Author: lifehealth foods

Here’s how you turn chocolate milk into a healthy drink

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Who can resist a cup of piping hot chocolate milk on a rainy, cold winter day, or while watching a good movie in an air-conditioned room? Or for that matter, even cold chocolate milk on a blistering summer day? In essence, they are the same thing, it’s just that one’s hot and the others chilled. While these classic drinks are loved by all, they aren’t really the healthiest drink to guzzle down often. They are loaded with sugar and regular milk. One is an empty calorie that does no good to you except spike your blood-sugar levels and the other is difficult to digest and is very often loaded with hormones and other baddies. That doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy your favorite drink, all you need to do is upgrade it to a healthier version. How? you ask. We’re here to tell you exactly that.

To start off with the white sugar has got to go. As mentioned earlier, it’s no good, especially if you’re going to be having it often. Instead, try using honey, jaggery, stevia, or erythritol. They all surely have different flavor profiles but are all much better than white sugar. Next up is the milk, regular animal milk needs to go too. Most people do not tolerate animal milk well and end up with bloating or indigestion. You don’t want to suffer through that just to have a glass of your favorite drink, right? Instead, try using almond milk to make a cup of hot or cold chocolate almond milk. Almond milk has a much more pleasant taste as well and has a great nutritional profile as well. The best part about switching these two ingredients out is that you can follow the exact same steps of the recipe. You don’t need to make any adjustments there.

Now that you know the benefits of switching out sugar and almond milk nutrition, go ahead and try out your favorite chocolate milk with a healthy twist.

Why almond milk is a great breakfast addition

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Coming up with breakfast options is the worse. Whatever you think of, be it a beverage or a dish, it cannot take too long to make, it should keep you feeling full till lunch. It should also give you enough energy to get out of the house and make it till your next meal, especially if you have a grueling commute to work. After all of this, you also need to keep in mind your diet and lifestyle. All of this is what makes coming up with new breakfast options difficult. We’ve got a tiny recommendation for you – badam milk. 

This wondrous nut milk is a great addition to any diet since it is loaded with essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, all of this while being low in calories and fats, such a win-win. Another great thing about almond milk is that it is lactose-free and plant-based (unlike regular milk), which everyone from people who are sensitive to lactose and those who are vegans can enjoy things made using almond milk. Wondering how can you incorporate this healthy nut milk into your breakfast? If you’re in a hurry and don’t have the time to cook anything, simply pour some almond milk over your favorite cereal and have it. If you want a to-go breakfast, blend almond milk and your favorite fruits together and pour it out into a travel flask. Or if you want something a little more filling, blend peanut butter, cocoa powder, almond milk, a bit of honey, and a banana, and you’ve got a scrumptious badam milk shake that will keep you going till lunch.

Almond milk is a great option for your entire family. It’s easy to work with and goes well with a multitude of ingredients. To ensure that you’re making a healthy switch, read the label and choose only organic and unsweetened almond milk.

Keep your Weight in Control | Choose Almond Milk

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In the race of helping you lose weight and maintain a fit shape, almond milk tends to win. You definitely know how important it is to drink milk every day. However, little do you know that regular dairy milk contributes majorly to making you gain weight, which is one of the reasons why people choose to buy almond milk, especially its unsweetened version.

One glass of unsweetened almond milk is loaded with 30–50 calories and approximately 65–80% fewer calories than regular milk, which means almond milk makes for the perfect addition to your routine diet. In order to lose weight, it is important to restrict your calorie intake, and this is possible by consuming foods with less carbs and calories. Drinking almond milk every day with a considerate amount of workout plays a significant role in keeping a check on your weight. The perfect alternative to regular cow’s milk, almond milk has 0% lactose content, which means it is ideal for vegans as well as for people who’re allergic to milk or have trouble digesting dairy products. Moreover, its subtle crunchy flavour makes it absolutely fun and interesting for everyone to want to have it daily.

This highly nutritious drink comes with a number of health benefits – reduces heart diseases, improves bowel health, boosts your digestive system, keeps your skin healthy and glowing, builds and strengthens your bones and teeth, keeps your blood sugar level under control and ensures effective weight loss. Now, there are multiple brands selling almond milk, each claiming to be better than the other, which is why it is important that you take a keen look at the packaging and read through the almond milk nutrition before you choose your brand. Remember – It’s better to lose weight with something delicious to look forward to than to lose weight while staying on a boring weight loss diet.

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Why you should add almond milk to your smoothies

The health benefits that come with consuming almonds regularly are well-known to us all. From proteins, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and fiber, almonds have it all. Almonds are known to reduce damage to your cells by protecting against oxidative stress, reduce the risk of cancer and heart diseases, help regularize blood sugar, and improve cholesterol levels, amongst other things. A good way to make sure you consume almonds every single day is to munch on a handful of almonds as an afternoon snack and consume almond milk every day. The benefits of almond milk are similar to eating whole almonds. This why you should be adding it to whatever you can.

