5 Most Important Things You Must Know About Almond Milk

Almond milk contains the best of the nutrients of the super-healthy almonds – vitamin E and riboflavin. However, almond milk’s nutrient level is still extremely lower than that of almonds. Yet, depending on the vitamin and mineral content of almond milk, it comes with a number of benefits most of you might not be aware of. Let’s talk about these benefits of almond milk

Non-dairy/ lactose-free – As you might already know – almond milk is dairy-free, which makes it a good alternative to milk for people with lactose intolerances as well as those who find it difficult to digest milk. Did you know? Almost 75% of the world’s population suffers from lactose intolerance. However, they still need a rich source of nutrition that doesn’t come with any side effects. Thus, people switch to almond milk –  for the goodness of almonds and milk. Moreover, it is also a very good options for vegans and vegetarians to catch on their lost nutrition.

Heart-healthy – According to the American Heart Association, almond milk is cholesterol-free, which makes it good for your heart. Substituting nuts for saturated fats plays a major role reducing 45 percent of the estimated risk of any heart disease.

Low-calorie – One of the best badam milk benefits is that it is known for being the most ideal choice for the dieters. It has a very strong impact on the calorie-watchers because of its 30-60 calories per cup content. Combining almonds with a low-calorie, high-monounsaturated fat diet plays a major role in ensure absolute success in your weight loss plans. It is as good as a low-calorie diet with lots of complex carbohydrates.

Riboflavin – Almonds contain riboflavin, which is also present in almond milk. Also known as Vitamin B12, Riboflavin is known for helping in effective production of the red blood cells and ideal release of the energy from the carbohydrates you eat. This is all claimed by the National Institutes of Health.

Cancer prevention – A study published in Nutrition and Cancer says that almond milk is very helpful in suppressing prostate cancer cells. Unlike cow’s milk, which “stimulated” the growth of prostate cancer cells, almond milk works otherwise and suppresses the growth of prostate cancer cells by more than 30 percent. It has zero effect on the breast cancer cells.

There are a number of almond milk brands available in the market, each claiming to be better than the other. It is important to buy almond milk after checking all the ingredients that it is made with. Almond milk comes with multiple benefits, and most of its benefits are unheard of. Thanks to its nutritious value, almond milk makes for a good addition to your everyday diet. It is not only ideal for adults but also for kids. It strengthens their bones and keeps their immunity strong all day. Moreover, it is also rich in Vitamin E, which is ideal for keeping your skin bright and beautiful. So, choose your almond milk brand with care because you definitely cannot go wrong with this.

Almond Milk – Things to look for while buying, health benefits, & how to use it.

Almond milk has gained immense popularity in recent times with people moving away from dairy products and trying to lead a healthier and sustainable lifestyle. So, is almond milk a good alternative to cow’s milk? Or is it just a fad with no real benefits? Read on to find out for yourself.

Things to look for while buying Almond milk.

While buying almond milk or any other milk for that matter always read the label, as they say, the devil is in the details. Many packaged milks companies’ water down their almond milk as almond is the costliest ingredient.

It is also likely that your almond milk is packed with preservatives, sugars, and other artificial ingredients for longer shelf life, texture among others.

So, if you want sweetened almond milk, it is better if you get unsweetened almond milk and add sugar or sweetener of your choice rather than buying processed and sweetened almond milk.

Always go for a real brand with real reviews rather than getting whatever you see online or at the store. Choosing the right milk will decide if you really gain any benefits or worst-case scenario, it could even do terrible things for you and your body.

Health Benefits

  • Good source of Magnesium:

Almond milk is a rich source of magnesium and it is one of the most commonly found minerals in our body. It is really essential in many enzyme functions.

  • Low in calorie and carbs:

Almond milk is extremely low in calories and carbs compared to other milk sources. This makes it an ideal source for people who are looking to reduce their weight.

  • High in antioxidants

Antioxidants help in managing free radicals that damage cell functions. Antioxidants fight against these free radicals and keep your body healthy. Almond milk is filled with antioxidants that can fight free radicals.

  • Rich in calcium

Almond milk is often fortified with calcium which is one of the most important components in your bone. They help in keeping your bones strong and intact. It also fights against osteoporosis, a condition that will result in thinning bones and painful fractures.

  • Effective for lactose intolerance

As almond milk is made from nuts and is dairy free, it is a great option for people with lactose intolerance. Almond milk can also be used as a replacement for cow’s milk in almost all recipes.

