Cockroach milk is being pegged as the next superfood trend due to a recent study that found it to be more nutritious than other alternatives.
The milk is derived from a specific type of cockroach in Hawaii called the Pacific beetle cockroach. According to the study, it has three or four times the amount of protein found in dairy milk. It also has all essential amino acids that the body needs, which makes it a complete food.
However, cockroach milk may not sound too appealing to consumers, so what other non-cow milks are there? Here are other unusual substitutes.
Kumis
Those who have ever wanted to try milk with alcohol content can find it in Central Asia and Russia, where Kumis is a staple. However, the alcohol content is only at 2.5 percent, which might not be enough to get drunk.
Traditionally, Kumis is fermented horse's milk. It is a suitable replacement for those suffering from lactose intolerance as the fermentation process converts the lactose to lactic acid, carbon dioxide, and ethanol. Also, due to the process, the taste is a bit sour.
It is thought to have healing effects on top of the significant amount of nutrients it provides.
Camel Milk
Camel milk has long been a regular milk in the Middle East, but it is now just starting to invade the United States as a trendy alternative to cow's milk. It is a bit unusual in that people in the country had only seen camels as akin to a horse, but the expensive price might be a factor as well.
According to those that have tried it, the human body digests camel milk more easily than cow milk. It is also richer and more satisfying than what people consider usual milk.
Reindeer Milk
Reindeer milk may be unusual to Americans, but the Laplanders in northern Scandinavia use it exclusively. That's only because it's the only animal that can withstand the cold environment, though.
There are other communities where reindeer milk and its food products are consumed, but it's not feasible to be mass-produced as it's not easy to milk reindeers. It takes two people to do the job, and female reindeers only give one to two cups of milk per day.
It is, however, very creamy and delicious. It also contains about 22 percent of fat, five times more than that of cow's milk.
Hemp Milk
As the only plant-based milk on this list, hemp milk is made from the seeds of the plant Cannabis sativa. People might know it better as a relative of the plant used for marijuana. However, hemp seeds don't contain the same amount of THC, the chemical responsible for the high, as in marijuana.
Hemp milk has a thin, watery texture, which makes it a good substitute for skim milk or other lighter types of milk. It has the same amount of fat as in cow's milk, but it contains about half of the proteins and calories.
