Walnut milk is a wonderful plant-based milk that boasts some unique and amazing health benefits! It has a great flavor that you won’t mistake for anything else, and its creamy texture is mouth-watering!
Buttermilk is also an amazing milk type, with a perfect application in baking and cooking – it boasts a unique flavor and texture that adds an oomph in the many recipes that call for it, and it moistens things amazingly!
Now, the question is: which one of these is the better milk?
They’re very different, so we’ll explore them more deeply here – we’ll also compare them closely, uncovering which one of these is the one to pick!
Let’s take a look!
Comparing walnut milk vs buttermilk
Walnut milk is a plant-based nut milk that has tree nuts as an allergen. It’s great for vegan, paleo, and keto diets!
Buttermilk is animal-based, and has milk as an allergen. You unfortunately can’t use it in any vegan, paleo, or keto diets.
| Walnut milk | Buttermilk (lowfat/1%) | |
| Type | Plant-based (nut milk) | Animal-based |
| Allergens | Tree nuts | Milk |
| Vegan? | Yes | No |
| Paleo? | Yes | No |
| Keto? | Yes | No |
Differences between walnut milk and buttermilk
The main difference between walnut milk and buttermilk is what they’re originally made from.
Walnut milk is made from, well, walnuts! It boasts a distinct nutty flavor and a beautiful creamy texture. You can easily make walnut milk at home, as it’s made by blending soaked walnuts with water. It has a lot of dietary versatility, so it’s a great choice if you’re following a special diet!
Buttermilk is a thick and creamy milk that boasts a tangy and slightly sour flavor. It’s made by adding a probiotic culture to pasteurized or homogenized milk, creating a fermenting process that gives us this unique beverage! It’s used a lot in baking and cooking, as its flavor and texture act as powerful additions in many different recipes that call for it.
How to use walnut milk vs buttermilk
Walnut milk and buttermilk can both be used in more ways than just drinking them! Take advantage of their unique properties:
Walnut milk:
- Use as a diary-free drink.
- Add it to your cereal and oatmeal.
- Mix it into your smoothies.
- Bake with it for a nutty twist.
- Put it in your coffee or tea.
- Thicken sauces and soups with it.
Buttermilk:
- Drink it by itself or use like kefir.
- Use it for marinades and brines.
- Tenderize meat with it.
- Add its tangy flavor and creamy texture to recipes.
- Moisten different bakes like pancakes, cookies, and cakes.
- Use it to make thick and creamy dressings and dips.
Can you substitute walnut milk for buttermilk?
Walnut milk shares a bit of the creaminess that buttermilk has, but isn’t as thick. You can bake with both of them, or use them in many of the same ways in many cases – however, they are quite different in terms of allergens and dietary versatility, so keep that in mind.
Also, I recommend keeping buttermilk in recipes that call for it instead of switching it out for walnut milk as it provides a unique and specific affect with its flavor and texture.
Nutrition: Walnut milk vs buttermilk
Walnut milk and buttermilk boast the same amount of calories, but walnut milk has a lot more fat – luckily, it’s the healthy type! You’ll find just 1 gram of carbs per serving in walnut milk, making it very low in carbs – buttermilk has 15 grams per serving, which is a very high carb content!
Walnut milk has no sugar, while buttermilk has 11 grams per serving. You’ll find a low protein content of 3 grams per serving in walnut milk versus the 10 grams of protein in buttermilk, and buttermilk is also better in calcium and vitamin D contents.
There are a lot of great omega-3 fatty acids in walnut milk, which is great for heart and brain health! You’ll find probiotics in buttermilk, which are great for gut health!
| Per 1 cup (237 ml/8 oz.) | Walnut milk | Buttermilk (lowfat/1%) |
| Calories | 120 | 120 |
| Total fat (saturated) | 11 g (1 g) | 2.5 g (2 g) |
| Total carbs | 1 g | 15 g |
| Total sugars (incl. added) | 0 g | 11 g (0 g) |
| Protein | 3 g | 10 g |
| Calcium | 2% DV | 25% DV |
| Vit D | 0% DV | 10% DV |
How to store walnut milk and buttermilk
Walnut milk is best stored in the fridge, and will last you around 5 days with the best results! I recommend keeping a tight seal on it so that no flavors in the fridge impose themselves on it…
Buttermilk should be stored in the fridge as well, but will last about 7 days when unopened and 5 days once opened. However, there are some brands that say it’ll last 14 days after opening, so keep an eye out for any spoilage if you keep it for that long!
Walnut milk vs buttermilk: The ultimate verdict
Walnut milk boasts a great unique flavor with a creamy texture to it. It’s quite delicious, and provides you with some amazing health benefits! It is lacking in things like protein, calcium, and vitamin D, however.
Buttermilk is perfect if you want to bake or cook with it, and it’ll give you a very unique flavor that’ll really add some special touches to your dishes! However, it’s not very dietary versatile.
Both milks have their place, and are great in different settings. Overall, walnut milk takes the win here for generally being more appropriate in things outside of baking, boasting omega-3 fatty acids and lots of healthy fats, and for being really dietary versatile!
FAQs
This depends a lot on your preferences, as one is a plant-based milk and the other is animal-based. I generally recommend buttermilk for baking, but walnut milk checks a lot of other boxes too!
You’ll find health benefits and drawbacks in many different types of milk, so check them out to find one that fits your needs – or talk to a health professional!
Buttermilk is fermented and provides a tangy, slightly sour taste and has a thicker texture. It also has less fat and slightly more protein, and is better used for adding moisture to bakes.
It sure is! Walnut milk contains a lot of healthy fats, nutrients, and omega-3 fatty acids!
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