Ten years ago, only vegetarians and people with lactose intolerance knew about plant-based milk. Today, almost any cafe will offer you plant-based variations to suit every taste as an alternative to cow’s milk. Let's figure out whether it is so useful and what types there are.
Anastasia Alexandrova, nutritionist, consultant for weight correction and psychology of eating behavior of the qeep brand
Plant milk is most often talked about as a healthy alternative to cow's milk. If you look at the composition, then plant milk is not milk at all, but an extract from various nuts, seeds and legumes mixed with water. These drinks began to be called milk because of their consistency and color similar to animal milk. Of the variety of drinks, the most popular are soy, coconut, rice, almond and oat milk. Let's look at the benefits of each drink in more detail.
Soy milk
Soy milk is made from soybeans and water. Due to its high protein content, it is ideal for vegetarians and vegans, as well as overweight people - soy milk reduces the level of bad cholesterol in the blood and is low in calories - on average 40-50 kilocalories per 100 ml.
In addition, some scientists suggest that soy milk may be beneficial for people with cardiovascular disease due to its high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids and fiber. Soy milk has a neutral flavor and is often used as an inexpensive base in plant-based drinks with other ingredients and flavors.
Vegetable chips
Another option for natural chips that can be included in the right menu. You can make vegetable chips from many vegetables. The most popular options are carrots, beets, pumpkin, zucchini, zucchini and even cabbage. The main secret to cooking at home is choosing the perfect spices. Herbes de Provence combined with paprika, salt and pepper is a great option. You can also add a little vegetable oil to these chips. It can be applied with a special brush to already cut vegetables. So, it’s best to try pp chips from:
- carrots. Take the carrots and wash them thoroughly. There is no need to remove the peel. Cut into oblong slices or circles, as you prefer. Try to cut as thin as possible. Place on a baking sheet and lightly grease with vegetable oil and sprinkle with spices. Place in the oven preheated to 160 degrees for 40 minutes. Be sure to turn the chips over during cooking.
- beets. This is an ideal option for a pp menu. Beets contain a lot of fiber and have an excellent cleansing effect. Wash the beets thoroughly and cut into thin slices. Place on a baking sheet and lightly grease with vegetable oil, sprinkle with a mixture of herbs. It is best to take Provençal herbs. Place in the oven for 40 minutes. Temperature 160 degrees. These natural chips also need to be turned during cooking.
- pumpkins. Another dietary option. Cut the pumpkin into thin slices and place on a baking sheet. Now sprinkle with spices and put in the oven for 30 minutes. The oven must be preheated to 170 degrees.
The good thing about these natural chips is that they are great to use instead of bread. You can serve vegetable chips with dietary soups!
Coconut milk
Coconut milk is a storehouse of nutrients and the healthiest of all types of plant-based drink.
It contains more than 20 amino acids, vitamins of groups B, A, C, E and minerals - selenium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium. Despite the high fat content of the drink, it can be safely recommended for dietary nutrition, and all thanks to medium chain triglycerides, which promote the breakdown of fat and weight loss. Coconut milk also contains lauric acid, which has an anti-inflammatory effect. It helps fight viral infections and promotes inflammation of the intestinal mucosa. The only drawback of the drink is its high calorie content of about 200 kcal per 100 ml, but it has a pleasant coconut taste and thick creamy consistency, which is ideal for preparing not only drinks, but also various dishes.
Many children love to eat all sorts of unhealthy foods. In particular, chips, crackers and other types of pickles that can negatively affect them. This is a rather harmful product to use, which may cause health problems for the child in the future. To prevent this from happening, replace chips and crackers with a safer option. We'll tell you which one.
How can I help my child replace chips and crackers?
Use fruit slices
Each child has a certain set of vegetables and fruits that he enjoys. You too can turn any of your teen's vitamin sources into something they can enjoy. And what will be, moreover, useful for him.
