Plant-based milk manufacturers have long been on a quest to churn out a dairy-esque product that is good for you, sustainable to harvest, and tastes just as good as the standard-bearer cow’s milk, if not better. Oat, almond, and soy milk have all made great strides, though each one has its vice: oat is more caloric, almond requires gallons of water to farm, and soy is allergic for some. But now one company thinks they’ve found the holy grail, a plant source with the most favorable balance of factors yet: behold, the humble ch-ch-ch-chia seed! It’s a “super-nutrient” and “drought-friendly,” thus ticking the health and sustainability boxes, which is why parent company Benexia created Seeds of Wellness Chia Milk, now available at Costco in packs of six one-quart cartons for $15.
Chia packs a nutritional punch: Chia is a strong source of healthy fats as well as dietary fiber: a “super-nutrient” lacking in most American diets, according to the American Society for Nutrition. Benexia’s micro-milling process preserves the plant’s original nutritive value while churning out a creamy milk-like texture. “We harness the nutritional power of chia to deliver wholesome products … with human and planet health in mind,” said Benexia CEO Sandra Gilliot.
‘Seed to packing’ sustainability: The company follows regenerative agriculture techniques — using farming as a jumping-off point to promote soil health and ecosystem resilience — and relies exclusively on rainwater for irrigation, per its 2024 Sustainability Report. Chia, moreover, is a relatively drought-friendly plant, as indicated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Plants Database. While chia plants require some moisture, they do not require regular watering, making them an agricultural staple as crop insecurity and extreme weather continue to rise in our overheating planet. Even after the chia growth and harvest, Benexia limits water usage in the ingredient processing phase of milk production, “using a nearly zero-waste, zero-water process from seed to packaging,” PR Newswire reported. “Water is only introduced as the main ingredient in the final product.”
Alternative milk is on the rise: In 2023, the University of North Carolina’s PIT Journal forecast a 127% increase in per capita alternative milk revenue between 2014 and 2027, based on the “impressive growth trajectory of the industry in the past and the future.”
The environmental repercussions of milk: Dairy milk production relies on heavy water consumption to sustain cows and also releases copious amounts of the planet-warming gas methane from cows’ belches. Currently, almond milk is the most popular plant-based milk alternative, but even almond farming requires considerable water usage — more than 23 gallons of water for a single glass of almond milk, wrote Business Insider. If more and more households consume chia milk instead, the environmental repercussions could be huge. Conserving water puts less strain on estuaries and other bodies of water, allowing aquatic ecosystems to flourish while maintaining water security in our warming climate.
Well, the science sure is compelling! But the million dollar question is, what does it really taste like? One redditor kindly laid out a thorough review that’s largely positive! If anything, they said the sweetness stuck out, which another commenter noted was likely due to the chicory root fiber listed in the ingredients. And many more people responded favorably to the taste, though one person did not mince their words: “taste like dirt.” But they said they’ll still use it mixed in with other foods, just not as a standalone drink. For $15, I’d be willing to try it out and see if it hits me as sweet or dirt. I need all the “super-nutrient” boosting I can get (though not for sprouting a mane, I’m fine in that department thankyouverymuch). And if I could hide it in my coffee? Even better! I raise a glass to all those seeking healthier, greener alternatives! And take this opportunity to shout that raw milk is NOT among them.
Note by CB: This is not a sponsored post
I’ll try it. Though my favourite for most cooking is oat milk. But chickpea milk is my new favourite for desserts and smoothies. It’s such a nice nutty flavour, so creamy.
I’m up for giving it a try, too! But can I foam it for my morning espresso?
I’ve found protein content of milk makes a difference in foaming, so, for example, Fairlife foams better than regular dairy which does ok.
So if this has at least as much protein as ‘regular’ milk it may be worth trying.
I saw chia milk last week at sprouts, and literally had the exact thought–what? and I wonder if it would be good for me. Thanks for the post, very informative
So, hang on … they tout ‘high in fiber’ as a characteristic of chia seeds, turn it into “milk” a product not known for containing any fiber, and claim to preserve “the plant’s original nutritive value” but then turn around and add chicory root fiber? Why, if they preserved the original nutritive value?
Also, inulin (chicory root fiber) can cause some unpleasant GI side effects that properly prepared chia seeds don’t, even in small amounts, going by the effects of some yogurts with added inulin.
Well, they also tout how chia is a drought-resistant plant but say nothing of the amount of water used in the making of chia ‘milk’.
I’ll try chia milk. I used to make fun of people drinking oat milk, until I tried it. Right now, I can’t stand cow’s milk, so I’ve been using almond or oat. Don’t care about calories. Love both.
Being lactose intolerant, I have been very pleased with the selection on dairy substitutes that are now available. I have started making my own nut milk. Chia milk sounds intriguing..
One of the greatest pieces of misinformation that the dairy industry has created is that almond milk “takes too much water” to produce. Almond milk uses less than half the water that dairy milk uses to produce a gallon. It also comes without animal cruelty (no male calves need to be killed for almond milk!), and is so much better for the environment than cow milk. Raising cows uses massive amounts of energy and grain while producing greenhouse gases, toxic runoff from truly unimaginable amounts of manure, desertification, etc. Growing trees is a net win while animal agriculture drive most forms of environmental destruction.
I thought the bigger issue surrounding almond milk was the negative impact to the honeybee population necessary to sustain the increase in almond farming.
I lived for a year & a half smack in the middle of almond, citrus, and dairy farming. All three are intensive uses of the landscape & none are remotely environmentally friendly.
@kismet – when you try it, can you post again? Would love to hear your take, and also from others here who try it.
Am I the only one picturing a line of Chia Pets hooked up to milking machines? I can’t decide if they’re tiny milking machines or giant Chia Pets.
Giant Chia Pets please! Tiny would be cute, but giant Chia Pets in the mud room off the kitchen would be pretty rad.
Just a warning, chicory root can cause MAJOR MAJOR MAJOR gas. I say major three times, because I used to eat these Fiber One bars every morning, and I was nonstop crop-dusting for at least 12 hours straight. Turns out, chicory root was the fuel to my fire. Buyer beware.