Is Almond Milk Good for You? Nutrition, Health Benefits

Almond milk is a dairy-free, lactose-free milk made from almonds (hence its nutty taste). Vegans and people with lactose intolerance use it as a healthy alternative to dairy products. Plus, it has some impressive health benefits.

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

How to Make Almond Milk?

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

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

Benefits of Almond Milk

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

Dairy Alternative

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

Almond milk has the following benefits compared to cow’s milk:

• fewer calories
• Lower fat content
• Lower in sugar (unsweetened almond milk)
• more calcium

Good for Your Heart

Almonds are high in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA). These healthy fats can lower cholesterol levels and reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. These fats are better for you than the 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 may become weak or fail to grow properly.

Cleanses the Skin

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

Almond Milk Nutrition

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

An 8-ounce glass of unsweetened almond milk has the following nutrients:

• Calories: 28.8 grams (g)
• Protein: 1g
• Fat: 2.5g
• 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 that the protein content of almond milk is significantly lower than the protein found in cow’s milk (8 g).

Who Should Avoid Almond Milk?

While almond milk is a great milk alternative for people for a variety of reasons, it’s not a suitable choice for everyone.

People with hazelnut allergies should avoid almond milk. Nut allergies can be life-threatening, so be very careful with nut milk. Although being allergic to one nut does not mean you will be allergic to all of them, most people are generally allergic to more than one nut. A study of children with nut allergies found that 30% of those with tree nut allergies had one or more additional tree nut allergies.

Additionally, babies under 1 year of age should not be given almond milk because almond milk does not contain enough nutrients like breast milk or formula.

Disadvantages of Almond Milk

In some ways, almond milk is better for you than regular milk. However, it has a few disadvantages.

Low Protein

Almond milk is low in protein. It contains approximately eight times less protein compared to cow’s milk. If you’re struggling to get enough protein, swapping cow’s milk for almond milk may make your quest even more challenging.

Some Contain Emulsifiers

Some brands of almond milk include: carrageenan. This food emulsifier (stabilizing ingredients to prevent separation) is derived from seaweed.

Researchers found that the ingredient may cause intestinal inflammation. If you have gut 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 environmental impact of plant-based milk with cow’s milk. While plant milk may have better environmental impacts than cow’s milk, the biggest concern with almond milk is water usage and eutrophication (pollution of ecosystems such as water bodies with excess nutrients).

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

Sweetened Almond Milk and Unsweetened

Unlike unsweetened almond milk, sweetened almond milk is high in carbohydrates and sugar. This is because sweetened almond milk contains 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 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 may benefit the heart, skin, and bones. Those on a vegan diet with cow’s milk allergy and lactose intolerance can especially benefit from this plant-based milk.

People and babies with hazelnut allergies should avoid almond milk. Read the ingredients carefully to find a pure product with no added emulsifiers or sweeteners.