On the plus side, the beverage is surprisingly NOT chalky. It's smooth—and it's about as nutty as I ever imagined a beverage could be. Both Sonia and I wanted to call it "creamy" at first, but after thinking about it, we realized it's a much thinner liquid than anything we'd call "creamy." Not a bad thing. Just not as thick as other types of "milk." Maybe that's why it's a "beverage" and not a "milk." Color-wise, it's...well, milky—but perhaps a bit grayer than other milks and nut beverages.
Taste-wise? It's not sweet at all—like regular cow's milk with its lactose milk sugar is significantly sweeter to my tongue than this stuff. No sweeteners in that ingredients list at all. At only 30 calories per cup, I don't exactly think Trader Joe's is targeting the cookie butter crowd with this one.
I was surprised to see there's very little protein in the beverage, since nuts tend to have a good bit of it. I guess all the protein gets squeezed out in the liquefying process..?
Soy milk seems to be on the decline as far as alternative milks go. And filling the void are cashew and almond beverages. Combine those two and add macadamias? Brilliant. It's a little difficult to detect all three nut flavors individually. Sonia seems to think she detected macadamia the most. I felt like they all just blended together. At $2.29 for a quart, it's priced comparably to other alternative milk products. I probably wouldn't reach for this after a day out in the 100 degree summer heat, but I'd be perfectly happy pouring it on my corn flakes or in my coffee. Four stars from Sonia. Three from me.
Bottom line: 7 out of 10.
I just tried this myself and i really like it! Definitely not a drink by the glass thing but it’s great in my iced coffee and since it’s unsweetened i’ll be able to use it for soups and sauces too.
ReplyDeleteSeems to be a bit thicker than just almond milk. Most nut milks are low protein since the solids are strained out- more expensive or homemade nut milks with the solids blended in are significantly higher in calories/fat/protein and can be very thick.
Ttrockwood
Very informative! Thank you!
DeleteAlmonds and nuts have 2.5 times the amount of fat as protein. More protein than chips and fruit, for example, but they’re still primarily considered a fat source rather than a protein source.
ReplyDeleteLove this as a coffee creamer. It's my go to!
ReplyDeleteI just bought one of these and I just experienced the same thing, and I thought I was going crazy. I first put it in my coffee, and revolted. It has this bizarre fermented/spicy aftertaste. I can't quite describe it accurately. It tastes like it was made with kimchi water or something.
ReplyDeleteFor lattes or cooking, this is my go-to favorite. If a recipe has added water, I reduce the water as this beverage is light. I have heated it for lattes and Avena con Leche with good results.
ReplyDelete