Cashew Milk vs Buttermilk: The Ultimate Verdict

There are so many types of milk out there, but two interesting ones that we’ll look at today are cashew milk and buttermilk!

Cashew milk is a plant-based milk that has an amazing creaminess to it that compliments the delicious nutty flavor profile, and it’s a great dairy-alternative that you can enjoy in many ways (which we’ll check out here)!

Then there’s buttermilk, which is a unique type of milk that you’ve likely heard of, and probably even used! Now, there are some massive differences between it and cashew milk, so we have to get to the bottom of which one is better!

We’ll do that by checking out all the details of these two milks, ultimately deciding which one you should pick!

Let’s check them out!

Comparing cashew milk vs buttermilk

This is basically a comparison of a unique plant milk versus a unique animal milk, with cashew milk having tree nuts as an allergen and buttermilk having milk as one. 

Cashew milk is also vegan and paleo friendly, and is a great choice if you have lactose sensitivities. Buttermilk isn’t suitable for vegan, paleo, or keto diets, and may cause you some stomach discomfort or digestive issues if you’re sensitive to lactose.

	Cashew milk	Buttermilk (lowfat/1%)
Type	Plant-based (nut/seed milk)	Animal-based
Allergens	Tree nuts	Milk
Vegan?	Yes	No
Paleo?	Yes	No
Keto?	No	No

Differences between cashew milk and buttermilk

The biggest difference between cashew milk and buttermilk are their flavors, with further differences in their textures and sources.

Cashew milk has a creamy and slightly nutty flavor with a smooth texture, and tends to be thinner than buttermilk. It’s made from soaked and ground cashews or cashew butter, with some brands throwing almonds into the mix – you can make cashew milk at home if you’d like!

Buttermilk was traditionally made from the leftover liquid that comes after churning butter out of cultured cream, but is now made by adding a probiotic culture to pasteurized or homogenized milk in order to ferment it – similar to kefir!

While cashew milk can be used as a stand alone beverage or in baking, buttermilk’s main purpose is to add moisture and tenderness to baked and cooked dishes, and provides a tangy flavor. 

How to use cashew milk vs buttermilk

Here’s how I recommend taking advantage of cashew milk and buttermilk’s unique characteristics to get the most out of them:

Cashew milk:

• Add it to your cereal and smoothies.
• Put it into your coffee.
• Make pancake batter with it.
• Add a creaminess to your soups.
• Bake with it (cakes, muffins, and more).
• Use it instead of milk for a dairy-free alternative.

Buttermilk:

• Tenderize meat.
• Add moisture to things like pancakes and moist cakes.
• Use as a base for dressings and dips.
• Use as marinades and brines.

Can you substitute cashew milk for buttermilk?

You can in some cases, but cashew milk and buttermilk are quite different in terms of what they do. 

Cashew milk is very good as a milk or dairy substitute, and does all the things that regular milk does while providing a slightly nutty taste. Buttermilk has some more specific uses in the baking and cooking world, and provides a unique tanginess – plus, it’s a good idea to keep buttermilk in recipes that call for it rather than replacing it with cashew milk because the texture and taste will change the overall dish.

Nutrition: Cashew milk vs buttermilk

Both milks are quite similar in calories, but cashew milk has about half the carbs that buttermilk does with 7 grams per serving while buttermilk has 15 grams per serving. Cashew milk is quite a bit higher in fats, with 10 grams of unsaturated fats versus buttermilk’s 2.5 grams per serving. 

Cashew milk has 1 gram of sugar per serving, while buttermilk has 11 grams. Buttermilk will give you 10 grams of protein every time you have a cup, and cashew milk will give you 4 grams. Buttermilk is better in calcium and vitamin D content, with 25% daily calcium value and 10% daily vitamin D value. 

Buttermilk also contains more probiotics, which are great for gut health and digestion!

Per 1 cup (237 ml/8 oz.)	Cashew milk (unfortified)	Buttermilk (lowfat/1%)
Calories	130	120
Total fat (saturated)	10 g (1.5 g)	2.5 g (2 g)
Total carbs	7 g	15 g
Total sugars (incl. added)	1 g (0 g)	11 g (0 g)
Protein	4 g	10 g
Calcium	2% DV	25% DV
Vit D	0% DV	10% DV

How to store cashew milk and buttermilk

Cashew milk should be stored in the fridge just like all plant-based milk alternatives. This will keep it from going bad too soon, and keep it tasting great! Buttermilk should also be in the fridge, as that’ll stop it from spoiling too quickly as well.

Make sure to check the best before dates for these milks to ensure that you don’t accidentally use any bad ones!

Cashew milk vs buttermilk: The ultimate verdict

Cashew milk is the choice to make if you want a milk that you can drink and use like regular milk. It has a creaminess to it that’s absolutely delicious, and the slightly nutty flavor is great – and it’s perfect for anyone that doesn’t handle dairy very well.

However, buttermilk is also great. It’s more suited towards baking and adding a tangy twist to things like pancakes and other bakes, and is also great for something like marinades and dressings – you can even tenderize your meat with it for a delicious and unique flavor. 

Both milks are great, but cashew milk takes the overall win for being much more versatile and compatible with different diets!

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