Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow Almond Milk Is MadeAlmond Milk BenefitsAlmond Milk NutritionWho Should Avoid Almond MilkDownsidesSweetened vs. Unsweetened
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How Almond Milk Is Made
Almond Milk Benefits
Almond Milk Nutrition
Who Should Avoid Almond Milk
Downsides
Sweetened vs. Unsweetened
Almond milk is a dairy-free,lactose-free milk that comes fromalmonds(hence the nutty flavor). Vegans and people withlactose intoleranceuse it as a healthy alternative to dairy. Plus, it has some impressive health benefits.
This article discusses how almond milk is made, its benefits, and its downsides.
Anchiy / Getty Images
Commercially, the liquid is homogenized (a process in which fat droplets are made into an emulsion so the cream does not separate) and pasteurized (heating it to kill pathogens) to increase its shelf life.
Almond milk has many benefits: It is a low-carbohydrate, low-cholesteroldairy alternativeenriched with many vitamins and minerals. For those who can’t have dairy, almond milk acts as a nutritious and tasty alternative.
Does Drinking Milk Make You Taller?
Alternative to Dairy
Almond milk can be an excellent alternative source for people withmilk allergiesor lactose intolerance. It’s also a great milk alternative for those on avegan dietand those with gastrointestinal issues.
Compared to cow’s milk, almond milk has the following benefits:
Good for Your Heart
Almonds are high inmonounsaturatedfatty acids (MUFAs). These healthier fats can lowercholesterol levels, reducing yourheart attackandstrokerisk.These fats are better for you than saturated and trans fats found in cow’s milk.
Strengthens Bones
Almond milk is fortified withcalcium, and in fact, fortified almond milk has more calcium than cow’s milk. Your bones are the central storage location of calcium in your body. If you don’t get adequate calcium in your diet, your bones can weaken or not grow properly.
Clears Skin
Almond milk’s highvitamin Econtent makes it a great choice for your skin. Vitamin E prevents damage fromfree radicals(unstable molecules in the body), which may protect skin from ultraviolet (UV) damage.Additionally, vitamin E is good for wound healing, atopic dermatitis (eczema), andacne.
Vitamin E Oil: Are the Benefits Worth Trying?
Almond milk is an excellent source of nutrition that is low in calories and high in calcium.
An 8-ounce cup of unsweetened almond milk has the following nutrients:
One of the nutritional downsides is the protein content of almond milk, which is significantly lower than the protein (8 g) found in cow’s milk.
While almond milk is a great milk substitute for people for various reasons, it’s not an appropriate choice for everyone.
People withnut allergiesshould avoid almond milk. Nut allergies can be life-threatening, so use extreme caution with nut milk. While an allergy to one nut doesn’t mean you will be allergic to them all, many people are often allergic to more than one nut. In one study of children with nut allergies, 30% of those with atree nut allergyhad one or more additional tree nut allergies.
In addition, infants under 1 year should not have almond milk because it does not contain adequate nutrients like that found in breast milk or formula.
Downsides to Almond Milk
In some ways, almond milk is better for you than regular milk. However, there are a few downsides.
Low in Protein
Almond milk is low inprotein. Compared to cow’s milk, it has about eight times less protein.If you struggle to get adequate protein, replacing cow’s milk with almond milk may make your quest even more difficult.
Some Contain Emulsifiers
Some brands of almond milk containcarrageenan. Thisfood emulsifier(stabilizing ingredients to prevent separation) is extracted from seaweed.
Researchers have found the ingredient may cause intestinal inflammation.If you have intestinal problems likeinflammatory bowel disease(IBD), you may want to read almond milk ingredients carefully and avoid those that use emulsifiers.
Environmental Concerns
Researchers have compared the impact of plant-based milk to cow’s milk on the environment. While plant milk does better across environmental impacts than cow’s milk, the biggest concern with almond milk is its water use andeutrophication(the pollution of ecosystems, such as bodies of water, with excess nutrients).
In most other respects, almond milk’s environmental impact is a fraction of cow’s milk’s impact on land use, greenhouse gas emissions, freshwater use, and eutrophication.It has a similar or superior impact than other plant-based milks across all measures.
Why Soy Milk Is the Best Plant-Based Alternative to Dairy Milk
Sweetened Almond Milk vs. Unsweetened
Unlike unsweetened almond milk, sweetened almond milk is high in carbohydrates and sugar. That’s because sweetened almond milk contains added sugar to make it taste sweeter.
Compared to unsweetened almond milk, sweetened almond milk has 2.5 times more calories, 12 times more carbohydrates, and more than 11 times more sugar (11.6 g of sugar compared to zero in unsweetened almond milk).
Summary
Unsweetened almond milk is a nutritious, low-calorie, low-carb milk alternative for many people. The vitamins and minerals in almond milk may benefit the heart, skin, and bones. Those on a vegan diet, with cow’s milk allergies, and lactose intolerance, may especially benefit from this plant-based milk.
People with nut allergies, as well as infants, should avoid almond milk. Read ingredients carefully to find a pure product without added emulsifiers or sweeteners.
