Almond milk is so much better than cow’s milk. The almonds don’t have their baby’s food stolen. They don’t have babies or be milked before sunrise. The almonds don’t generate manure that impacts the environment. Okay, wait. Almond milk might be the virtue signaling drink that’s a liquid hashtag telling everyone you care about, you know, stuff. Even if you drink it in the secret at home. Regardless of how many environmental halos you have hovering above your head almond milk probably isn’t doing what you think it is for your health. Almonds themselves do have their limits. They may be the best thing if you want to have a snack and stop having $9 but read on to find out why drinking them is an even bigger exercise in misguided nutritional folly.
Almond milk isn’t an environmental savior
If you’re looking to save the planet (you should be) almonds won’t do it. It takes 6098 liters of water to produce 1 liter of almond milk. Conversely, it takes 628 liters to produce a liter of cow milk. Almost 80% of the world’s almonds are grown in drought-prone California. It’s souring popularity has made the humble almond fall on its own sword. Enough about the world, what about you?
Almond milk has its limits
It isn’t that this nut-based milk substitute is bad for you, it’s just that there are far more nutritious options out there to have with your morning oats. It is however calorically low, so it’s great if you’re trying to lose weight but don’t for one minute believe that almond milk is home to a condensed version of real almonds. The best way to check your variety is to look at the fiber content of the almond milk, if it’s low then it’s likely there are precious few almonds in it and its pretty much flavored sugar water. Good versions can be enriched with vitamin E, D and A which can all act as excellent recovery agents after a brutal training session. It’s worth popping it into your post workout smoothie for a marginal health kick. Just don’t expect it to be life changing because there are usually only about 4-5 almonds per glass.
Almonds of truth
Have you ever been able to eat just four almonds? Probably not, unless you were running out the door and you stole them from someone else’s bowl. Almonds give you a massive kick of protein, fiber and healthy fats that are layered with vitamin E, manganese and magnesium. This works to improve the health of your gut, health, skin, nails and your heart will give you a thank you too. They’re a game changer for weight loss but can be a little dry to some people. The easy way to enjoy them is to carry jar of almond butter around with you. A paper in the journal Nutrition Research found when people ate 14g of almonds per day in the form of an almond butter they improved all markers for health. This was true for both children and adults. If you’re looking to bump up the health of your household, forget the almond milk because a jar of almond butter should be something that becomes a staple.
