The many unhealthy aspects of dairy milk are becoming increasingly recognized. Consequently, some people are giving up dairy milk (or consuming less) and switching to non-dairy milk. Shops everywhere are now selling soy (soya) milk - even other milks such as almond or rice milk. Your health benefits in two big ways when you switch to non-dairy milk:

Firstly, you avoid all the unhealthy aspects of cow's milk (too numerous to mention in this article). Secondly, you will greatly benefit from the truly delicious and highly nutritious aspects of plant-based milks.

Don't just think 'soy' when it comes to non-dairy milk. There are many kinds of plant-based milks offering a wide range of mouth-watering flavours such as the various nut milks, seed-based milks, grain milks, and soy milk. Once you taste two or three kinds of non-dairy milk, and experience the sheer cool delicious taste you will never want to go back to dairy milk.

Making non-dairy milk used to be considered a complicated procedure requiring special milk-making equipment. But a new and easy method now makes it quick and simple to make non-dairy milk without the use of special equipment.

Soy milk-makers have been marketed vigorously and this has generated the belief that making milk without a special machine is difficult and time-consuming. The concept of a dedicated milk-maker is that all you have to do is put the ingredients into the machine, then come back later and your milk is ready.

In reality, a milk-maker increases the workload, reduces the nutritional value, and is more time consuming. This is why:

More work: the same preparatory work applies, whether or not using a special milk-maker. With a milk-making appliance you have the additional burden of having to take apart and thoroughly clean all the components afterwards.

Less effective at extracting milk (nothing can beat the human hand and a strainer when it comes to extracting the milk!). With a milk-maker you are left with a soggy mess of left-over residue.

You are very restricted in what you can make with a milk-making machine - normally just soybean milk. A blender is much more versatile than the limited mixing capability of a dedicated soy milk-maker.

The okara (residue) tends to end up too soggy when using a milk-making machine, making it more difficult to freeze or use in other recipes.

When adding condiments (e.g. vanilla extract, maple syrup, salt, etc.) you cannot check the taste of the mixture while you are making it in the machine.

The biggest drawback of a milk-maker is that you cannot control the boiling temperature or indeed any part of the milk-making process. As a consequence, the nutritional value of the milk can be affected more than necessary. Many vitamins, health-promoting enzymes, and oils are easily destroyed with heat. The consequence of using a milk-maker is milk with poor nutritional value compared to making milk without such a machine.

If you wish, you can simply buy non-dairy milk sold commercially from a retailer (many supermarkets sell soybean and rice milk). Unfortunately, you are likely to have a limited choice. Also, buying non-dairy milk for the whole family can be quite expensive. It is much cheaper to make your own milk. Furthermore, some commercial non-dairy milks are high in added sugars and may have other additives.

When you discover the wonderful variety of flavours of home made milk you will never want to go back to buying any kind of milk, whether dairy or non-dairy. Non-dairy milk is quick and easy to make, is highly nutritious, and is super delicious, and everybody in the family will always want it.