So how do you use almond milk every day? Simple, use it wherever you would use animal milk. Be it your morning coffee or while whipping up milkshakes and smoothies. While making smoothies you’ll usually add animal milk to it, instead add almond milk to up your daily intake of almonds. If you’re someone who prefers eating clean and hence don’t add any milk or processed foods to your smoothie, don’t worry, there are a lot of brands out there who add nothing but whole unsweetened almond milk. You can add almond milk to chocolate milkshake as well as green smoothies. The great part about almond milk is that it goes with literally anything, apart from citruses (it might curdle if you do). In addition to the nutrition, almond milk also helps bring a decadent nuttiness to green smoothies. If you add water or coconut water to your smoothies, you can add almond milk instead. You can even freeze your smoothies in popsicle molds for a healthy treat later.

Whether you’re a vegan, hate the taste of regular milk, or are avoiding dairy due to health concerns, almond milk is a great alternative to add to your milkshakes and smoothies.

Do almond milk smoothies taste good?

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For all those of you who either already have or are looking to make the switch from regular animal milk to plant-based milk, there has’t been a better time. The market these days are flooded with all sorts of plant-based milks, each healthier and yummier than the other. From soy milk, oat milk, coconut milk, hemp milk, to almond milk, the options are never-ending. Today, let’s discuss an excellent plant-based milk – almond milk and what you can expect it to taste like while using it in your everyday food and drink recipes.

Almond milk has a lovely nutty and mild creamy texture, the texture depends on how watered down the almond milk is. If you want much thicker and creamier milk, read the label to check how watered down it is. Moreover, this plant-based milk has a much better flavor than regular animal milk that tends to have some sort of overpowering flavor that not everybody likes. If you want to whip up some natural protein shake at home, you could give almond milk a shot as it has a better milder taste and won’t cause any bloating or indigestion. While there might not be that much almond milk protein in a shake you make using almond milk, you could always fortify the drink with other protein sources like peanut butter or cocoa powder. Both of these have a good number of proteins and in addition, also enhance the taste of the drink. Almond milk can also replace milk in baking, be it cakes, cookies, or fudges, most recipes will suggest proportions to make the swap. This nutty milk is also great for making smoothies, be it green or fruit smoothies. Whether you use milk or water to whip up smoothies, it does’t matter, you can swap it out for almond milk. It will help enhance both the texture and the taste of the smoothie. Serve your kids a glass of almond milk smoothie and watch them devour it in no time.

Now that you know how almond milk tastes, and how well it goes with most recipes, go ahead and give it a try.

Is the concept of mid-meals healthy?

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How often do you feel a little low on energy? Is it every day? Your stomach grumbles quite regularly, even though you have eaten proper wholesome meals? Always looking for second servings as well. All of this might be a sign to switch up your diet regime. That is, lessen the main meal portions, and add mid-meals to it. Mid-meals are a fantastic way to achieve adequate nutrition and hydration, as they provide a good source of calories and additional protein and assist with increasing fluid intake. Especially for those who have tiny appetites, spreading Thor meals throughout the day is a great way to create additional opportunities outside of mealtimes for increased nutritional intake. 

With the addition of mid-meal snacks, your course of meals should become 5 a day, between breakfast and lunch, and lunch and dinner. The mid meals shouldn’t as heavy as the main meals of course, but still should be nutritionally loaded enough to be a part of your diet. Teacakes and muffins, fruits or even nuts are great mid-meal snack options. Nuts are nutritionally loaded with healthy fats, high calories and protein along with very few carbs. Similarly, even nut milk like cashew and almond milk is immensely beneficial for you. Other snacks can also include yoghurts and sandwiches. 

Mid-meal snacks help in losing weight. Yes, believe it or not. Just like working out, digestion also burns calories. Every time you eat something your body requires and uses calories to burn it. So, it’s quite useful to eat healthy and nutritional snacks as mid-meals to make the most of the digestion. Apart from the continuous burning of calories, your constant requirements for energy are also fulfilled. your body goes into fat-storing mode and breaks down muscles – instead of fat – for energy when you have longer intervals between meals. This decrease in muscle mass and increase in fat percentage lowers your metabolic rate. Snacking or drinking healthy and wholesome beverages like smoothies and milkshakes between meals reduces muscle wastage and keeps fat burning at its peak. It also helps you keep tabs on your overeating tendencies, by maintaining proper portions and eating balanced meals.

