Almond milk is quickly gaining popularity as it is a great substitute for dairy milk or soy milk. Many people are steering away from soy milk due to its many health concerns. Soy is actually not a health food and should be avoided like the plague. Click here to learn more about why you should avoid soy in your daily diet.
Almond milk is not only delicious but can be used by people who are lactose intolerant or people who just wish to avoid dairy in their daily diet.
Health Benefits Of Almond Milk
1. Full Of Nutrients
Almond milk is one of the most nutritious milk substitutes on the market. Packed with vitamin A, D, and E, and many other nutrients such as manganese, selenium, magnesium, vitamin E, zinc, fiber, potassium, phosphorous, and iron
2. Low In Calories, Great For Weight Loss
Almond milk contains fewer calories than dairy milk or other milk substitutes. So if you’re watching those calories almond milk is your best choice. For the best weight loss results, opt for unsweetened almond milk or even better make your own. (Scroll down for the recipe)
To give you an idea of the calorie content:
- Whole milk: 140 calories per cup
- Rice milk: 120 calories per cup
- Skim milk: 80 calories per cup
- Almond milk (sweetened): 40 calories per cup
- Almond milk (unsweetened): 30 calories per cup
3. Great Alternative For People With Milk Allergies Or Lactose Intolerance
Almond milk is a plant derivate and does not contain any lactose. It can be consumed, without any side effect, by people who are allergic to milk or lactose intolerant.
4. Great For Vegans And Raw Food Eaters
Because almond milk contains no animal products or by-products, it’s suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Many vegans or raw food eaters use almond milk to create smoothies or other sweet treats.
ALSO READ: Essential Tips for Vegans and Plant-based Eaters In A Carnivore World
5. Strong Bones And Teeth
Almond milk contains calcium which helps to maintain strong bones and teeth
ALSO READ: Discover the Best Foods for Strong Bones
6. Great For Your Heart Health
Almond milk contains no cholesterol or saturated fats. It is high in omega-3 fatty acids which help you to lower bad cholesterol.
7. Improves Eye And Skin Health
Almond milk contains high levels of the antioxidant vitamin E. Vitamin E can help you to reduce the risk of cancer and slows the signs of aging. The high levels of vitamin A, on the other hand, will improve your overall eye health.
8. Contains No Antibiotics Or Hormones
Many of our foods contain hormones, antibiotics, or other unnatural chemical substances. Especially cow’s milk is full of hormones and antibiotics.
Scroll down to learn how to make your own almond milk.
Almond Milk, The Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups filtered water (if you prefer a thinner milk, use more water)
- 1 cup raw almonds, soaked
- Sweeteners and/or flavorings, such raw honey, pinch of sea salt, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, etc. (optional)
Directions
- Soak Almonds at least 4 hours, preferably overnight in water to neutralize phytic acid
- Rinse and drain almonds.
- Place the almonds and filtered water in a blender (tip: you could add pitted dates for more flavor)
- Blend on highest speed for about 1 to 2 minutes, depending on your blender.
- Pour contents from the blender through a nut milk straining bag (or fine-mesh or cheesecloth)
- Close bag and strain the milk by squeezing the bag.
- Optional, add sweeteners or flavorings.
- Store in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 2 to 3 days.
Note: You can use the almond pulp for hummus, homemade granola, smoothies, cookies, muffins or you can dehydrate the pulp to make almond meal or freeze it for later use.
Why I love almond milk? Well, it doesn’t taste like milk. It has a light, nutty, delicious flavor and can be added to all sorts of dishes and baked goods or in your cup of tea as a milk replacement. And it almost contains no calories in comparison to normal milk. And in combination with the health benefits of almond milk, it really is a no-brainer!
Making your own almond milk is easy and won’t take too much time. But if you decide to buy almond milk, make sure to read the label carefully. Some brands add the food additive extracted from red seaweed, carrageenan, for its thickening and stabilizing properties. Although the FDA considers carrageenan safe, multiple studies indicate that it can cause gastrointestinal inflammation and may contribute to the development of cancer.
You can use the same recipe to make other nut milk such as cashew or hazelnut. Also check out my post about how to make your own coconut milk here
Thanks for reading. I hope this information was helpful. Until next time!
Amy Goodrich
Crazy cat lady, life and food lover, certified biologist, and holistic health coach.
