Is almond milk better for you than regular milk?

[CTyankee]

I like the almond milk a lot.

[Beakybird]

1. Only if they're free-range almonds. It's also more ethical.

Caged almonds? Never!
How about oat milk? Better for the environment.

[CTyankee]

2. It seems to me that "free range" might mean "really hard to find and farm ethically." Can that

be done without making the product prohibitively expensive, so only the rich can be virtuous?

[Beakybird]

6. Free range means the almonds have a happy childhood and are hulled gently. .

[UncleTomsEvilBrother]

16. I don't know if it's...

...because I"m on a Zoom Sunday School call and snooping on DU at the same time, but this made me interrupt the class with laughter.

GEEZUS!!!!! LOL!!!!!!!

[kentuck]

28. :-)

+100

[hlthe2b]

3. Short answer is it depends... I think there are pros and cons and without enrichment, definitely not

If it is not enriched with added calcium, Vitamin D and other nutrients or a brand that contains a lot of added sugar that may be an issue for you. And, though almonds have lots of benefits, much of those benefits do not apply to almond MILK, given the antioxidant-rich skins from almonds are not used. But for some people, it offers the benefit of not containing lactose and many unsweetened brands are low calorie and low in fat.

I like almond milk, myself, but it is pricey and I'd prefer to get the full benefit from eating a small handful of raw almonds a few times/weekly.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318612#benefits

Although almond milk is not nearly as nutritious as cow’s milk, enriched products come close.

They frequently contain added vitamin D, calcium, and protein, making them more similar to regular milk in nutritional content.

However, almond milk is naturally rich in several vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin E.

--snip--

The body does not absorb some minerals in almond milk as well as it does those in milk. This is partly because almonds contain phytic acid, an antinutrient that reduces the absorption of iron, zinc, and magnesium (4, 5, 6).

[luv2fly]

4. I read the water required to irrigate the almond trees...

is draining aquifers around California's almond growing area. If that is true, almond milk seems to me to be not so wise.

[Ohiogal]

12. Yes,

It takes a lot of water-a LOT- to grow almond trees. Personally I don’t think that is environmentally wise, either.

[handmade34]

21. takes a LOT of water to

raise dairy cows, clean up after them, grow hay and grain to feed them, etc..... (I used to milk cows, I know) the argument of water use is a red herring

All non-dairy milks, whether they're made from nuts, beans, or seeds, produce less emissions than cow's milk. So feel free to ignore all those reports about how almond milk uses too much water to be sustainable, because almond milk uses way less water than its dairy counterpart.

[stopbush]

23. It takes one gallon of water to produce a single almond.

[mucifer]

5. From a Harvard nutrition article:

While calcium and dairy can lower the risk of osteoporosis and colon cancer, high intake can increase the risk of prostate cancer and possibly ovarian cancer.

Plus, dairy products can be high in saturated fat as well as retinol (vitamin A), which at high levels can paradoxically weaken bones.

Good, non-dairy sources of calcium include collards, bok choy, fortified soy milk, baked beans, and supplements that contain both calcium and vitamin D (a better choice than taking calcium alone).

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/calcium-and-milk/#:~:text=While%20calcium%20and%20dairy%20can,levels%20can%20paradoxically%20weaken%20bones.

[demmiblue]

7. Unsweetened almond milk is the best option. It is...

Lower in calories/sugar
Higher in calcium
Equal in vitamin D
Higher in vitamin E

The only downsides are it is lower in regards to protein, and is more expensive.

[samnsara]

8. i have a hard time putting nut milk in my mouth :(

[Kali]

38. !

[ms liberty]

9. Each pound of almonds requires 1900+ gallons of water to grow

Almond milk is ground almonds steeped in a lot of water, and then strained to remove the solids. Almonds do not themselves have a high water content.
Almonds are good for you in moderation. Water is good for you as long as you don't drink too much too fast.
So basically, the bottom line is that almond milk is good for you, but what you're drinking is mostly flavored water. And paying a lot of money for it.

[CTyankee]

10. OK. I think I remember that from somehwere, perhaps you in a former almond milk post.

Now I remember why I don't usually buy the stuff...

[ms liberty]

13. It was probably someone else here 'cause this is where I saw it first too!

Lol, I learn so much here, that I factcheck and then pass on at every opportunity. I checked the number just now on Wiki before I replied to you because I was thinking along the lines of 100 gallons per almond. I knew it was an amount that caused me to be surprised and say oh, no way...which is easy for me since I'm not a milk drinker anyway.

[CTyankee]

14. I have cereal a couple of times a week -- gotta have those cheerios and lotsa fruit--but mostly in

coffee I take those flavored creamers, my latest fave thing. Vanilla latte, divine!

[demmiblue]

15. It is true that almonds require the most water of all dairy-free milks, but dairy milk uses...

a considerable amount more.

Source: BBC, “Climate Change: Which Vegan Milk is Best?” citing University of Oxford research “Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and consumers”

[Squinch]

18. Nice graph! Thanks.

[ms liberty]

20. I wasn't advocating for dairy milk, or any milk for that matter

I don't drink milk. I was replying to the OP's question about almond milk.

