*I was gifted samples to try. All thoughts are my own.
I have stated before on this blog I am NOT a vegetarian or vegan. Lauren is. I don’t regularly drink plant milks, I like my half-and-half just fine. I honestly, have never really found a plant milk that I loved and had the same mouthfeel as dairy.
But, I was contacted by a brand called Elmhurst 1925 to review their line of nut milks. I said yes because I liked that they were going to send multiple types of nut milk at once and I could do a side-by-side comparison without spending money on something I might not link. Win-win. I also have several dairy-free neighbors who would enjoy the nut milks I might not need.
First, let’s start with a bit about the brand and its interesting story.
About Elmhurst 1925
Elmhurst was established in 1925 (thus the name) as a dairy with cows. It was started by Henry Schwartz’s family who hand-delivered bottled milk throughout the New York City boroughs.
In 2016, Henry decided to close it down. It was the last dairy left in New York City. But in 2017, he reopened as a plant milk company. Yep, the dairy that went vegan.
Henry made this change because the consumption of dairy has been declining in the United States and he saw that there was an increased demand for plant-based products. He was also starting to adopt a plant-based diet himself, so it seemed like a great fit!
At this time he happened to meet a food scientist named Dr. Cheryl Mitchell who was looking for a partner to bring her HydroRelease™ milling process to market.
This unique milling process uses just water to separate the natural components of a grain, nut, or seed before reassembling them as a smooth, creamy beverage. This helps maintain the nutrition in the nut and no gums or emulsifiers are needed. The end product is simply water and nuts. No other ingredients are required.
I loved seeing that there were no gums, food colorings, or artificial and/or natural flavorings in the product. It is definitely a great choice when it comes to plant milk.
Today, Elmhurst 1925 is the fastest-growing plant-based beverage company on the market! What a great pivot for the brand!
What is nut milk?
In case you aren’t familiar with “milked nuts”, nut milk is a dairy-free milk alternative made by blending nuts with water and then straining out the solids. The result is a creamy, plant-based liquid that is similar to milk in texture and appearance.
It is commonly used as a substitute for dairy milk in drinks, cooking, and baking, especially by those who are lactose-intolerant, vegan or prefer plant-based diets.
Nut milk vs dairy nutrition
Besides the taste, nut milk and dairy have significantly different nutrition profiles. Here are a few of the main differences between them:
Calories
The calories in dairy vary due to the fat content. Whole milk has about 150 calories per cup, while skim has about 80-90 calories.
Most nut milks have 30 to 50 calories per cup, unless sweetened or with added flavors, making it a lower-calorie option.
Protein
Dairy contains about 8 grams of protein per cup. It is also a complete protein with all essential amino acids.
Nut milk generally has less protein (sometimes as little as 1 gram per cup), unless fortified or made from higher-protein nuts like cashews.
Fat
Dairy has varying amounts of fat depending on whether it’s whole, 2%, or skim. Whole milk has about 8 grams of fat per cup, while skim has less than 1 gram. Most of the fat in dairy is saturated fat.
Nut milk is often lower in fat, with about 2-3 grams per cup. It is also higher in mono- or polyunsaturated fats, which are considered heart-healthy.
Carbohydrates
Dairy has about 12 grams of natural sugar (lactose) per cup.
Plain, unsweetened nut milk has fewer carbs (1-2 grams per cup) and no natural sugars, though many varieties are sweetened, adding sugar and carbs.
Calcium and Vitamins
Dairy is naturally high in calcium (about 300 mg per cup), potassium, phosphorus, and vitamin B12, and is typically fortified with vitamins D and A.
Nut milks naturally contain vitamin E, but don’t have the same variety of vitamins and minerals that dairy does. They are often fortified with calcium and vitamins D and B12 to be nutritionally comparable to dairy. Be sure to shake the bottle of any plant milk to mix in the calcium as it tends to settle at the bottom.
Nutrition-wise, dairy is a more nutrient-dense choice with more protein, carbs, fat, and vitamins and minerals compared to nut milk. But for those trying to cut back on saturated fat or calories or who have allergies/intolerances or prefer to avoid dairy, nut milk is a good alternative.
Elmhurst 1925 Nut Milk Review
Alright, so let’s get to the good part. How do the nut milks taste? I decided to try them all in one day so I could compare. I lined them up all in a row and went down the line one by one. Here are my thoughts:
Coconut with Cashew
The coconut with cashew was my favorite and one of the only ones I kept for myself. It has 4 ingredients (more than the others): coconut cream, cashews, salt, and water. It is thick and creamy, with a slightly sweet taste.
It says on the label “Barista Approved” and I can tell why! It likely froths like milk (although I didn’t try) due to the higher fat content. In a cup of coffee, it was hard to tell that it was plant milk.
One thing to note is due to the coconut cream, it is expected that this one is higher in saturated fat than some of the others. It has 11 grams of total fat, 5 of which are saturated. So if you are choosing plant milks to cut back on fat and calories, this one would not fit the bill.
Cashew milk
This one was probably the closest to the dairy mouthfeel as it had a thicker consistency. It did taste nutty, but the flavor was mild. I would say this one was probably my second favorite.
The calorie content is the same as the variety with coconut cream, but it only has 1.5 grams of saturated fat, since cashews are not a significant source of saturated fat.
Hazelnut milk
I don’t think I had previously tried hazelnut milk, so this one was new to me. It was probably my third favorite of the bunch. It was not quite as thick as some of the others and had a light nutty flavor. It is also lower in fat and calories than the other two milks, which likely explains the thinner texture.
Walnut milk
The walnut milk tasted strongly like walnuts. (I mean, what else was I expecting?). It definitely had that bitter aftertaste of walnuts. It had a nice, thick mouthfeel and the bitterness would probably be covered up in a cup of coffee.
The main nutritional benefit of this one is that walnuts are the only “nut” that is a good source of plant-based omega-3s. The brand says it has 1400 mg of omega-3s per serving, making it a great choice healthwise.
Almond Milk
Almond milk isn’t my favorite overall and this one was fine, but not anything exciting. If I do drink almond milk I prefer a sweetened or flavored variety, as it is so bland. This one was the same. I did end up using it in smoothies, which worked fine.
It is slightly higher in protein than some of the other options (5 grams per serving) and compared to other brands on the market, but overall pretty comparable nutrition-wise.
Oat Milk
The oat milk was thin and tasted like watered-down oatmeal. Thinking back, I am not sure I have had oat milk on its own, but I have tried other products like creamers and ice cream made from oat milk.
Oat milk is lower in calories than the other milks and does contain 20 grams of whole grains and 3 grams of fiber. So if you are trying to boost your intake of fiber, maybe consider this as an option.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Elmhurst 1925 is a high quality brand of milked nuts. I really like that there are no unnecessary additives in the milks, as they are literally nuts and water. This is how every nut milk should be.
While nut milks will not replace dairy for me, I think it is important to have them as an option for people who prefer a plant based lifestyle or those who are allergic or intolerant to dairy. If you want to purchase Elmhurst products, you can find them on their website or Amazon (note the pricing is for 6 bottles).
