A newcomer has entered the plant-based beverage market: potato milk.
You read correctly, yes.
This surprising creation comes to us from a collaboration between the Swedish start-up DUG and the University of Lund, in 2021. That same year, the drink won the title of the best product adapted to allergies, to the World Food Innovation Awards, an annual event celebrating innovation in the food industry.
But is it as promising as that?
Let's say that the Swedish company puts forward two major arguments.
First, this "milk" does not contain any of the 14 most common allergens, such as soy, lactose or gluten.
Then, the drink would be respectful of the environment, and choosing it at the expense of cow's milk would reduce its carbon footprint by 75%, we can read on the start-up's website.
If for the time being, this "milk" is only marketed in Sweden, the United Kingdom and China, the arguments being touted deserve all the same that we look a little closer at it.
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A nutritional interest?
In terms of nutritional intake, turning to the potato to make a drink is certainly unsavory but not meaningless.
Starch does have some nutritional benefits.
Rich in potassium
,
it contributes to the proper functioning of the muscles and, by extension, that of the heart, according to Hélène Lemaire, dietician nutritionist.
“The mineral (
potassium, editor's note
) is alkalizing, that is to say that it "buffers" the acidity present in the body.
It is for this reason that a grandmother's remedy consists of swallowing a glass of raw potato juice against gastric reflux and heartburn, ”she illustrates.
On a scale of 1 to 100, her glycemic index is around 95hélène lemaire, dietitian nutritionist
That being said, there's nothing revolutionary about the drink either.
The dietician thus underlines the low protein content of the potato.
"For 100 grams of the tuber, there are only 2 grams of protein", specifies Hélène Lemaire, against 22.6 grams for 100 grams of almonds, and 37.2 grams for 100 grams of soy.
Without forgetting that like all vegetable drinks, this one will not fail to be diluted in water, which will reduce the content even more.
Another downside?
The high sugar content of starch, due to its cooking.
"On a scale of 1 to 100, its glycemic index is around 95," says Hélène Lemaire.
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A sustainable drink?
Interviewed in July 2021 in the columns of the British daily newspaper
The Telegraph
, Thomas Olander, general manager of DUG, assured that the drink required “56 times less water than almond milk, and half the surface area than for almond milk. 'oats'.
It must be said that with its 4 liters of water necessary for the maturity of the almonds, the first is indeed an ecological disaster.
In addition, in the state of Mato Grosso (in the center west of Brazil), soybean production monopolizes more than 6 million hectares, according to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), and contributes to intense deforestation.
However, this advantage, which promises to appeal to eco-anxious people, needs to be qualified.
“Potatoes germinate very quickly and a significant amount of pesticides and anti-germination treatments are used to guarantee their conservation, comments Hélène Lemaire.
So, we should especially favor organic potatoes.”
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While waiting for the drink to arrive on the French market, anyone who is lactose intolerant (30 to 50% of adults digest it badly (1)) can first turn to lactose-free cow's milk, recommended dietician nutritionist Florence Foucault, in a previous article.
And if you want to move towards vegetable "milks", it is essential to focus on the backs of the bottles, and to favor short lists of ingredients.
Just read the list of ingredients for DUG's potato milk published on its website.
“Several carbohydrates have been added (fructose, sucrose, maltodextrin), as well as additives, such as calcium carbonate – a natural dye – or even sunflower lecithin, an emulsifier, explains the dietician.
In sum, it
is an ultra-processed product, therefore potentially bad for your health.”
Finally, applications such as Open Food Facts, a database open to all and which allows people to make more informed food choices, can also provide guidance when purchasing.
(1) Figures to be found on the ameli.fr website.
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