Almond milk is a common alternative for cow's milk used by vegetarians, vegans and those with lactose intolerance. It is typically espoused to be healthier than other substitutes (for example, soy or rice milk) because it is very nutrient laden with many essential vitamins and minerals and high in mono-saturated fats. However, almonds are expensive and as a result most commercially distributed almond milks have a very low percentage of actual almonds in them, and they are supplemented with synthetic vitamins.
Vitamins and Minerals
Almonds are extremely rich in magnesium, potassium and copper. They are also very high in vitamin E, selenium and calcium, which are anti-oxidants and may reduce the risk of various types of cancer. Almond milk made straight from ground almonds and water is very high in all of these vitamins.
Cholesterol, Fats and Proteins
Almond milk is very low in cholesterol when compared to cow's milk, largely due to the fact that while cow's milk is very high in saturated fats, almond milk is made up of mono-saturated and poly-unsaturated fats. As almond milk still has a large amount of proteins, making it an excellent alternative to cow's milk for anyone with a history of heart disease, high blood pressure or bad cholesterol.
Gluten and Lactose
One of the advantages of almond milk is that it is entirely gluten and lactose free, so it can accommodate a variety of allergic sensitivities to those substances.
Fiber
Always read the ingredients in any store-bought almond milk, as it is not uncommon for a product advertised as almond milk to contain virtually no almonds. A good test is to check how many grams of fiber are in a regular serving of the product, as almonds themselves contain a relatively high percentage of fiber.
Member Comments