  • Slowing down cognitive diseases.

Almond milk is packed with vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps your brain. Studies have found that higher levels of vitamin E in your body can reduce the risk of cognitive diseases like Alzheimer’s disease.

These are some of the benefits of almond milk.

How to use it

Almond milk can be used in a variety of ways some of them include breakfast cereals, milkshakes, juices, desserts, sweets and you can also drink it right out of the carton.

It is always better to buy almond milk that is unsweetened and add the sweetener of your choice later as regular almond milk is added with lots of artificial sugars, sweeteners, and gums for longer shelf life and a thick texture.

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Why should one buy almond milk? Almond milk is not just a substitute for regular milk, but also is a healthier option amongst the two. India is mainly divided into 2 main categories in terms of food preferences – Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian. A vegetarian diet is distinct from a vegan diet as the use of dairy products is common amongst vegetarians. Use of paneer, milk and other dairy products is part of the Indian Vegetarian diet. A vegan lifestyle, on the other, restricts use of any dairy products. This has led to establishment of a new and promising industry that makes substitutes for dairy products.

Milk is the most consumed dairy product worldwide. Its consumption rate is also a reason for animal cruelty. Over the years, animals that produce milk have been treated badly and kept under inhumane conditions. The idea of a vegan life stems out of care that people have for animals. Many people believe that supporting the dairy industry is as good as committing a crime on animals. Hence, a new lifestyle was adopted where milk is plant based and cruelty free. Almond milk isn’t just great for your health, but it also serves the purpose of living in a less cruel world. Consumption of almond milk has many benefits which include low calories, low sugar, abundance of vitamin E, good amount of calcium, enriched with Vitamin D, naturally lactose-free and very easy to add to your diet.

Almond milk tastes better than cow milk but it does come in flavours. Chocolate almond milk is a treat to your taste buds. Children hate milk and go into hiding as soon as they see their mothers bringing that glass full of milk. But chocolate almond milk has a different story. It is so good; one can barely resist. It is not just fun and tasty but also healthy.

Almond milk is one small dietary change for mankind, but a life changing revolution for livestock. It all begins with a small step, what are you waiting for?

The Healthy Side of Almond Milk

The past few years has seen an increase in the sales and consumption of almond milk and other plant-based milk as people are slowly but gradually switching from dairy milk. Plant based milk like soy and almond have been the perfect alternatives for people who are leaning towards a fitter and healthier lifestyle. The same can be said for lactose intolerant people, for whom plant-based milk give them all the benefits of dairy milk but without the allergies involved. Almond milk also has a crispy taste and is ideal for people who do not like the taste of dairy milk.

Health benefits of almond milk:

  1. Almond milk is extremely rich in micronutrients. The high concentration of antioxidants in Vitamin E is beneficial for the skin. It keeps the skin supple and firm and helps in their nourishment.
  2. Almond milk contains unsaturated fats. These fats help in the regular beating of the heart and keeps heart related diseases in check. Almond milk do not contain cholesterol that’s present in dairy milk. Cholesterol is a health hazard and its consumption should be kept to a minimum. The consumption of almond milk assures the presence of potassium in the body which helps in reducing tension and strain on the heart.
  3. It helps in reducing blood pressure. The movement of blood in our body takes place through the veins. The presence of Vitamin D and minerals like phosphorus etc. ensures your veins are working in perfect condition. Poor movement of blood in a body could lead to sever effects and result in high blood pressure. Therefore, it is important to ensure your body is getting the required quota of such vitamins and minerals. Almond milk helps in supplementing these nutrients for a healthy life.
  4. It strengthens muscles. When you buy almond milk fortified with calcium, you’re providing the basic building materials for your bones and muscles. The presence of riboflavin in almond milk helps in regulating muscle strength and growth. It helps in speeding up damages and helps in maintaining a healthier body.
  5. It aids in weight loss. For people on a weight loss diet or trying to reduce weight, almond milk is a perfect replacement for dairy milk. It does not contain a lot of fat but provides the necessary nutrients needed by the body. For comparison, one glass of almond milk contains about 60 calories against 146 calories present in dairy milk.
  6. Does not need refrigeration. Almond milk does not spoil easily and do not need to be refrigerated to preserve its freshness. As such, it is perfect for trips and vacations and shorter on-the-go commutes. And because, it does not need refrigeration, you do not have to worry about consuming it as soon as possible.