Your task at this stage is just to create the appropriate cutting. Cut different types of fruits, vegetables. Give them to your child to try. And in this case he will feel great.
And also, the child will be able to eat vegetables and fruits. His stomach will be full. And he won’t even want crackers or chips. You usually want them in cases where everything happens quite the opposite. When a person wants to eat.
Lavash chips
This dish is quite popular on the Internet. You can prepare food in any way convenient for you. And you will feel great in the process of life.
Your task is only to cut the lettuce leaves correctly. After this, you will need to add traditional cheese, which is your child’s favorite, to this dish. If you wish, you can add various types of seasonings, any types of herbs, sauces, and so on.
When each chip is complete, move on to the next step. Add your culinary masterpiece to the oven. There we recommend setting the temperature to 200 degrees. We recommend doing this until a golden brown crust appears.
This recipe is one of the most popular. Natural chips from your production will be very tasty. The child will like them no less than the pickles in the store.
Apple chips
You can either purchase them in any large store in a pack, or cook them in a frying pan. We recommend choosing the first option. Nowadays there are a huge number of different companies on the market that quickly get rid of various problems. They make the child eat their apple chips throughout the day. And, besides, they nourish the baby.
Making apple chips is not at all difficult. To do this, you just need to start cutting apples into several small circles. You can also add different types of sugar or cinnamon here. And other products to taste.
After this, you will need to take a baking sheet. Cover it with parchment paper. Start baking. We recommend setting the temperature in the range from 100 to 120 degrees. This must be done for an hour for each part of the chips.
Banana chips
If you want to quickly provide your child with this type of chips, we recommend purchasing them in a traditional store. Be sure to study the composition of a particular product. Make sure there are no harmful substances in it.
If you prepare the product at home, it will be very easy to do. You will need to cut the banana. Do this so that the circles are visible.
Next, you will need to take a baking sheet. Place paper on it. After this, you will need to place future banana chips on it. Season the product with lemon juice. Then, start baking the product in the oven. For these purposes, it is necessary to place the product in the oven. At a temperature of 90 degrees. In this case, the oven must be preheated. In this case, the process will have positive consequences.
Crackers, but only homemade
You cannot buy any salty crackers in stores. No matter what the manufacturers promise, they will not be safe. In any case, they contain salt, pepper, and other similar substances. Accordingly, the child does not need to eat them. Because this will have negative consequences.
Instead, try to give your child natural crackers. It is not difficult. You can buy traditional crackers in the store. Those that do not have an additional spicy taste. After which you will feel great. You can make your own croutons as you wish. At the same time, you will have the opportunity to easily cope with your child’s desire to eat crap. Because hot crackers will be a great alternative for you.
Even such a product will have a positive effect on the child. The fact is that the main thing for him is to eat square, spicy and salty. And where it is prepared is secondary. Accordingly, there is no need to worry about this.
Popcorn
Popcorn is the least harmful in terms of calories. There are quite a few of them here when compared to chips and crackers. Also, popcorn does not contain harmful types of carcinogens. It also contains a lot of vitamins belonging to group B.
That being said, be careful when choosing popcorn. Be sure to read the packaging. If various types of harmful substances or carcinogens appear on it, then under no circumstances buy the product. This will have a very negative effect on the child's health.
Salted nuts
Salted nuts will be an excellent alternative to traditional crackers and chips. They taste very similar. The child has the opportunity to choose food with absolutely any type of taste. For example, nuts with crab, cheese and so on.
The food will be quite tasty either way. It can also be slightly harmful. The fact is that during a snack, a teenager consumes something harmful due to the spices that are applied to the product. Accordingly, this will have negative consequences in the future. It can lead to acne in the child and so on. However, even here the harm will be much less than if the child ate crackers and chips.
Alternative Products
If your child wants to eat chips, then offer him alternative foods. Keep in mind that when he craves crackers, he most likely just wants to eat. Try feeding him. His stomach will be full and it will be quite easy for you to cope with the situation. The child is unlikely to want to do anything with crackers. Will come to terms with it. And you will feel great during the activity.
