do. Milks made out of nuts reap the nutritional benefits of nuts, and are therefore full of omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and vitamin E. Nut milk is high in calories, however, so moderation is key.

Making Milk

One of the most well-known raw vegan proponents, Dr. Gabriel Cousens, explains how to make a nut milk in his 2003 book, Rainbow Green Live-Food Cuisine. After nuts or seeds have been sprouted and drained, blend one cup of nuts or seeds with two cups of liquid. Strain the mixture with a cheesecloth or nut milk bag. Once the mixture is strained, you will have smooth milk.

Flavored Milk

To make flavored milk, Ani Phyo, an oft-celebrated raw food chef suggests sweetening with agave syrup or dates. You may also use stevia or raw sugar to sweeten your milk. Some raw food chefs will make vanilla milk by adding a whole raw vanilla bean or vanilla extract to the mixture and blend it with the nuts. To make chocolate milk, add cocoa, cacao or carob powder to your mixture. Dr. Cousens suggests adding dried fruits to the mixture to make fruit-flavored milk.

Calcium

Getting calcium in your diet can be accomplished without dairy or cow's milk. According to author Cathe Olson of VegFamily Magazine, kale may be one of the best sources of non-dairy calcium because it does not contain the oxalic acid that prevents calcium from being absorbed into your body. Many raw vegans make "green smoothies" with kale, smoothies that are made by blending fruit and leafy green vegetables together to get the calcium they need. Fresh vegetable juices made with kale also provide calcium to the raw vegan.