World Plant Milk Day
Today, April 22nd is World Plant Milk Day. World Plant Milk Day encourages the inhabitants of the earth to become more conscious towards the alternative options that are readily available to them vs. intaking mucous forming dairy milk that can cause harm in so many ways. Alternative milk, which is also known as plant-based milk like almond, cashew, coconut, rice, oats, etc are a few examples of these delicious, wholesome milks. These milks are more nutritious for the body, better for the environment and ethical for the animals that walk the earth daily. Use today to educate yourself on why World Plant Milk Day is so important and shared the news with a friend or loved one.
The History of World Plant Milk Day
People have been dabbling in plant-based milks for decades, especially coconut and rice milk; however, it wasn’t until the last 3 decades that the plant-based movement began to make a significant dent in the dairy market. Then World Plant Milk Day came about from Robbie Lockie, Co-founder of Plant Based News, in 2017 and established as a partnership with ProVeg in 2018. This initiative, alongside others who wanted to make the movement even larger, has many of us celebrating and bringing awareness to World Plant Milk Day and its importance.
The Significance World Plant Milk Day
World Plant Milk Day is celebrated on August 22nd each year since Robbie coined it a day. This day is a dedication to promoting the consumption of plant-based milk alternatives as a sustainable and ethical choice for individuals and the planet. Plant-based milk, such as almond, coconut, cashew, hemp, rice, oat, soy milk, and others, have gained popularity as alternatives to traditional dairy milk for various reasons: including health, environmental, and ethical considerations such as animal welfare. World Plant Milk Day aims to raise awareness about the benefits of plant-based milk, encourage people to try such alternatives and showcase the positive impacts their actions can have on animals, the environment, and personal well-being. This day and even week marks conscious promotional events, social media campaigns, and educational activities to spread information about plant-based milk options and their advantages.
Health
Adopting a plant-based milk approach offers numerous health benefits that make it a compelling choice for individuals looking to enhance their overall well-being. Plant-based milks can be easier on the digestive system for some individuals, as they lack lactose and may cause fewer gastrointestinal discomforts. Dairy milk alternatives are naturally lactose-free, making them suitable for individuals who are lactose intolerant. Moreover, many plant-based milk alternatives are fortified with essential nutrients such as calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12, which are imperative for bone health, immune function, and overall well-being. The vitamins and minerals in dairy-free milk ensure that daily nutritional requirements are met. Plant-based milk is also usually lower in fat and calories too, this helps to maintain a healthy heart and low cholesterol. Plant-based milk alternatives are free from the naturally occurring hormones that are present in dairy milk, which are often a concern for many individuals. Consuming more plant based milk can be healthful to improving conditions of many chronic diseases over time.
Environment
In the realm of environmental stewardship, dairy production which includes milk has been associated with significant resource consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Opting for plant-based milk generally offers lower emissions of greenhouse gases, as they don't involve methane-producing livestock. Production processes for these alternatives often have a smaller carbon footprint. Many plant-based milk alternatives, such as almond, oat, and coconut milk, typically require less land and water resources. They often have a smaller ecological footprint due to less intensive agriculture.
Animals/Ethics
Equally vital is the ethical dimension. By choosing dairy milk alternatives, individuals such as yourself can contribute to minimizing animal exploitation, promoting humane treatment, and reducing the demand for intensive livestock farming practices. Female cows are impregnated for human consumption of milk not their calves and when they can't reproduce anymore they are sent off to slaughter houses to be used for meat. Making a conscious choice to care and be conscious is in line with the growing awareness of animal rights and compassionate consumption that is taking place all throughout the world. Now that you know, do your part to do better.
Read Dairy-Free Milk Labels
No matter what reason you have for participating in World Plant Milk Day, the week or beyond, just always remember to read the labels. Knowledge is power, some milk alternative brands tout “natural” and “goodness” or “wholesome” words but can have lots of added sugar in their products. Excess sugar or processed goods then defeats the purpose and makes the milk less nutritious than it would be without the added sugars or even additives. Therefore, reading and understanding the label is imperative especially when you are not making it yourself. Below you will find a few of our favorite plant-based milk brands to set you off on the right track if you need a great place to start. Click the links below to lead you to their sites to learn more
Our 6 Favorite Plant-Based Milk Brands
Get Creative
If you are up for experimenting in the kitchen, you can make your own plant milk using a blender and cheese cloth at home as well. It is a fun and fairly easy process where you are in complete control of the flavor and ingredients. This milk making process is something that we have been doing for over a decade now. Almond, coconut, hemp, macadamia, pumpkin, rice, and cashew milk are the ones we started with in the beginning days. Nut butters are also easy to make while doing this process too. No one is going to judge; give every type of plant-based milk you want or like a try. You can’t go wrong no matter what you try because there is a lot of creativity, intention and love involved.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, on this World Plant Milk Day, if you have not yet tried plant-based milk, it may be time you give it a go. It may take some getting used to at first or you may just love the taste immediately, either way you have nothing to lose and all to gain because your actions are doing so much to improve the environment, possibly your health, and those you love and is protecting the female animals that provide milk to humans at the expense of their own children. Conscious choices about the things we can do to make this world a better place will make all the difference in the long run. So, let’s raise a glass to reduce the carbon footprint and improve the longevity of animal’s lives and our own health because we choose to make conscious decisions about what we drink. Cheers to supporting living cruelty free this World Plant Milk Day.