Hi Amy,
I know people with lactose intolerance issue, often choose almond milk. But wasn’t aware that almond milk has so many benefits. I do eat almond but never tried the almond milk, will drink it now. thanks for the information and sharing the recipe.
You’re welcome! We love its nutty flavor and it is so easy to make.
I want to lose my weight but I don’t understand that type of seed you sent.
Hi Sandra! Almonds are not a weight loss miracle on its own, but they are low in calories and super healthy and delicious. Almond milk is very low in calories compared with milk or other non-dairy milk substitutes. So if you are trying to lose weight almond milk is the best milk option for you. I love almond milk in my green breakfast smoothies or in chia seed puddings, both are great to help you lose weight. Chia seed puddings are low in calories, boost your fat-burning mechanisms and make a great dessert if you crave for something sweet. This recipe is with coconut milk but works with almond milk as well http://www.body-in-balance.org/healthy-food/coconut-flavored-berry-chia-seed-pudding/. I also have a free green smoothie ebook. I lost quite a lot of weight and reduced my cholesterol with substituting my regular breakfast with a green smoothie and adding more fruits and leafy green to my diet and reduce carbs like bread, pasta and potatoes. Here’s the link to the ebook for recipes and tips and tricks to help you http://www.body-in-balance.org/greensmoothie/. Have a great day and feel free to contact me again for more questions or remarks. Cheers, Amy 🙂
Hi Amy, I have enjoyed the info in your blog, I have been drinking almond milk for a while. and eat unsalted nuts for a snack all the time. I look forward to trying your greens smoothie . Will stay in touch and keep track of my results since i weight 140 lbs at 5’4″ need to lose at least 10lbs. Thanks again for some great ideals.
Hi Brook, Thanks for your lovely words, really appreciate them! Would love to hear about your progress. Good luck and if you need my help with something, feel free to ask. Here to help 😉
hi amy! i am very impressed by your goal to help people achieve a healthy life style. i can see through your blogs and comments how dedicated you are by giving health information, tips and insparation to people. thank you for your free smoothie recipes, i will definitely try them. Just one question, you mentioned in one of the comments above to replace breakfast with smoothie, meaning no other food than that? will it not make you starve until your next meal or lunch?
Aww, thanks Penny for your lovely words of appreciation!
You can indeed swap your regular breakfast (or lunch) for a green smoothie without starving yourself. We have been doing this for the last few years. If you make them the right way you’ll feel full until your next meal or snack (make a 16oz thick smoothie). Here’s an article I wrote about how to make your green smoothie a complete and filling meal by adding all the macro-nutrients your body needs: http://www.body-in-balance.org/blog/nutrition/meal-replacement-green-smoothie/
Also note that when you are going on a more plant-based lifestyle it is important to eat enough of them as fruits and veggies contain less calories per bite than other foods.
Best way is to eat 5-6 smaller meals. I usually have a green smoothie for breakfast, some fruits and/or seeds and nuts at 10 am, soup or a salad for lunch, another fruit or veggie snack at 3pm and a healthy dish for dinner. Eventually another healthy snack in the evening if you feel hungry.
Hope this helps! Enjoy the rest of your week 😉
Hi Amy. I made almond milk and oat milk last week, turned out great although I found the almond milk a little strong for my taste. Tried making it again yesterday, using blanched almonds (I removed the skins myself). I made a huge mistake! Totally forgot to discard the soaking water and went ahead and blitzed it altogether. Do you think it’s safe the drink the almond milk or should I just throw it away? Love the pumpkin spice almond milk, it’s next on my list.
Hi Janice,
We love homemade nut milk too. Just made a batch of cashew milk with raw cacao! Yum! We like a strong nut flavor, but you can always add some more water if the milk is too strong for you. As for the batch of almond milk and soaking water, no need to throw it away. However for future batches of nut milk, it’s best to discard the soaking water because it contains phytic acid, which inhibits the body’s ability to absorb nutrients, but it will usually not make you sick and is still safe to drink.
Enjoy the rest of the weekend!
Is it necessary to strain the almond milk? I’d be using it as an ingredient in a smoothie or baked good.
Hi Patricia, if your blender is powerful enough you don’t have to strain. If it is not and you don’t mind a few small pieces of nut you can use it straight away too. Up to you. Have a great day!