In drugstores and almost all supermarkets they are now a matter of course on the shelves and behind the counter in every good café: plant-based drinks - made from soy, coconut, almonds and other cereals or nuts.
Just as the range on offer has long since outgrown soya, so too are the possible uses: in coffee or muesli, for smoothies or power shakes, for cooking or baking - or simply pure and well-chilled as a delicious drink.
How do you recognise good plant drinks?
Herbal drinks score points with many unbeatable properties: they are purely herbal, free of lactose and, depending on the variety, also gluten-free. They are also particularly versatile and the production of plant drinks is generally more climate-friendly than that of milk. However, not only the raw materials but also the quality of the individual drinks varies greatly in some cases.
Now how can I generally recognise a good plant drink? The following three characteristics can help you choose a good plant drink when you buy it: Organic quality, regional ingredients and short ingredient lists.
If you look for the organic seal when you buy, you can be sure that neither genetic engineering nor questionable fertilisers or pesticides have been used during cultivation. This not only pleases us, but also the soil and the bees. Those who also pay attention to regional raw materials can be sure that the drink has not travelled halfway around the world and also support the local agriculture.
By looking at the list of ingredients, additives and added sugar can be quickly identified. Natural drinks contain nothing but the basic ingredient and water - just a small amount of oil and maybe some salt.
The commercially available plant drinks all differ slightly in taste, consistency, colour and - very important for framing enthusiasts - foamability. Together with Berief, we introduce you to the most popular drinks and explain which drink is best suited for what:
The soy drink
Soya is a power bean with a lot of power for our body. But it is also subject to harsh criticism. In fact, it is important to pay attention to its European origin. After all, soybeans from Brazil run the risk of rainforest being cut down for cultivation. A glance at the product information brings safety. At Berief, organic soy comes exclusively from Germany, Austria and France - in addition, German organic soybean cultivation is promoted.
Taste: Soy drinks are relatively neutral to slightly sweet, sometimes they taste a little like beans or nuts. They are available in sweetened and unsweetened as well as with chocolate or vanilla flavour.
Color: The colour is white, in some cases slightly yellowish.
consistency: Soy drinks are creamy and come close to the consistency of cow's milk.
Lathering: In general, soy drinks can be foamed very well due to their protein content. Creamy macchiatos can therefore be easily conjured up.
Possible uses: Compared to other vegetable drinks, soy drinks have not only been around for a very long time, they are also little all-rounders: the soy drink not only tastes great with muesli, coffee, cocoa or tea, but also with refreshing smoothies. Thanks to the lecithin it contains, it is also perfect for cooking and baking, as this natural ingredient ensures firming, more volume and crispy crusts.
The Oat Drink
Oats grow in our region. So if you pay attention to raw materials from Germany and Europe, you can not only expect high product quality, but also reduce your CO2 footprint. The popular grain is often grown in organic quality: it is therefore not contaminated by pesticides or other chemical residues. At Berief, organic oats come exclusively from Europe - most of them even from Germany - and are of Naturland quality. For people with gluten intolerance there is also a gluten-free version.
Taste: Oat drinks often taste slightly sweeter. They can also have a light mild-grainy note due to the fat-rich grains, which then supports the roasting aromas of coffee, for example. The light sweetness comes from the fermentation of the oats during the production of the drink - this is how the natural sweetness is created.
consistency: In terms of consistency, the drinks are milk like and creamy.
Lathering: How well oat drinks can be frothed depends on the brand, recipe and equipment used. In general, the foaming time is somewhat longer, although it often works better with a warmed drink. For true foam lovers, however, there are barista variants which are then perfect for a latte macchiato or cappuccino and can be used in fully automatic coffee machines.
Possible uses: Due to its slightly cereal taste, the oat drink goes well with muesli and porridge. Pancakes, waffles and other delicacies can also be baked with it.
The rice drink
A rice drink is ideal for allergy sufferers, because it is not only free of lactose and milk protein, like all other vegetable drinks, but also free of gluten. It is also a quick energy supplier. For the sake of short transport distances, the rice used by Berief for your Bio Rice Drink comes exclusively from Italy.
Taste: The drink gets its gentle sweetness from natural fermentation - cereal drinks are generally sweeter than nut drinks.
Colour and consistency: In comparison, rice drinks are thinner and often very white.
Lathering: It is not well suited for foaming.
Possible uses: Besides the obligatory use in muesli, you can also enjoy delicious Smoothie mix with fresh fruit. A rice drink tastes rather bad with coffee. But because of its taste it also goes very well with all kinds of desserts - from semolina porridge to lemon cake.
The almond drink
When buying an almond drink it is important to make sure that the almonds come from Europe and not California. The region on the west coast of the USA suffers from an extreme lack of water, which is why cultivation there should be rejected from a climatic point of view.
Taste: Depending on the type of roasting, almond drinks have a sometimes more, sometimes less intense mild-nutty taste, which can be reminiscent of marzipan. So refining your coffee with it can even save you the syrup.
Color: Depending on the almond content, the colour varies from a light cream tone to beige.
consistency: Natural almond drinks without additives are slightly more liquid than drinks with, for example, thickeners. In any case, they are creamier than rice drinks.
