I’m a big dork. Which is probably why when I saw the new Ripple non-dairy milk (made from peas) at Whole Foods I literally did a dance in the aisle and squealed with excitement. I had heard about it before and was very jazzed to give it a whirl.
Photo by Katherine Baker
As a vegan of 2 years, health food-lover, and lactose-intolerant-human my whole life, I’m always eager to try new non-dairy options. So when I saw the pea milk, into my cart it went.
Photo courtesy of ripplefoods.com
The Ripple Milk was $4.99 for 48 ounces at Whole Foods. That may sound like a lot, but to be fair, I’ve seen conventional brands of almond, soy, and even dairy milk for steeper prices at random grocery stores in NYC.
So what’s different about Ripple Milk? It’s higher in protein than coconut, almond, rice, and hemp milks; it’s roughly equivalent to soy and dairy milk in terms of protein, but is also free of dairy and soy, which are 2 of the 8 most common allergens.
Photo by Katherine Baker
For those of you asking how or why you’d milk a pea, remember that peas are a natural and sustainable source of plant-based protein (and just sayin’, we’re the only species that drinks another species milk, and current milk production is highly unsustainable).
Ripple milk has 8 grams of protein per cup, as well as 50% more calcium than dairy milk, vitamin D, iron and 32 mg DHA omega-3s, which are essential fatty acids sometimes more difficult for vegans or non-fish eaters to obtain. (And no, this is not a sponsored post; everything I write, including my Trader Joe’s articles, are based on genuine experience.)
Photo by Katherine Baker
But let’s get to the important part: what does it taste like? I first tried the unsweetened, and it was rich and creamy in consistency, much like cow’s milk, with a very milk-y and subtle flavor. It was probably the closest non-specific-taste and mouthfeel to cow’s milk of any non-dairy milk I’ve tried (and I’ve tried every one on the market), but without the gagg-y milk taste.
The texture was so similar, you could probably put it in cereal and serve it to a milk-lover and they wouldn’t notice a difference. Well done, Ripple, well done.
Photo by Katherine Baker
Ripple Milk also comes in Vanilla, which tastes yummy in iced coffee and cereal, and chocolate, which I haven’t tried yet, but can’t wait to get my paws on.
As the world shifts to increasingly plant-based diets, it’s great companies like Ripple that are reinventing the way we think about food. The only unanswered question is if the name is a play on “nipple” or not. Guess we’ll never know. Until then, cheers to pea milk.