It's milk, but not as we know it

Thanks to biotechnology and selective breeding there will soon be entire herds of cows producing skimmed milk, and others producing milk with the characteristics to make butter that is spreadable straight from the fridge.

Is it just me or is that really scary?

No doubt there will be demand for these products and they are great news for agribusiness. But will these products benefit those who eagerly consume them?

Isn't dairy already unnatural enough? Let's see...

There is nothing natural about drinking milk past weaning. No other species does this.

There is nothing natural about drinking the milk of another species. No other species does this, either.

There is nothing natural about drinking milk that is pasteurized so that its enzymes are destroyed and its molecular structure is changed. No other species does this, and humans have only been doing it for around 100 years.

There is nothing natural about drinking milk that has been produced from animals kept in captivity and dosed up on antibiotics and hormones. This experiment has been going on for just a few decades.

This latest 'breakthrough' just makes an already unnatural product even more unnatural. 

Personally, I'll be sticking to nut milks whenever I feel like a 'dairy' fix. They're amazingly versatile. Choose from almond, macadamia, brazil, cashew, hazelnut, pecan, pistachio and more. Plus you can vary the proportion of nuts to water, allowing you to make anything from a thick cream to a skimmed milk equivalent – but without the need for biotech firms and mutant cows.

Want something spreadable? Look no further than raw nut butters. Again, there is a huge variety of flavours to choose from and they are packed with nutrients. Ideally, use them sparingly as you would regular butter. Their one downside is that they are a good deal more delicious, making this challenging at times. Apparently some people have even been known to take a spoon and eat raw nut butter straight out of the jar, but I wouldn't know about that. 

Easy almond milk

• 1 cup raw almonds, soaked for 8 hours
• 4 cups water
• 1/4 cup raw agave nectar or 4 dates

Blend the nuts and water in a high-speed blender until the mixture is thoroughly blended. Strain through a nut milk bag (if you don't have one a fine sieve will do). Place the milk back in the blender with the agave or dates and blend thoroughly. You can adjust the sweetness if you wish and it is very easy to also adjust the consistency. Just add water to thin, and to thicken, add more nuts (you will need to strain the mixture again if you want it smooth and particle-free). 

Nut milks can be enjoyed on their own or added to smoothies, soups and a variety of other recipes. Creams can be added to raw desserts, eaten as is or frozen to make ice cream. Once you have experimented a little you will know in advance the right proportion of nuts to water to use to get the consistency you desire on any occasion.   

For a version of the above recipe that can be thrown together in a fraction of the time, substitute the raw almonds for four tablespoons of raw almond butter. Simply blend this with the 4 cups of water and the sweetener of your choice.

More recipes for nut milks and dairy free shakes coming soon! 

As ever, specialist raw ingredients, highlighted in pink, can be ordered from The Fresh Network. If you can't find what you're looking for or have a question, just call us on +44 (0)845 833 7017.