Lathering: Of course, the foaming behaviour again depends strongly on the ingredients of the drink. But thanks to the nut - almonds naturally contain more protein than cereal drinks and can therefore be frothed easily. The organic almond drink from Berief is even really good and without stabilizers. Simply warm up, foam up and enjoy a delicious almond latte.
Possible uses: With the right product an almond drink is perfect for foaming. In the morning cereal, porridge or Smoothie it tastes just as good as in delicious bread, cake or pudding recipes - also a pure pleasure.
The spelt drink
Spelt has been cultivated in Europe for thousands of years - it is a primal grain. Also in Germany the cultivation - also the organic cultivation - was and is widespread. This offers the opportunity to rely on a regional raw material - as with the organic spelt drink from Berief. Because only German organic spelt in Naturland quality is used for this drink.
Taste: Due to the fermentation during production, spelt drinks have a very natural light sweetness, sometimes even a full-bodied cereal taste.
Lathering: Spelt has a high proportion of gluten, also known as gluten protein. It provides a fluffy volume - but anyone who loves firm coffee foam should rather go for nut, soy or barista drinks.
Possible uses: Spelt drinks enjoy great popularity on their own - but also in mueslis, pancakes and above all for baking. Unsweetened, they are an excellent ingredient for savoury dishes.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
🇬🇧 ENG
Be it for reasons of taste, health or animal and climate protection: herbal drinks are more popular than ever. But what does each drink taste like and what are oat, almond and other drinks best used for?
In drugstores and almost all supermarkets they are now a matter of course on the shelves and in every good café behind the counter: vegetable drinks - made from soy, coconut, almonds and other cereals or nuts.
Just as the range on offer has long outgrown soy, so too are the possible uses: in coffee or muesli, for smoothies or power shakes, for cooking or baking - or simply pure and well-chilled as a delicious drink.
How do you recognize good plant drinks?
Herbal drinks score points with many unbeatable properties: they are purely vegetable, free of lactose and, depending on the variety, also gluten-free. They are also particularly versatile and the production of plant drinks is generally more climate-friendly than that of milk. However, not only the raw materials but also the quality of the individual drinks sometimes differ greatly.
How do I generally recognize a good plant drink? The following three characteristics can already help you to choose your plant drink when you buy it: Organic quality, regional raw materials and short ingredient lists.
If you look for the organic seal when you buy, you can be sure that neither genetic engineering nor questionable fertilizers or pesticides were used during cultivation. This not only pleases us, but also the soil and the bees. Those who also pay attention to regional raw materials can be sure that the drink has not travelled halfway around the world and also support the local agriculture.
By looking at the list of ingredients, additives and added sugar can be quickly identified. Natural drinks contain nothing but the basic ingredient and water - just a small amount of oil and maybe some salt.
The commercially available plant drinks all differ slightly in taste, consistency, color and - very important for fragning lovers - foamability. Together with Berief, we introduce you to the most popular drinks and explain which drink is best suited for what:
The Soy Drink
Soya is a power bean with a lot of power for our body. But it is also subject to harsh criticism. In fact, it is important to pay attention to its European origin. After all, soybeans from Brazil run the risk of rainforest being cut down for cultivation. A glance at the product information brings safety. At Berief, organic soy comes exclusively from Germany, Austria and France - in addition, German organic soybean cultivation is promoted.
button: Soy drinks are relatively neutral to slightly sweet, sometimes they taste a little like beans or nuts. They are available in sweetened and unsweetened as well as with chocolate or vanilla flavor.
Color: The color is white, in some cases slightly yellowish.
Consistency: Soy drinks are creamy and come close to the consistency of cow's milk.
Foaming: In general, soy drinks can be foamed very well due to their protein content. Creamy macchiatos can therefore be easily conjured up.
Possible uses: Compared to other vegetable drinks, soy drinks have not only been around for a very long time, they are also little all-rounders: the soy drink tastes great not only with cereals, coffee, cocoa or tea, but also with refreshing smoothies. Thanks to the lecithin it contains, it is also perfect for cooking and baking, as this natural ingredient ensures firming, more volume and crispy crusts.
The Oat Drink
Oats grow in our region. So if you pay attention to raw materials from Germany and Europe, you can not only expect high product quality, but also reduce your CO2 footprint. The popular grain is often grown in organic quality: it is therefore not contaminated by pesticides or other chemical residues. At Berief, organic oats come exclusively from Europe - a large part even from Germany - and are of Naturland quality. For people with gluten intolerance there is also a gluten-free version.
button: Oat drinks often taste slightly sweeter. They can also have a light, mild-grainy note due to the fat-rich grains, which then supports the roasting aromas of the coffee, for example. The slight sweetness comes from the fermentation of the oats during the production of the drink - this is how the natural sweetness is created.
Consistency: In terms of consistency, the drinks are milk like and creamy.
Frothing: How well oat drinks can be frothed depends on the brand, recipe and the machine used. In general, foaming must be carried out a little longer, although it often works better with a warmed drink. However, for true foam lovers, there are barista variants that can be
