Let's Compare Milks Day 3: ALMOND MILK

Almonds are one of the healthiest nuts you can eat so they are a great addition to any diet. Almonds provide heart-healthy benefits. They contain the cholesterol lowering unsaturated fats, as well as potassium, manganese, copper, selenium, and magnesium. Almonds are a wonderful source of Vitamin E and protein.  One glass of Almond Milk gives you 1/2 of the Vitamin E that you need in a day.  Vitamin E is important because it protects your skin from sun damage, moisturizes your skin and gives you an anti-aging boost.  Almond milk also contains these nutrients but the protein content is usually way less due to the processing of the almonds and the fact that almonds are expensive, so the amount used in almond milk is small.

Almond milk is commonly consumed by people who do not care for or can not tolerate cow’s milk.  Raw foodists seem to prefer almond milk because it doesn’t need to be heated or cooked. Almond milk is practically almonds finely grounded and mixed with water. Almond milk has a light, nutty, sweet flavor and can be added to cereals, smoothies, coffee, and used in many recipes.  A great benefit of almond milk is that certain varieties can be stored on the shelf therefore it can easily be packed and taken along on vacations and camping trips.   

Not all almond milks are created equal.  Some brands add sugar as well as synthetic vitamins and minerals such as calcium. Be sure to read the nutrition label and choose almond milk that is low in sugar and don’t forget to read the ingredient list.  Most almond milk varieties contain additives.  For example here are the ingredients in Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Unsweetened Chocolate Almond Milk: (Filtered Water, Almonds), Cocoa (Dutch Process), Calcium Carbonate, Tapioca Starch, Sea Salt, Potassium Citrate, Carrageenan, Sunflower Lecithin, Natural Flavors, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin D2 and D-Alpha-Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E). 

Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Unsweetened Chocolate milk is a better almond milk choice because it has 0 grams of sugar and only 45 calories per cup.  Like most almond milks it only provides 2 grams of protein where soy or cow’s milk would have 7-8 grams of protein per serving.  This product is shelf stable.  As you can see, the ingredients are not just almonds, water and cocoa.  This almond milk requires additional additives as most do.

Some almond milks to compare:

Almond Breeze vanilla contains 90 calories, only 1 gram of protein and 15 grams of sugar per cup.  If you want the vanilla or chocolate flavored almond milks, opt for the unsweetened versions.

Fresh and Easy makes unsweetened organic almond milk.  This variety has only 40 calories per serving (1 cup) as well as 3 grams of fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 2 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 0 grams of sugar and 1 gram of protein.

The Verdict

Almond milk isn’t as bad as I once thought because it does contain healthy fats; it’s low in calories; the right variety can be free from sugar; and you can also get some vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A, D, E, and B12, calcium, iron, riboflavin, magnesium, zinc, copper, and manganese.  The only downfall in my eyes is that it does not contain enough protein so for this reason I will choose to stick with my favorite, fat-free cow’s milk.  I may choose some almond milk on occasion because I do like the taste, especially in smoothies and protein shakes.

Here's a simple recipe for all-natural almond milk:

Ingredients:

1 to 1 ½ cups of raw almonds
4 cups of filtered or spring water
3-8 dates (optional)

Directions:

1. Soak almonds in water for at least six hours.

2. Drain soaked almonds, and blend with 4 cups of fresh water until you get a milk-like consistency. Blend with dates (that have been soaked for at least an hour) if you like a hint of sweetness to your milk.

3. Strain once to remove almond granules.  If you use a Vitamix you may not have to strain it.

The result is a delicious, creamy milk that's free of added oils, concentrated sugars, and synthetic nutrients. This all-natural almond milk keeps for four to five days in an air-tight jar in the refrigerator.