Here's What You Should Know About The Pistachio Milk Trend

The days of choosing between just soy or dairy milk appear to be over. Picking out a milk in these modern times feels like a luxury. Oat or almond? Rice or hemp? Sweetened or unsweetened? A long list of possibilities just waiting to be tasted. That is why we are excited (but not so surprised) to share a new milk that has ventured into the market. Enter pistachio milk. This light green, nutty in flavor, plant-based milk appears poised to kick current favorites off the podium.

There are a few downsides: It's not widely available yet and  costs a pretty penny. Recently launched pistachio milk company Táche charges eight dollars per 32-ounce carton of their original blend — and you have to buy a bundle of six (via Táche). Even for the high-priced plant-based milk world, that's high. Kylene Bogden, M.S., R.D., a wellness advisor for Love Wellness explains why: "The pistachio cultivation process is lengthy because the trees require a specific climate and they take a long time to grow, which makes pistachio milk more expensive for the consumer," she says (via Real Simple).

If you are keen to try this new option, but not so keen to throw your grocery budget out the window, you can try making pistachio milk at home. Soak shelled pistachios overnight in hot water. The next day remove the shells and blend the soaked nuts in a blender. Strain the mixture through a cheese cloth, add a dash of salt, and voila ( per Men's Journal).

Pistachio milk's versatility game is on par with the other more widely known dairy-free milks. You can use it in cereal, smoothies, and for baking and cooking. "You can make it sweet with cinnamon and maple, or even blend it with dates, but it also works really well as a savory milk if you add a bit of sea salt when preparing," shares Bogden (via Real Simple). And perhaps most importantly, it foams. Social media is beginning to bubble with photos and recipes of drinks made with pistachio milk. One recipe suggests the perfect pistachio milk latte is made with the milk, pistachio-flavored simple syrup, and a fresh shot of espresso (per Pinterest).

So how healthy is this new drink? Dietician and nutritionist Brigid Titgemeier, founder of My Food is Health, focuses on the main ingredient of the pistachio milk, saying, "Research has shown that consumption of pistachios is associated with improved micronutrient consumption and, when compared to other nuts, pistachios were more likely to be associated with lower blood pressure levels (likely due to the potassium content)" (via Real Simple). Pistachios are also full of powerful phytonutrients that help tissue damaging free-radicals in your body (per Men's Journal) . When comparing pistachio milk to dairy milk, dietician Amy Shapiro, founder of Real Nutrition says, "It's lower in calories, carbs, and saturated fat, but also lower in calcium and protein than dairy milk." She goes on to add, "It's important to note that dairy milk contains hormones from cows, even organic varieties, and has a more detrimental effect on the environment" (via Real Simple).

So how will this new plant-based milk handle the competition? Only time will tell. The dairy-free milk aisle sure is getting cramped, but we're not complaining. The more variety, the better!