Extra-long pauses between meals cause constant ups and downs in your sugar levels. And as always, the immediate post-meal sugar high, you’ll experience an almost immediate energy slump, similar to adrenaline dump. You feel lazy, fatigued, irritable and dizzy. But by chomping a mid-meal, your body gets its steady supply of glucose that keeps you bursting with energy all day long. Even a wholesome beverage, like an unsweetened chocolate almond milk shake, or a healthy smoothie between meals is a good way to keep yourself restocked and ready to go. Almond milk India is available throughout all stores if you’re looking for a healthy beverage While snacking should mainly be your too for mid meals as integral to weight loss and increased productivity. You need to make healthy choices in your diet routines to gain maximum benefits. Eat a bowlful of healthy nutritious meals to boost your metabolism and encourage your satiety levels.

Burning off that unwanted fat with Almond Milk.

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For most people, dairy constitutes as an important part of the diet. Loaded with nutrients in every sip and bite, they are an important source of certain essential vitamins and minerals the body needs. But if you’re on a strict weight loss diet, dairy is not a viable option. Whether it’s your diet, your personal preferences like veganism, or for health reasons like lactose intolerance – you need a viable alternative for regular milk. 

So good Almond milk nutrition may give you the benefits equivalent to dairy and provide extra benefits of weight loss. Flourished in various nutrients, almond milk has various health benefits and one of them is also weight management. If a strict weight loss diet is what you’re religiously following, then incorporating almond milk into it is the best thing you can do to help you eliminate that fat and become leaner.

Low Calories – As it turns out, almond milk has lesser calories than cow milk – while the former is a popular choice among people trying to lose weight. While a cup of whole dairy milk contains 146 calories, the same quantity of almond milk has only 30-50 calories. That is less than half of regular milk. Hence the beverage is a great option for those who want to lose weight and keep their calories in check. However, you should make sure the milk is unsweetened for the benefit of fewer calories.

Nutritionally Rich – With the low carb content, almond milk is great for those who are trying to cut down on their carb intake. You can make up for the lack of sweetness by opting for flavoured ones, like vanilla or chocolate almond milk. Also rich in calcium, potassium, vitamin E and vitamin D – the beverage helps massively in weight loss as they keep the metabolism fast, aid digestion and keep problems like bloating away, without the need of adding on the extra calories.

Almond Milk for the Win!

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There has been a growing demand for alternatives to dairy milk almond  as a lot of people are switching to vegan diets.

Oat Milk – Oat Milk is often fortified with vitamins A, D and B12. Its high carbohydrate content makes it great for a pre-workout drink.

Hemp Milk – Hemp Milk contains complete proteins with many amino acids. This makes it ideal for a post-workout smoothie.

Soy Milk – Healthy plant-based milk that supports muscles and organs. Extremely rich in omega 3 fatty acids

Coconut Milk – Contains protein and is fortified with certain nutrients. Linked to good heart health and good cholesterol levels in the body

However, almond milk has proved to be the most healthy, tasty and nutritious alternative to cow milk. Almonds are very healthy and high in protein, fats, fibre, monounsaturated fats and many other nutrients as well. They are loaded with antioxidants & also have a high magnesium content.

Almonds benefit in:

●      Maintaining skin health

●      Weight Loss

●      Improvement of vision

●      Supports healthy brain function.

●      Prevention of diabetes.

●      Maintains dental & bone health.

●      Increases nutrient absorption & digestive health.

●      Reduces cholesterol & promotes heart health.

●      Protects walls of blood vessels.

●      Building strong muscles

●      Ensuring a properly functioning kidney

Almond milk also contains many vitamins, including calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and zinc

Additionally, you can find other beneficial nutrients such as vitamin C, B-6, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folate and vitamin E in almond milk – making it a great option to keep your body happy and healthy. It is a good alternative for nursing mother’s milk. Almond milk is free from hormones and common proteins that cause allergies, and it is also lower in calories than dairy milk and is often fortified with extra calcium.

One should definitely try to consume almonds by themselves or whip up an easy almond milk smoothie daily. It has become very convenient for the consumer to buy almond milk online as well as offline stores. Just search for ‘Almond Milk India’ online and you will come across some popular brands like So Good, Raw Pressery, Urban Platter etc. However, making your own almond milk at home is also a good idea and extremely easy to make.

All you need is:

1.     1 cup raw almonds, preferably organic

2.     2 cups water and some more for soaking

3.     Any Sweetener (optional) like honey, sugar, agave syrup, dates, maple syrup etc.

4.     A bowl

5.     A strainer

6.     A measuring cup

7.     A blender or food processor

8.     A fine mesh-nut bag or a cheesecloth

Step by Step Process:

●      Soak the almonds overnight for upto 2 days

You need to place the almonds in a bowl and cover them with about an inch of water.

