Almond milk can help you keep a healthy heart, battle osteoporosis as well improve your immune system. These are some of the attributes of this diary product.
Almond milk is widely used as a substitute for cow's milk by vegans and people who have problems digesting lactose. Like cow's milk, it can be flavored. Commercial almond milk is commonly available in vanilla and chocolate flavors. The type of protein in almonds is not the same as the protein present in cow's milk. Because of this, almond milk has a longer shelf life.
Almond milk has a lot of health benefits. It has a high nutritional content, is low in calories and is an excellent food to consume if you are concerned about managing your weight.
Nutritional facts
Almond milk prepared from almonds is low in fat, but high in energy, proteins, lipids and fiber. It contains vitamins like calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and zinc. The other nutrients available in this milk include vitamins such as vitamin C, B-6, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folate and vitamin E. All these nutrients have various benefits which are essential for a healthy body.
Vitamins
Many almond milk products are supplemented with vitamins A, D and B-12, so they provide a significant percentage of your recommended dietary allowance for those nutrients. One cup of almond milk contains 500 IU of vitamin A, 100 IU of vitamin D and 3 micrograms of vitamin B-12, which fulfills 100 percent of your B-12 requirements and roughly 20 percent of your vitamin A and D recommendations for the day. Vitamins A and D are important for maintaining a healthy immune system, and B-12 is an essential nutrient for critical functions in the body such as blood cell formation and DNA synthesis, livestrong.com.
Minerals
Almond milk is rich in phosphorus, potassium and zinc. Additionally, much commercial almond milk is supplemented with enough calcium to meet one-third of the RDA. If you choose three servings per day of almond milk over the recommended three servings per day of dairy products, you can still meet your calcium requirements of 1,000 milligrams per day for men and 1,200 milligrams per day for women, which is important for optimal bone health, according to organicfacts.com.
Additives
Plain almond milk is commercially available if you prefer not to drink sweetened vanilla- or chocolate-flavored almond milk. The unsweetened types are even lower in calories than those containing added sugar. However, some plain almond milk products may not contain the added calcium and vitamins B-12, D and A. Read the product label to determine the best variety of almond milk to suit your personal preferences and dietary needs.
Low in Calories
Compared to regular milk, almond milk's calorie content is significantly lower. The calorie count for an 8 fl. oz. of one of the top brands of almond milk is 70. Only 22 of these calories are from fat. Unlike regular cow milk, almond milk has no cholesterol.
Health benefits of almond milk
- It helps with weight management
- It keeps heart healthy
- It keeps bones strong
- It keeps skin glowing
- It barely impacts blood sugar
- It contributes to muscle strength and healing
- It keeps digestion in check
- It doesn't contain lactose
- It tastes better than cow's milk
- Aids in maintaining good health of kidney
- Beneficial in improving vision
- Reduce risk of osteoporosis
- Has anti-cancer properties
- Improve immune system
Almond milk is a no-nonsense nutritional powerhouse. Use it in recipes as part of your daily diet or with your morning cereal and you may notice a positive change in your health and mood. To help you keep track of your daily intake of fiber, calcium, and other nutrients.
