Almond Milk Nutrition: Healthy Alternative or Harmful Scam?

Is almond milk really healthy? Or an expensive “health“ food that might harm you? The pros and cons of almond milk – all you need to know.

 Almond milk sales are soaring, but is it good for you?

However, as the drink grows in popularity, there are questions about whether almond milk is nutritious and healthy enough. Almond milk can contain additives, which is raising concerns among health food activists. It also lacks the calcium and protein of regular milk.

 Got Almond Milk? Dairy Farms Protest Milk Label on Nondairy Drinks

If milk comes from a plant, can you still call it milk? Not according to the dairy industry. Facing growing competition from dairy alternatives like almond, soy and coconut milk, the nation’s dairy farmers are fighting back, with an assist from Congress.

 Is Almond Milk Bad for the Planet?

First almond milk and other plant-based milks are lauded as a healthy alternative to regular milk; the next thing is they are being hailed as environmentally destructive. I exclusively drink nut milk at home (I make my own) and when I first starting hearing these claims, I decided to look into it a little more.

 Milk Producers Go Negative on Almond Milk

As sales for the plant-based substitute have grown 250 percent in just five years, the dairy industry is launching a campaign with a bit more bite than “Got Milk?"

 Sorry, but you shouldn't be drinking almond milk!

Almond milk. Everyone’s drinking it. Indeed, it’s recently overtaken soy as the most popular dairy-alternative. Everyone, I fear, also seems to think it’s the clean and green cousin at the lactose-free barbeque. I’m really sorry, guys, I have news for you…

 Starbucks Is Finally Adding Almond Milk To Its Menu

The change is huge for vegan and lactose-intolerant coffee drinkers, adding one more dairy-free option alongside coconut and soy milk. And even a cow’s milk fan can swoon at the thought of a toasty, warm latte made with almond milk. Mmm.

 The Dark Side of Almond Use

People are eating almonds in unprecedented amounts. Is that okay?

An Athlete's Guide to Almond Milk

From my estimation, almond milk has many health benefits and is a very good alternative to soy or cow's milk. Be sure to find what best meets your needs in terms of nutrients by reviewing the food ingredients label and choose accordingly. Of course, for the die-hards who relish the labor of love, you can always avoid the hysteria and choose to make your own almond milk.

How to Buy the Best Almond Milk (Hint: Avoid Carrageenan)

As with all food homemade is best, but in reality we don’t always have the time to make everything from scratch. In those situations it’s ok to buy it in packaged form, but… Watch out for carrageenan, added sugar, and other mystery ingredients.

How To Make Your Own Almond Milk, Because It’s Ridiculously Easy

 The list of ingredients on a carton of almond milk is long. Too long. It includes things like locust bean gum, sunflower lecithin, gellan gum and sometimes even carrageenan. Though those are all commonly found in many foods you buy at the grocery store and most aren’t thought to be harmful to your health, you can do without them.

Which Milk Is Most Nutritious: Soy, Cashew, Almond or Coconut?

An eight-ounce glass of cow’s milk naturally contains about eight grams of protein and almost a third of the recommended Percent Daily Value of calcium. Cow’s milk also naturally contains nutrients like potassium and vitamin B12. Cow's milk is also usually fortified with vitamins A and D. Nutritionally, the four plant-based milks noted pale in comparison. Except for soy milk, none of these milks contain more than a gram of protein unless they're fortified.

Why Almond Milk Won’t Help you Hit your Protein Goals

For instance, the average serving of almond milk tends to contain just one gram of protein. Compared to most dairy-based milk products, which contain on average 9 grams of protein, almond-based products fall short of packing a protein punch. However, almond milks tend to be lower in calories (hence the positive effect on obesity reduction), while also being lower in sugar content.