Is Almond Milk Healthy?
It seems a bit of a strange question to be answering especially as we make our living by producing award-winning dairy milk from our herds of pedigree Holstein cows. But as more and more people are choosing to drink plant-based milk either for ethical or health-based reasons, we thought we should address this issue. After all, while we believe in the goodness of dairy, we also believe in choice.
Rather than just tell you that almond milk is a healthy product, we’re going to give you the lowdown on how it compares with dairy milk so you can form your own opinion.
Skimmed milk vs almond milk: How do they compare nutritionally?
Nutritionally, skimmed cow’s milk and almond milk are very similar. The main reason for this is that almond milk has been formulated to replicate the nutritional content of dairy milk
Let’s start by comparing the calorie count. There are 35 calories in 100ml of skimmed milk compared to just 13 calories in 100ml of almond milk. So at face value, you would think that almond milk is a better choice and that’s true if you’re trying to restrict your calorie intake. In terms of fat content, each milk has around 0.1 grams per 100 ml with skimmed milk having 0.1 grams of fat per 100 ml compared with 0.13 grams of fat for 100 ml of almond milk. Plus, their salt content is very similar too.
However, when it comes to protein content, dairy milk wins hands down. Skimmed milk contains 3.4gr of protein in every 100ml while almond milk contains just 0.4 grams. So, if you’re looking to up your protein intake, consuming milk from cows and other dairy products, particularly yoghurt, will help you meet your target far more easily than using plant-based milks and products.
Almond milk: It may be lactose-free but it’s not the only option for anyone who is lactose intolerant
Some people choose to drink almond milk, not for ethical reasons but because they are lactose intolerant. Indeed, almond milk is a great choice for anyone unable to digest lactose. However, at The Little Big Dairy Co, we also offer a great alternative to regular milk for anyone who is lactose intolerant – our lactose-free milk. This milk has had the lactose removed with the aid of lactase, the enzyme that breaks down lactose into easily digestible simple sugars. So there’s no need to opt for almond milk if you’re lactose intolerant but still crave the delicious, creamy taste of cow’s milk.
The bottom line
As it’s very similar nutritionally to skimmed cow’s milk, undoubtedly almond milk is a healthy option for anyone who prefers not to drink dairy milk or even as a complementary drink. It’s a great non-dairy substitute. But we believe if you love dairy, there’s no better option than the award-winning milk from the Little Big Dairy Co. After all, you can trace each bottle of milk back to the beautiful Holstein cow that produced it.
We’re pretty sure you won’t be able to trace your almond milk back to the almonds that were soaked, ground and strained to create a carton of almond milk.