Is Almond Milk Good For You? Nutrition, Health Benefits

Almond milk is a dairy-free, lactose-free milk that comes from almonds (hence the nutty taste). Vegans and lactose intolerant people use it as a healthy alternative to dairy. In addition, it has several significant health benefits.

This article discusses how almond milk is made, its benefits, and its disadvantages.

How Almond Milk is Made

Almond milk is made by soaking and grinding almonds in water. The solids are then filtered until only a white, white liquid remains. You can make almond milk at home using this same process.

Commercially, the liquid is homogenized (a process in which fat droplets are made into an emulsion so that the cream does not separate) and pasteurized (heated to kill pathogens) to increase its shelf life.

Benefits of Almond Milk

Almond milk has many benefits: It is a low-carbohydrate dairy option, enriched with many vitamins and minerals. For those who cannot have dairy, almond milk serves as a nutritious and delicious alternative.

An alternative to Dairy

Almond milk can be an excellent alternative source for people with milk allergies or lactose intolerance. It is also a great choice of milk for those on a vegan diet and those with gastrointestinal problems.

Compared to cow’s milk, almond milk has the following advantages:

• Fewer calories
• Lower in fat
• Low in sugar (unsweetened almond milk)
• More calcium

Good for your Heart

Almonds are high in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). These healthier fats can lower cholesterol levels, reducing your risk of heart attack and stroke. These fats are better for you than saturated and trans fats found in cow’s milk.

Strengthens Bones

Almond milk is fortified with calcium, and in fact, fortified almond milk has more calcium than cow’s milk. Your bones are the central storage site for calcium in your body. If you don’t get enough calcium in your diet, your bones can weaken or not grow properly.

Cleans Skin

Almond milk’s high vitamin E content makes it a great choice for your skin. Vitamin E prevents damage from free radicals (unstable molecules in the body), which can protect the skin from ultraviolet (UV) damage. In addition, vitamin E is good for wound healing, atopic dermatitis (eczema), and acne.

Almond Milk Nutrition

Almond milk is an excellent source of nutrition that is low in calories and high in calcium.

An 8-ounce cup of unsweetened almond milk contains the following nutrients:

• calories: 28.8 grams (g)
• Protein: 1 g
• Fat: 2.5 g
• Calcium: 451 milligrams (mg)
• Potassium: 161 mg
• Sodium: 130 mg
• Vitamin E: 7 mg
• Vitamin D: 199 micrograms (mcg)

One of the nutritional disadvantages is the protein content of almond milk, which is much lower than the protein (8 g) found in cow’s milk.

Who Should Avoid Almond Milk

Although almond milk is a great milk substitute for people for a variety of reasons, it is not the right choice for everyone.

People with nut allergies should avoid almond milk. Nut allergies can be life-threatening, so be very careful with nut milk. Although an allergy to one nut does not mean you will be allergic to them all, many people are often allergic to more than one nut. In one study of children with nut allergies, 30% of those with tree nut allergies had one or more additional tree nut allergies.

Additionally, infants under 1 year should not have almond milk as it does not contain sufficient nutrients as found in breast milk or formula.

Disadvantages of Almond Milk

In some ways, almond milk is better for you than regular milk. However, there are a few drawbacks.

Low in Protein

Almond milk is low in protein. Compared to cow’s milk, it contains about eight times less protein. If you struggle to get enough protein, replacing cow’s milk with almond milk may make your quest even more difficult.

Some of them contain emulsifiers

There are several brands of almond milk carrageenan. This food emulsifier (stabilizing ingredients to prevent separation) is extracted from seaweed.

Researchers have found that the ingredient can cause intestinal inflammation. If you have intestinal problems such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), you may want to read almond milk ingredients carefully and avoid those that use emulsifiers.

Environmental Concerns

Researchers compared the impact of plant-based milk and cow’s milk on the environment. Although plant milk fares better across environmental impacts than cow’s milk, the biggest concern with almond milk is water use and eutrophication (pollution of ecosystems, such as bodies of water, with excess nutrients).

In most other respects, almond milk’s environmental impact is a fraction of cow’s milk’s impact on land use, greenhouse gas emissions, freshwater use, and eutrophication. It has a similar or better effect than other plant-based milks across all measures.

Sweetened vs Unsweetened Almond Milk

Unlike unsweetened almond milk, sweetened almond milk is high in carbohydrates and sugar. That’s because sweetened almond milk has added sugar to make it taste sweeter.

Compared to unsweetened almond milk, sweetened almond milk has 2.5 times more calories, 12 times more carbohydrates, and more than 11 times more sugar (11.6 g sugar compared to zero in unsweetened almond milk) .

Summary

Unsweetened almond milk is a nutritious, low-calorie, low-carb milk alternative for many people. The vitamins and minerals in almond milk can benefit the heart, skin and bones. People on a vegan diet, with cow’s milk allergies, and lactose intolerance may particularly benefit from this plant-based milk.

People with nut allergies, as well as infants, should avoid almond milk. Read ingredients carefully to get a pure product without added emulsifiers or sweeteners.