Or, offer him an alternative option. Buy something sweet. Or something like that. It will overcome the child's desire. She will make him feel great even without consuming harmful foods.
Psychological trick: place a packet of crackers on a shelf in the kitchen
Usually children want what is forbidden. That's why they want crackers, chips, and so on. But when they get what they want and bring it home, the situation changes dramatically. It turns out that the forbidden fruit is no longer so sweet. Accordingly, the child’s desire to eat crackers may disappear if he sees that they are right in front of him. On one of the shelves in the kitchen.
We recommend deciding on the number of crackers that the child can take. Usually children stop taking crackers if they are in plain sight. Because a psychological trick has worked: what was previously forbidden is now permitted, which means its importance has dropped sharply. We guarantee: in this case, the child will eat the crackers in a much longer time. For example, in a week.
Sweet
Perhaps the child will find other types of sweets as an alternative. We're talking about Skittles, different types of candy, and so on. These products are also harmful, but their concentration of undesirable substances is quite small. At the same time, even if the baby eats the entire pack at once, nothing will happen to him. The packaging of such products is small. Accordingly, the child receives less harmful substances.
Also, take a closer look at the marmalade figures. They are sold in every supermarket. You can purchase figurines from popular companies as an alternative for your child. Not only will they curb your craving for sweets, but they will also be delicious. The child will enjoy them.
In addition, you can buy home various types of nuts, traditional crackers, sweets and much more. This will have a positive effect on the child. Will make him consume these products. At the same time, it is worth considering that they are still not the most useful. Nuts, crackers and sweets should not be eaten every day. Otherwise, it may have negative health consequences.
Almond milk
Since almond milk is made from the nut of the same name, it contains a lot of fatty acids (omega-3,6,9), as well as zinc and vitamin E - a natural antioxidant responsible for the youth and beauty of the skin. A large amount of fiber helps restore damaged mucous membranes and improves intestinal function.
Its pleasant, distinct taste and low calorie content - only 35 kilocalories per 100 ml - make it an excellent alternative to animal milk. However, people with allergies should avoid this version of plant milk due to the fact that almonds are a highly allergenic food.
Rice milk
Rice milk is the most hypoallergenic option for a plant-based drink.
It does not contain gluten, which is why it has become popular amid the gluten-free diet trend. Rice milk is rich in B vitamins, magnesium, iron and selenium and is beneficial for stress and chronic fatigue. The calorie content is low - about 60 kilocalories per 100 ml, but flavors and sweeteners are often added to rice milk drinks. Due to its high glycemic index, it is not recommended for people with diabetes and excess weight.
How to make seaweed chips at home
Fans of Japanese cuisine will be happy to try this simple recipe. You can also make PP chips from nori leaves. This is crushed seaweed that has been dried into a leaf form. The good thing about these chips is that you already have everything you need and you don’t need to prepare anything. In addition to nori leaves, you also need to take a little vegetable oil. It is best to use sesame oil; it will perfectly highlight the taste of pp chips. You also need to take a little salt, but very little, because nori leaves are salty on their own.
The cooking process itself is very simple:
- Brush the nori sheet with sesame oil. To do this, it is best to have a special brush to apply just a little oil.
- Sprinkle a little salt or other favorite spices.
- Place in the oven for 2-3 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
All you have to do is cut the nori sheet into pieces and the pp chips are ready!
Oat milk
Oat milk is no less healthy product than oatmeal. It is easier to digest than drinks made from nuts and is rich in vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12, as well as iron, calcium, phosphorus and silicon. Beta-glucan from oats helps normalize blood pressure and strengthens the walls of blood vessels, and also helps lower blood sugar.
Moreover, oat milk contains more protein than almond, coconut and rice milk. Among plant-based alternatives, oat milk is second only to soy milk in terms of protein content. A nice bonus - only 30 kcal per 100 ml.