13 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Vanga SK, Raghavan V.How well do plant based alternatives fare nutritionally compared to cow’s milk?.J Food Sci Technol. 2018;55(1):10-20. doi:10.1007/s13197-017-2915-yAmerican Society for Nutrition.Going nuts about milk? Here’s what you need to know about plant-based milk alternatives.American Heart Association.Monounsaturated fats.MedlinePlus.Calcium and bones.Oregon State University: Linus Pauling Institute.Vitamin E and skin health.Keen MA, Hassan I.Vitamin E in dermatology.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2016;7(4):311-315. doi:10.4103/2229-5178.185494U.S. Department of Agriculture.Unsweetened almond milk, unsweetened.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Milk, whole, 3.25% milkfat, with added vitamin D.McWilliam V, Peters R, Tang MLK, Dharmage S, et al.Patterns of tree nut sensitization and allergy in the first 6 years of life in a population-based cohort.Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2019;143(2):644-650.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2018.07.038Healthy Eating Research.Ages 0-2 feeding recommendations.Martino JV, Van Limbergen J, Cahill LE.The role of carrageenan and carboxymethylcellulose in the development of intestinal inflammation.Front Pediatr. 2017;5:96. doi:10.3389/fped.2017.00096Our World in Data.Dairy vs. plant-based milk: What are the environmental impacts?.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Almond milk, sweetened.
13 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Vanga SK, Raghavan V.How well do plant based alternatives fare nutritionally compared to cow’s milk?.J Food Sci Technol. 2018;55(1):10-20. doi:10.1007/s13197-017-2915-yAmerican Society for Nutrition.Going nuts about milk? Here’s what you need to know about plant-based milk alternatives.American Heart Association.Monounsaturated fats.MedlinePlus.Calcium and bones.Oregon State University: Linus Pauling Institute.Vitamin E and skin health.Keen MA, Hassan I.Vitamin E in dermatology.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2016;7(4):311-315. doi:10.4103/2229-5178.185494U.S. Department of Agriculture.Unsweetened almond milk, unsweetened.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Milk, whole, 3.25% milkfat, with added vitamin D.McWilliam V, Peters R, Tang MLK, Dharmage S, et al.Patterns of tree nut sensitization and allergy in the first 6 years of life in a population-based cohort.Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2019;143(2):644-650.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2018.07.038Healthy Eating Research.Ages 0-2 feeding recommendations.Martino JV, Van Limbergen J, Cahill LE.The role of carrageenan and carboxymethylcellulose in the development of intestinal inflammation.Front Pediatr. 2017;5:96. doi:10.3389/fped.2017.00096Our World in Data.Dairy vs. plant-based milk: What are the environmental impacts?.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Almond milk, sweetened.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Vanga SK, Raghavan V.How well do plant based alternatives fare nutritionally compared to cow’s milk?.J Food Sci Technol. 2018;55(1):10-20. doi:10.1007/s13197-017-2915-yAmerican Society for Nutrition.Going nuts about milk? Here’s what you need to know about plant-based milk alternatives.American Heart Association.Monounsaturated fats.MedlinePlus.Calcium and bones.Oregon State University: Linus Pauling Institute.Vitamin E and skin health.Keen MA, Hassan I.Vitamin E in dermatology.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2016;7(4):311-315. doi:10.4103/2229-5178.185494U.S. Department of Agriculture.Unsweetened almond milk, unsweetened.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Milk, whole, 3.25% milkfat, with added vitamin D.McWilliam V, Peters R, Tang MLK, Dharmage S, et al.Patterns of tree nut sensitization and allergy in the first 6 years of life in a population-based cohort.Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2019;143(2):644-650.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2018.07.038Healthy Eating Research.Ages 0-2 feeding recommendations.Martino JV, Van Limbergen J, Cahill LE.The role of carrageenan and carboxymethylcellulose in the development of intestinal inflammation.Front Pediatr. 2017;5:96. doi:10.3389/fped.2017.00096Our World in Data.Dairy vs. plant-based milk: What are the environmental impacts?.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Almond milk, sweetened.
Vanga SK, Raghavan V.How well do plant based alternatives fare nutritionally compared to cow’s milk?.J Food Sci Technol. 2018;55(1):10-20. doi:10.1007/s13197-017-2915-y
American Society for Nutrition.Going nuts about milk? Here’s what you need to know about plant-based milk alternatives.
American Heart Association.Monounsaturated fats.
MedlinePlus.Calcium and bones.
Oregon State University: Linus Pauling Institute.Vitamin E and skin health.
Keen MA, Hassan I.Vitamin E in dermatology.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2016;7(4):311-315. doi:10.4103/2229-5178.185494
U.S. Department of Agriculture.Unsweetened almond milk, unsweetened.
U.S. Department of Agriculture.Milk, whole, 3.25% milkfat, with added vitamin D.
McWilliam V, Peters R, Tang MLK, Dharmage S, et al.Patterns of tree nut sensitization and allergy in the first 6 years of life in a population-based cohort.Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2019;143(2):644-650.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2018.07.038
Healthy Eating Research.Ages 0-2 feeding recommendations.
Martino JV, Van Limbergen J, Cahill LE.The role of carrageenan and carboxymethylcellulose in the development of intestinal inflammation.Front Pediatr. 2017;5:96. doi:10.3389/fped.2017.00096
Our World in Data.Dairy vs. plant-based milk: What are the environmental impacts?.
U.S. Department of Agriculture.Almond milk, sweetened.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
