If reports and surveys are to be believed, the milk derived from potatoes is going to be the next big thing in the year 2022. A lot of people have stopped using animal-derived milk for a variety of reasons. Some of them are unable to drink dairy milk due to allergies or lactose intolerance. Others follow a vegan diet and have an ethical issue with the consumption of animal products. As a result, a range of non-dairy substitutes are now available. While almond, soy, oat, and cashew milk are now the most popular, potato milk, a new addition, may appear to be a more sustainable and economical alternative.
Plant-based alternatives
Plant-based alternatives made up 14% of the integrated milk market in 2019, with soy milk products being the most popular globally. Potato milk now appears to be a better long term option than other milk alternatives. Potatoes are commonly farmed across the world and are far less expensive to grow than almonds and other crops. It takes half as much land as oat milk and 56 times less land than almond milk for manufacturing.
A dietary use for the potato
British supermarket chain Waitrose released its 2022 Food and Drink report, in which it predicts that potato milk will be the biggest dairy alternative milk trend of 2022. This new drink is set to dominate coffee shop menus in the coming months. From February, Waitrose will sell DUG, a creamy and vegan-friendly drink made from potatoes, which has a low climate footprint and can be used just like any other milk. DUG is a blend consisting mainly of potato water and grapeseed oil, along with vitamins, flavoring, and additives, including pea protein and chicory fiber.
Benefits of potato milk
In terms of health advantages, potato milk is a strong source of B12 and vitamin D, two necessary nutrients for the human body. In addition, it is high in vitamins E, A, C, and K. Its high levels of calcium and iron make it equal to ordinary milk. It uses a lot less water to make than any other type of plant milk. It is also soy-free, sugar-free, gluten-free, and cholesterol-free.
Healthy and tasty
This milk alternative is low in sugar and fat and is free of common allergens, lactose, milk, gluten, and nuts. DUG is the only plant-based dairy alternative fortified with Folic Acid, with 15% of the recommended daily value. It is also low in calories, and hence convenient for those who are watching their weight. According to DUG, their potato milk is tasty and creamy.
A patented emulsion
DUG uses a recipe based on research by Prof Eva Tornberg of Lund University. It is not made by simply squeezing potatoes.It is a patented emulsion of potatoes and rapeseed oil developed by Tornberg. Currently, the brand exclusively sells online and ships to the United Kingdom. They intend to grow throughout Europe.