
We put it in our smoothies, replace our regular milk with it and assume that we are doing the healthy thing by using almost milk in our daily lives. The purpose is to make us feel good, give us a bit of flavor and remove the guilt associated with drinking dairy products while still allowing us to keep our bones strong and healthy. However, ask people why they drink almond milk instead of regular milk and they’re almost certain to stumble searching for an answer. They’re just not sure. They read about it somewhere. They saw it in a recipe for a healthy smoothie and assumed it must be healthier. The fact is that many of us will ingest whatever we are told is healthier without actually doing any research on what it is we are ingesting. And that’s not typically a safe habit. So here is the down low on almond milk and the kind of nutrition it really provides.
Calories
This is what most people are most concerned with. How many calories am I consuming when I drink almond milk, pour it into my cereal, or sweeten my coffee? After all, we want to stay slim and trim and the easiest way to do that is by limiting calorie intake. One full serving of almond milk is equivalent to a half cup, and that half cup contains only 30 calories. That’s less than half the number of calories found in a serving of skim milk, so therefore, it is a healthy option.
Other Nutrients
A serving of almond milk is free of both dairy and soy products, nor does it contain cholesterol or unsaturated fat. However, this does not make it healthy by nature. It’s healthy, yes, but it’s not the best way to get the good nutrients found in actual almonds. It is, however, a good substitute for milk.
Choose Almonds
If you’re only choosing this milk because you want the health benefits of eating almonds, you’re not going to get it. A full carton of almond milk is equivalent to about two servings of almonds, which will provide you with additional nutrients that just aren’t provided in the milk.
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