Milk...Does a body good?

When you think of Cow's milk, do you still think of calcium and strong bones? Perhaps you also remember the old slogan “Milk, does a body good”, or maybe you remember images of your favorite celebs rockin a milk mustache? The dairy industry has done a fabulous job of selling the American public on the "health benefits" of their product for generations. 

Reality Check, cow’s milk is for baby cows! Naturally containing copious amounts of hormones and protein, which are indeed essential, that is, essential to turning an 65-pound calf into an 800 pound cow in one year! That amount of protein and hormones is not only unnecessary but unhealthy for human consumption. Because these hormones occur naturally, they are even found in organically produced milk. Yikes!

But wait, don't we need milk? Let us put it this way, milk from a cow is as necessary as milk from a pig or a horse or any other species in the animal kingdom. Human breast milk is the perfect food for human babies, while cow’s milk is the perfect food for, drum roll please...cow babies!

Hormones aside, Milk is acidic to the body and contrary to popular belief, is NOT good for the bones! Take a look at the statistics. Is it any coincidence that countries that consume the most dairy are also the countries with the highest amount of osteoporosis? We think not!

Cow’s milk has been correlated with heart disease, Type 1 diabetes, and several types of cancer. Don't take our word for it, do your own homework.  

Not only is dairy bad for the bod, it's also bad for the planet.

Why?

Lots of waste!! In fact, your average dairy cow produces 120 pounds of waste every day—equal to that of more than two dozen people, but without toilets, sewers, or treatment plants

In Central Valley of California alone, the cows produce as much excrement, yes referring to fecal matter here, as a city of 21 million people, and even a smaller farm of 200 cows will produce as much nitrogen as in the sewage from a community of 5,000 to 10,000 people, according to a U.S. Senate report on animal waste. That’s just Central Valley!!

If you care about the environment, there’s never been a better time to go dairy free! Your body, your planet and the cows will surely thank you!

Now that we've cleared the air and are hopefully on the same page, let's chat about Almond Milk, one of the many fantastic milk substitutions. 

Naturally low in calories and high in vitamins and minerals, there is no question that almond milk is an excellent "Choice" for topping off that morning latte, mixing in your daily smoothie or just pouring over your favorite bowl of GF granola. But is all almond milk created equal? Not necessarily so. While there are some good options on the market, here are a couple of things to watch out for when buying from the grocery store.

•   Carrageenan, a know carcinogen commonly found in milks, ice creams and other packaged products. Causes inflammation and digestive issues and has been linked to increased risk of certain cancers. Yuck!

•  Processed sugars, an addictive chemical derived from sugar cane. Known to interfere with normal body function, acidic to the body, known depressant and highly addictive. Check your labels! Watch out for these unnecessary added sugars. 

•  Chemical preservatives, pretty self explanatory! Chemicals placed in our foods to preserve the shelf life. Keep in mind, the longer the shelf life of a food item, the shorter yours! Food is supposed to be perishable. Preservatives are always lurking & should be avoided at all cost! 

 If you've been into Choice, you've probably heard us say that we make our own almond milk which makes our smoothies so special. After having one of our smoothies, you have probably confirmed this statement. Making your own almond milk is simple to do at home, will taste better, and have a higher nutritional bang for your buck!

We are going to let you in on a little secret. Almonds, a superfood in their own right, are tiny little treasure chests loaded with nutrients but locked up tight! The key to unlocking them is simple. Soaking and sprouting! Easy right? Soaking Almonds releases the enzyme inhibitors allowing you to have access to the treasures inside. Sprouted almonds are clearly the healthy way to go, but they also make the most creamy and tasty milk too!

 If you aren't up for making your own, You can always swing by Choice!

For those of you who are curious about making your own here is our favorite recipe. (Note: you will need a nut milk bag which can be purchased online at http://www.amazon.com/Nut-Milk-Bag)

Sprouted Vanilla Almond Milk

Ingredients:

•   1 cup of sprouted almonds (soak raw organic almonds overnight, strain and rinse)

•   4 cups alkaline water

•   1 date

•   1/2 tsp pure vanilla bean powder

•   1 dash himalayan salt

Directions: 

Blend all ingredients in a high powered blender (we recommend Vitamix). Strain through nut milk bag and refrigerate immediately. Consume all that goodness within 3 days!