MILAN — Launched in the autumn of 2018 the Swedish lifestyle brand Sproud is Europe’s first pea-based milk alternative. Sproud is lactose, gluten and soy free, and is low in fat and low in sugar. Peas, like other legumes help maintain a healthy gut and low cholesterol levels as well as stabilizing blood sugar levels.
With a less sweet and more full-bodied taste, Sproud works really well in cooking, baking and in coffee, smoothies and other drinks.
̶ According to the Eat Lancet report, which is the first report that combines sustainability and health, that came out in January this year, people need to consume ten times as much legumes in order to achieve a sustainable protein consumption. If you look at places like LA, where trends in plant-based foods often start, we see many new legume-based products, partly for sustainability reasons but also as part of a modern healthy lifestyle, says Christina Cheng from the Sprillo trend and innovation agency in Sweden
As consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the health and environmental impact of the food that we eat, the plant-based food trend has become mainstream. There are more dairy-free alternatives on the Dairy shelf than ever, and cow’s milk is experiencing more and more competition from plant-based alternatives made from cereals, legumes, nuts and other plants. The pea as an ingredient is an excellent sustainable choice.
Peas uses only a third of the water to grow to maturity as oats and soy. Peas are nitrogen-fixing plants, their roots contain symbiotic bacteria that can convert nitrogen from the air to make it available for plants in the soil.
This process greatly reduced the need for fertilizers and is also beneficial for other crops growing alongside peas. Finally, peas contain a large amount of protein that can be extracted without chemical solvents.
“I think it’s great that Sproud is made from peas, and it works really well as an alternative to cow’s milk in both sweet and savoury recipes. I can use Sproud for everything where I previously used cow’s milk “says Frida Ronge, chef and creative leader at the sustainable restaurant TAK in Stockholm.
