by Dr Deborah Lee, Dr Fox Online Pharmacy
Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash
Yes, it’s true! – potato milk – a new type of milk made from potatoes – is about to hit the market. This comes amid the current trend for drinking non-dairy, plant-based milk. In 2020, plant milk sales increased by a massive 32% from 2019 to reach £394 million. Oat, almond, soy, rice, and coconut milks have all seen a surge in popularity. And soon, potato milk will be added to the list of options.
From February 2022, Waitrose has announced they will be stocking the Swedish product, Dug – a new potato milk. The manufacturers, Veg of Lund, say that potato milk is deliciously creamy, and can be used in the same way as any other milk. For example, it foams perfectly when making coffee.
What exactly is potato milk? The exact recipe for potato milk remains a secret, but the cloudy liquid is made by boiling potatoes, mixing them with rapeseed oil, and adding natural flavouring and vitamins. It forms an emulsion that is said not to separate in any drinks.
Why would you want to drink potato milk? Consumers are buying more and more plant milk with sales increasing between 2019 – 2020 by a whopping 32%. We are all becoming aware of the health benefits from shifting our diet away from animal products to those that are plant-based.
What is plant milk? The definition of plant milk is any liquid that resembles milk, but is non-dairy, and made from plants.
Why do people prefer plant milk?
Ethical reasons
Vegans drink plant milk as they do not eat or drink anything from an animal source.
Health reasons
Dairy milk may be avoided as it can cause cow’s milk allergy or lactose intolerance. Full-fat dairy milk is high in saturated fat, which is linked to raised cholesterol levels.
Climate-conscious shoppers
Waitrose has analysed recent sales figures, as well as surveying 2000 customers. 70% of their customers said that the carbon footprint of their food was either ‘very’ or ‘somewhat’ important to them. They have named the climate-conscious market, as ‘Climatarianism.’
What does potato milk taste like? Potato milk is said to be smooth, with a slightly buttery taste, and has a thick, creamy consistency.
How do you drink potato milk? You can add it to tea and coffee, drink it cold, or add it to cocktails. You can also cook with it, for example, it can be added to pancakes or cereal, or used to make a sauce.
What are the ingredients of potato milk?
Dug unsweetened potato milk contains –
Water, Potato (6 %), Maltodextrin, Pea Protein, Chicory (Vegetable) Fibre, Rapeseed Oil, Fructose, Sucrose, Acidity Regulator (Di-and Mono-Sodium Phosphate), Calcium Carbonate, Emulsifier (Sunflower Lecithin), Natural Flavour, Vitamins (D, Riboflavin, B12, Folic Acid).
Potatoes are a good source of iron, vitamin C, potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium.
Potato milk is low in calories – unsweetened potato milk has 39 calories per 100 ml.
Dug potato milk is available as Original, Barista and Unsweetened varieties.
What is the nutritional content of potato milk?
Nutritional content
- Energy: 163 kJ/39 kcal.
- Fat: 3.0 g of which saturates: 0.2 g.
- Carbohydrates: 1.3 g of which sugars: 0.1 g.
- Dietary Fibre: 0.1 g.
- Protein: 1.3 g.
- Salt: 0.11 g.
- Calcium: 120 mg (15 % of DRI*)
- Vitamin D: 0.75 μg (15 % of DRI*)
Potato milk has a similar 3% fat content to dairy milk, although most of this is unsaturated (healthy) fat. Potato milk has a similar calcium content to cow’s milk. It contains calcium carbonate which is generally well absorbed. However, it is low in protein, salt, and fibre
Notably, potato milk does not contain iodine. Dairy products are an important source of iodine. Most other plant milks also do not contain iodine – with a few exceptions, such as Alpro Soya Milk, and Oatly oat milk. Iodine is also found in yoghurt and cheese, and fish such as cod, haddock and scampi. Eggs contain smaller amounts of iodine. Iodine is essential for the production of the hormone thyroxine.
What does potato milk cost?
6 L of Dug, unsweetened potato milk currently cost £11.99.
Final thoughts
Milk is a staple part of the UK diet, and cow’s milk remains highly nutritious with many health benefits. However, 25% of us are now regularly drinking plant milk, and this has been firmly on an upward trend. Plant milk is not suitable for children under the age of 5.
Always make sure you eat a varied, balanced diet. If you have any chronic health conditions, especially those that affect the gut, always check with a dietician before you switch over completely to plant milk, including potato milk.
