In recent years, plant-based milk has become increasingly popular. As more and more people begin to turn away from dairy and animal products, the production of different plant-based milk has been a saving grace for such individuals.
Almond milk, in particular, has become the preferred choice for many people – and its not hard to see why! Unlike other plant-based milk, almond milk has a subtle, sweet flavor, a nice consistency, and it’s bursting with nutritional value.
But, can you consume almond milk on keto diet? To find out, take a look at the info-packed article below. You’ll learn everything there is to know about almond milk, including its nutritional value, health benefits, and place in the keto diet. Check it out!
What Is Almond Milk
Almond milk is a nut-based drink that has become a very popular substitute for dairy-based milk. It is made by soaking, grinding, and straining raw almonds.
However, store-bought versions may also have added vitamins and minerals to increase the nutritional content.
It has a light flavor which makes it a popular choice among plant-based milk. Other plant-based milk tends to have a distinguishable flavor, which puts many people off them.
However, almond milk has a slightly sweet but subtle flavor that mimics regular milk well.
Almond Milk Nutrition
Unflavored almond milk boasts a number of health-promoting nutrients. Flavored versions still have good nutrients, but may have added sugar.
Take a look at the table below to learn more about the nutritional characteristics of almond milk.
Calories
15
Carbs
0.3g
Fiber
0.3g
Sugar
0g
Protein
0.6g
Fat
1.2g
Vitamin A
6% of Daily Value
Vitamin E
22% of Daily Value
Vitamin D
9% of Daily Value
Potassium
1% of Daily Value
Calcium
17% of Daily Value
Phosphorus
4% of Daily Value
It is important to note that the nutritional profile of almond milk will differ from product to product. This is because some manufacturers add extra vitamins and minerals to the final product, and some may add sugar to make it taste sweeter.
Almond Milk Health Benefits
Almond milk has a number of health benefits. Check out the most important ones below.
Diverse Nutritional Content
We covered this, in part, in the section above. However, it is worth discussing here too. The nutritional content of almond milk is very varied. It is an excellent source of vitamins A and D – both of which work to keep us feeling healthy and happy.
Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant. It is thought that this vitamin combats inflammation and stress in your body. Antioxidants also work to ensure that free radicals (excess molecules that can damage your cells) are cleared.
Vitamin E is thought to help protect against cancer.
Vitamin D is a very important nutrient when it comes to health. It works to support your heart function, bone strength, and immune function.
Most people don’t get enough vitamin D naturally (from sunlight), so consuming almond milk is a great way to boost your intake.
In fact, vitamin D deficiency is associated with many health risks, including, but not limited to, an increased risk of cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, and infectious diseases.
Weight Management
Almond milk is lower in calories than regular dairy milk. For people who are looking to lose some weight, switching from dairy to almond milk will help them achieve their goals.
Making small swaps, such as this one, has been shown to be very effective for weight loss.
However, it is important that you purchase unsweetened and unflavored almond milk. This is because sweetened and flavored versions tend to have added sugars, which makes them more calorific.
Low Carb Content
Unsweetened and unflavored varieties of almond milk are very low in carbs. In fact, most of the carbs found in almond milk are down to dietary fiber.
Regular milk contains far more carbohydrates than almond milk.
As such, unsweetened milk is a good option for individuals with conditions like diabetes.
Diabetics need to monitor both the amount and the quality, of the carbs they consume to ensure that they remain healthy. Almond milk can make monitoring this easier.
Calcium
Many people continue to drink dairy milk because it provides them with a good amount of calcium. However, because almond milk tends to be used by people who don’t drink regular milk, manufacturers often enrich it with calcium.
Calcium is a very important part of our diets. It plays a primary role in ensuring that bones grow properly and remain to be strong. In turn, calcium reduces the risk of broken bones or osteoporosis.
In fact, research has found that women who are 65 and older with BMD experienced accelerated bone formation as a consequence of consuming calcium-fortified yogurt.
As such, almond milk that has been fortified may provide excellent health benefits.
However, if you plan on making almond milk at home, you won’t be able to fortify the milk. In this case, you need to ensure that you are getting enough calcium from your diet, from foods such as cheese, yogurt, fish, seeds, legumes, and leafy greens.
Low In Phosphorus And Potassium
Having too much phosphorus in the blood can be dangerous for your health. It is thought to increase your risk of many different conditions, including heart disease and bone disease.
Having too much potassium can also have negative effects on the heart.
Regular milk contains 101mg of phosphorus and 150 mg of potassium per 3.5 ounces. Whereas, almond milk only contains 30mg of phosphorus and 60mg of potassium, making it a much healthier option.
However, it is important to remember that most people are actually deficient in potassium and have no reason to limit phosphorus.
Almond milk is simply a good alternative for people with chronic kidney disease or other illnesses that are affected by phosphorus or potassium.
Lactose-Free, Dairy-Free, and Vegan
Finally, almond milk is lactose-free, dairy-free, and vegan. This means that it is an excellent option for people who need to cut lactose, dairy, and animal products out of their diet, whether for ethical concerns or health concerns.
Is Almond Milk Keto?
So, with all of these health benefits, you’re likely dying to figure out if you can incorporate almond milk into your keto diet. Well, it’s good news!
Almond milk that has approximately 3 grams of net carbs per serving works well with the keto diet.
However, we do recommend making your own almond milk if you’re on the keto diet, because store-bought versions can be very processed. To learn how to make it yourself, check out our useful step-by-step guide below.
How To Make Homemade Almond Milk
Making almond milk is surprisingly easy! You will just need these items to get started:
1 cup of almonds
4 cups of water
Blender
Cheesecloth
Vanilla seeds or vanilla extract (optional)
Salt (optional)
Now, you will just need to follow these simple steps:
Soak almonds in 1 cup of water for 8 hours.
Once soaked, put the almonds in a blender with 3 cups of water and blend until they are ground.
Add salt or vanilla extract/seeds for extra flavor if you wish.
Strain the mixture through the cheesecloth.
Store the drained liquid in the fridge.
Keto Almond Milk Recipes
Following a keto diet can be hard, not least because you are constantly trying to find appropriate recipes. Here, we’ve listed some of the best keto recipes that use almond milk. Check them out for inspiration!
If you’re on a health kick, you need to check out this smoothie. It is super easy, includes just 5 ingredients, but tastes like a peanut butter cup! It is also low in carbs and sugar, and will keep you going throughout the whole morning.
It can be tricky to justify eating ice cream when on a diet – but this one is the exception! This keto almond milk vanilla ice cream works well in a keto diet and it tastes amazing. This recipe is perfect for hot summer evenings.
When following a diet, we know that it can be tricky when you’re craving a treat.
However, this one-minute keto chocolate milk recipe can help you out! It has a chocolate chip cookie dough flavor that will satisfy your sweet tooth in no time.
If you’re a coffee-lover who preferred a milky or sweet brew, the keto diet can be quite difficult.
But, this keto vanilla almond milk coffee recipe can help! It produces a wonderfully frothy, subtly sweet cup of coffee that will make you feel amazing in the morning.
Conclusion
Almond milk is an excellent alternative to regular milk. It has a great nutritional profile, it’s versatile, and… it’s keto! We hope that this article has encouraged you to incorporate almond mink into your keto diet.
Hi, my name is Anna Kadance and I have been following a keto diet, on and off, for just over two years now. When I first started, I was in a deep depression due to my weight and the fact that I just couldn’t seem to get rid of it.
My body had given me two beautiful children, but now that our family was complete, I wanted to take it back as my own and get my pre-baby body back. I tried diet after diet, exercise program after program - nothing worked!