[procon]

22. Once there were hundreds of acres of almonds

Growing near me. They used an enormous amount of water by flood irrigation. To grow a pound of almonds takes 1,900 gallons of water, or to produce 1 glass of almond milk it takes 23 gallons water. Back in the day when that natural resource was plentiful and cheap it was still a profitable business.

Then came the Calif droughts that lasted year after year and people needed that scarce commodity more than agribiz. The price of water kept rising and the corporations that farmed the almond groves just walked away and abandoned them. Thousands of trees were left to die and we had acres and acres of dead trees that created a public eyesore as well as a fire hazard.

[Srkdqltr]

11. Almond milk is not really milk. It is almond juice? Almond squeezings? Pulp?

Sounds ikky anyway, but then I don't really like milk.

[Major Nikon]

27. Never seen an almond teat

[docgee]

17. One thing to be aware of with almond milk, and other milk substitutes

is the D vitamin is D2 not D3, which I understand does not have the same health benefits.

[struggle4progress]

19. "Millions of baby almonds can't be wrong!"

[MLAA]

24. Dairy (milk, cheese made from animals) is very harmful to our health and planet

Dear CT, a few links. I believe all animal products are harmful to our health, but your question was about animal milk vs plant/nut milk

https://www.pcrm.org/good-nutrition/nutrition-information/health-concerns-about-dairy


If you are interested there are several movies on Netflix that are very informational. Let me know if you want the names 🙂

[CTyankee]

25. Thanks. I'm good.

I have also tried Oat Milk and found that good. With what I know about the almond milk, I think I'll switch back to the Oat Milk. It's available in my local supermarket.

[flibbitygiblets]

26. Flax milk is also very good

switched years ago and haven't looked back

[MLAA]

30. I've use oat milk, soy and almond.

I will have to try flax next 🙂

[Mosby]

29. You can only get EFAs from animals.

DHA and EPA are not found in plants.

Many cheeses are quite healthy, particularly fresh cheeses and ones aged longer than 5 months.

[MLAA]

31. Here you go.

Here is the supplement I use as a vegan.


DHA+EPA Purity is a vegan (algae-derived) liquid supplement providing 263 mg omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA. Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA are crucial for the health of the brain, eyes and nervous system, and may support healthy cognitive function, and cardiovascular health.

[Mendocino]

36. I also take a algae

based supplement (Spectrum). The DHA/EPA level is 550mg. It also has D2, 25mcg. The plant milks I drink (soy and oat) has D3.

I eat a lot green leafys, nuts, flax etc. I also grow purslane, a good source of ALA.

[MLAA]

37. Interesting about purslane.

I will see if I can grow some here in Southern AZ. I need to become a healthier vegan and eat more leafy greens. I go heavy on starch....potatoes, pasta 🙂

The only other supplement I take is B12. Do you take a B vitamin?

[Mendocino]

40. Purslane

grows nearly anywhere. Its a succulent, so keep it well watered, it gets kind of tough if dry. Plant in a container, keeps them from growing all over.

I take a B vitamin. Plus my plant milk is fortified with B.

[MLAA]

42. Cool! I will try planting it in a pot.

[Archae]

33. I won't trust this "PCRM," they are vegetarian (maybe vegan) advocates.

From their "About us" page:

"Mission"

"The Physicians Committee is dedicated to saving and improving human and animal lives through plant-based diets and ethical and effective scientific research."

[MLAA]

35. Who do you trust for nutrition information?

Most Doctors only get a couple hours of nutrition education in their entire medical school education. There are now a couple of exceptions that put an emphasis on teaching nutrition, but the majority don’t.

If you happen to have an interest in science, nutritionfacts.org shows you the scientific studies behind their assessments of what is a healthy diet. They do it in very short video free clips.

If you happen to have heart disease, high blood pressure, type two diabetes there are a number of books by well respected doctors I can send you.

And what exactly is wrong with the PCRM mission? They are a non profit trying to improve animal and human life? Beats the hell out of the meat and dairy industry organizations whose only mission is to convince you to eat more meat and dairy. As an aside, World Health Organization has now categorized processed meats like bacon into the same carcinogenic category as cigarettes.

Best of luck,
M

[frogmarch]

32. I can't taste it.

I didn't know anyone could.

[sakabatou]

34. I don't like the taste

To me, there's something off about it compared to dairy milk.

[Kali]

39. no

but like everything in life, context matters. in general for a normal healthy person, cow's milk has more nutrients. almond "milk" has some benefits and some nutrients but it is a highly processed food and is very expensive.

you don't need either to survive so consume what you like in moderation and enjoy.

[CTyankee]

41. OK. Thanks!

[Kali]

43. if you would like to really nerd out on dairy

this is a really good article (ignore the ad at the end and click out of the pop up if you get one)

https://www.precisionnutrition.com/is-dairy-good-or-bad-for-you