●      Drain and rinse the almonds

●      Combine the almonds and water in a blender or food processor

You need to add 2 cups of water here and blend it at the highest speed for full 2 minutes

●      Strain the almonds

Using a cheesecloth or a strainer to do this is always recommended.

●      Press all the almond milk from the mixture in the strainer

●      Add the sweetener or your choice and mix thoroughly.

●      Serve and enjoy!

Badam Milk Benefits for Pregnant Women!

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Almond milk is simply made by blending overnight soaked almonds with water and then straining the mixture. Almond milk contains vitamin B, vitamin A, vitamin D, calcium, low calories and low sodium. It is the best alternative to cow milk and extremely tasty and nutritious. Ever wondered what makes almond milk special from regular cow’s milk?

Cow’s Milk:

  1. Often loaded with hormones
  2. Pasteurized with high heat
  3. Contains allergy producing lactose
  4. Higher in calories
  5. Can’t be consumed by vegans

Almond Milk:

  1. Free from hormones
  2. No pasteurization needed
  3. No allergy-causing proteins
  4. Fortified with extra calcium
  5. Great option for vegans

Among the above, one of the most important benefits that makes almond milk so distinctive is that it is very useful for consumption by pregnant women and nursing mothers. Let’s dig deeper into the benefits of almond milk for pregnant women:

  • The unsaturated fats contained in almond milk are very good for the health of pregnant women as they can reduce bad cholesterol levels in the body of pregnant women which minimizes the possibility of experiencing heart diseases.
  • Almond milk can also maintain the health of pregnant women because in addition to having vitamins A, B and D as mentioned earlier, there is also vitamin E that helps to maintain skin and hair health as well as maintain antioxidants which can help the heart to function efficiently and effectively.
  • Badam milk can provide additional energy for pregnant women. Almond milk contains carbohydrates and protein which is extremely essential for pregnant women. That way, fetal growth and development can take place effortlessly.
  • Almond milk can also improve digestion for pregnant women. The fiber contained in almond milk is very good for pregnant women. During pregnancy, pregnant women usually experience constipation. Therefore, by consuming a glass of almond milk daily can help improve their gut health.

Milkshakes – The Perfect ‘On the Go’ Meal.

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Milkshakes are universally loved. Who doesn’t like one? Even the kids who hate milk, milkshakes are a great way to get them to chug down an entire glass full of essential dairy wholesomeness. Especially for those hot summer days, they make excellent snacks for those who prefer drinking rather than eating snacks. All you really need is a blender and your go-to ingredients to make the perfect shakes, for breakfast, snack, dessert or even a pre- or post-workout meal. 

Based on the time of the day, your dietary requirements, or even just to indulge in a sweet and delicious drink – there are several types of milkshakes you can blend up.

Breakfast Shakes

Milkshakes can make a very healthy breakfast though, it’s all about the ingredients and keeping reasonable portions. Once you keep these parameters in check, you can have milkshakes for breakfast quite often. Super healthy breakfast milkshakes are quick and easy to make, and of course, they are delicious too. When you are repairing your healthy shakes, try to find one that’s low in sugar and high in protein, fibre, and healthy fats so you stay full for longer. Not only that but ensure they contain a healthy amount of vitamins and minerals as well, making it a wholesome breakfast in a glass – perfect to kickstart your day. A healthy amount of fruits and nuts, along with natural sweeteners like honey make the perfect morning meal. Don’t forget to pick the milk of your choice.

Protein Shakes

Nectar for a regular gym freak – protein shakes are a great way to make up for the lack of dietary nutrients your body requires. Predominantly consumed for muscle gain and recovery, protein shakes can be consumed daily even if you don’t workout. Meeting your daily protein requirements through your diet can get quite hard, and knowing how important it is for your body, you cannot miss out on it. Adding a scoop of whey protein to your shakes heightens the nutritional value greatly and gives you the energy you need to work and train your body. Apart from protein powders, you can also add grinded or chopped up nuts to increase the protein content of your shake. A healthy dry fruit shake has everything you need from a nutritional standpoint.

Dessert Shakes 

This one’s just to let it all go. It doesn’t have to be unhealthy but cheating once in a while is encouraged. Get yourself a tub of your favourite ice cream, flavoured milk and some cookies to go along with, and get them all down the blender to create a deliciously diabetic concoction. This freak shake should be loaded with sweetness and very little fruits, a heavenly drink you can have once in a while without any guilt.

Dairy-free Shakes

Those who choose not to have dairy products due to dietary restrictions or personal reasons can always go for plant-based milk beverages as alternatives. Almond, soy and oat milk are great substitutes for regular milk, and add a different layer of flavour to your milkshakes. Plus they all have their own nutritional benefits and advantages over milk, making them perfect for a healthy diet and a daily dairy replacement.