Almond Milk – Nutrition Facts, Health Benefits, Side Effects

Almond milk is a popular alternative to cow’s milk and other milk substitutes due to its nutrition, taste, and versatility.

Nutrition Facts

It is low in fat but high in energy and contains vitamins, like – vitamin B6, vitamin C, riboflavin, thiamine, folate, niacin, and vitamin E as well as minerals, such as – iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, and zinc.

Health Benefits Of Almond Milk

Skin Health

It is an excellent source of vitamin E that makes it perfect for your overall skin health. Moreover, this powerful nutrient has antioxidant abilities in that it helps regulate vitamin A use and availability.

A deficiency of this vitamin may lead to chronic diarrhea, greasy stools, and an inability to secrete bile. One cup of this milk has 49 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin E.

Cancer Prevention

Cow’s milk stimulated the growth of prostate cancer cells, while this plant-based milk suppressed prostate cancer cell growth, according to a 2012 study issued in “Cancer and Nutrition.”

Therefore, choosing this milk over cow’s milk may help lower your risk of developing some types of cancer.

Lactose-Free

It is commonly used by people who experience lactose intolerance symptoms because it doesn’t contain lactose. Lactose intolerance is a common digestive problem where the human body is unable to digest lactose, a sugar found in milk and dairy products.

Symptoms of lactose intolerance may include – cramps, bloating, gas, rumbling sounds in your belly, throwing up, or diarrhea. Occasionally, people who have never had symptoms of lactose intolerance suddenly have these problems, but this is more frequent as you get older.

Cholesterol-Free

almond milk side effects
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There’s no saturated fat or cholesterol in this milk. If a person has too much LDL cholesterol in their bloodstream, the excess may be deposited in arteries, which leads to hardening of the arteries (also called atherosclerosis).

Kidney Health

Thiamin, better known as vitamin B1, helps the body’s cells change carbohydrates into energy. Thiamin also helps to prevent diseases such as beriberi, which involves disorders of the nerves, heart, and digestive system.

More importantly, vitamin B1 slows down the onset and development of kidney disease in diabetes patients and promotes healthy kidney functioning. One cup of this milk provides 11 percent of the recommended daily intake of thiamin.

Promotes A Healthy Weight Loss

It is very low in calories per serving, making it a very common weight-loss diet option. For example, compared to goat’s milk, with 168 calories per serving, this plant-based milk has a modest 40 calories.

Good For Type 2 Diabetics

According to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 29 million Americans have type 2 diabetes mellitus, up from the previous estimate of 26 million in 2010.

This milk is a low-carb beverage, making it a remarkable choice for people who need to keep a check on their glycemic levels as well as for those on a low-carb diet.

Improves Vision

Vitamin A actually is a group of compounds that have a vital role in bone growth, vision, and health of the immune system. Moreover, consuming foods high in vitamin A may keep leukemia cells from dividing and slows down tumor growth in established cancers.

A deficiency in vitamin A is characterized by impaired vision, stunted growth, increased susceptibility to disease, and night blindness. One eight-ounce glass of this milk contains 500 IU vitamin A that represents 10% of the recommended daily intake.

Bone Development

Calcium plays an essential role in numerous of your body’s basic functions. For instance, your body needs this mineral in order to move muscles, circulate blood, and release hormones. In addition, it is also involved in fighting against some chronic diseases.

Increased calcium intake can suppress the growth of polyps that can lead to cancer and reduce your overall risk of colon cancer. A cup of this milk has 200 milligrams of calcium which is 20% of the recommended daily intake.

Recipe

#1 Soak almonds for at least 12 hours in pure water with 1/2 tsp sea salt. This is an important part as it breaks down enzyme inhibitors and the phytic acid and cultures beneficial enzymes in the almonds.

#2 Remove almonds from the water.

#3 Place almonds in a blender with 2 cups of water. Blend until creamy.

#4 You can add flavorings, like cinnamon or vanilla, then blend again.

#5 Strain mixture through a fine strainer to separate the pulp. Transfer milk to a covered bottle or jar and refrigerate.

Tips

  • Homemade almond milk only lasts 2-3 days in the fridge, therefore, make just what you think you will drink in this time period.
  • Re-use the leftover almond meal in cookies or brownies or bread.
  • Leave the skin on the almonds for more nutrients and dietary fiber and for a stronger almond taste.

How To Use

This milk is usually consumed raw as a beverage, nevertheless, it may be used as a substitute for soy milk, cow’s milk, or coconut milk in your favorite recipes.

Side Effects Of Almond Milk

Only drink this type of milk if you’re aware you’re not allergic to nuts.

Some store-bought types of almond milk contain carrageenan (allowed under FDA regulations as a direct food additive), a thickening additive from seaweed which is associated with ulcerative colitis, inflammation, and type 2 diabetes.

Important Note

When choosing almonds, try to find raw, organic almonds (produced in Europe, especially Spain), because, presently, pasteurized almonds sold in the United States can be labeled “raw” even though they’ve been processed by:

  • steam processing;
  • dry roasting, oil roasting, or blanching;
  • propylene oxide treatment (PPO is a highly toxic flammable chemical compound, previously utilized as a racing fuel, but now banned by car and motorcycle racing associations as being too dangerous).
References

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16172596
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=20

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