The benefits of almond milk are many. However, to ensure you get the best for your buck, look for almond milk protein fortified. As almond milk naturally has a low concentration of protein, those fortified with calcium offsets the loss so that you do not have to look for other protein sources elsewhere.

Why Are People Shifting to Almond Milk?

Yes, you heard it right. People across the world are ditching dairy milk to plant-based milk and the reasons are varying. Some do it for the planet, some do it for animals and some simply do it because they’re onto a new healthy diet routine. But is it just a fad? Or are there actual benefits behind it?

Now we all know that milk is one of the most important sources of nutrition for a growing body. Even for most adults, milk is one of their basic food necessities. However, none other than humans rely on dairy milk after the initial growth stages. So why not shift to plant-based milk instead? You will not be exploiting animals and will be reducing the carbon footprint as well.

Compared to cow milk, the badam milk benefits are almost better in every aspect except for concentration of calcium and protein. Rich in antioxidants and Vitamin E, badam milk ensures your skin gets the treatment it deserves and thus reduces the signs of ageing. With a very low concentration of saturated fats and calories, say goodbye to that excess weight you never wanted. The only fats they contain are the ones that your heart requires to keep beating healthy. The lack of protein and calcium can be offset by consumption of other protein rich foods. For vegans and lactose intolerant people, there is no better alternative and for people switching to a healthy lifestyle, you’re also gaining a distinctive tasty flavour for all your coffee, tea, milkshake requirements.

When you buy almond milk, make sure you read the packaging carefully. Some packaged badam milk comes fortified with calcium so that you do not miss your daily dose. Badam milk is a healthy alternative for adults; however, it is not advised to use it for babies. Please consult your doctor before switching your baby’s milk variety.

How Healthy Is Almond Milk?

Starting your day right is essential. A healthy breakfast is about not binging on a muffin or croissants or fried foods. Instead it is about filling up your tummy with loads of protein, fibre, fruits, and vegetables. Adding almond milk to that diet plan is a good idea. It helps maintain a well-balanced diet along with reducing certain disease risks like heart diseases or cancer. Almond milk is a very new concept compared to dairy milk. The benefits are quite unknown to people. It helps lactose intolerants overcome nausea and allergies. Since generations, we Indians know the importance of almonds and is quite an essential in our diets. But what about badam milk benefits?

Keep a check on your calories

Replacing low-fat dairy milk or soy milk with almond milk helps decrease your all-out calorie intake, which can assist you with accomplishing or maintaining a solid body weight. A cup of unsweetened almond milk contains as not many as 30 calories, and 1 cup of ordinary almond milk contains around 60 calories. Skim milk and soy milk each contain around 80 calories per cup. Flavoured almond milk, like, chocolate or vanilla, may contain 90 to 120 calories for each cup whereas dairy milk contains around 160 to 180 calories per cup.

All fat is not good fat

Another advantage of having almond milk is that it contains heart-healthy-poly and monounsaturated fats. It is free from trans fats and dietary cholesterol and saturated fats. Consuming mono or polysaturated fats instead of saturated fats can help bring down your blood cholesterol levels. Except for skim milk, which is sans fat, dairy animals’ milk contains soaked fat and cholesterol.

Maintain the low-carb diet

Low-carbohydrate diets compel for weight reduction and loss. The measure of carbs found in almond milk relies upon the brand you purchase. Unsweetened almond milk contains 1 gram of starches; nonetheless, some brands with flavoured almond milk, for example, vanilla or chocolate almond milk, may contain as much as 23 grams of carbohydrates. Therefore, buy almond milk that is unsweetened to keep up with healthy times.

Nutritious Almond Milk

Almond milk is infused with nutrients and minerals to build its health value. Almond milk regularly contains supplements, for example, calcium, Vitamin A, B, D and E, iron, magnesium, zinc, copper, and manganese. Since the measure of nutrients and minerals in almond milk fluctuates by brand, check the nutrition facts for explicit nourishment data.

Helps reduce cancer cells

Choosing almond milk over dairy milk or soy milk may help reduce the risk to develop certain types of cancer and diseases. According to reports, cow’s milk stimulated the growth of prostate cancer cells, while almond milk suppressed prostate cancer cell growth.

Choose Almond milk with more almond content

Buy almond milk with a higher ratio of almonds than anything else. Some almond milk companies provide as low as 2 percent of almonds. The more the core ingredient i.e. almonds means more the health benefits and not a waste.

Why Is Almond Milk Good?

Banner-5Almond milk may not come from an animal, but we still call it milk. Almond milk is now getting many fans round the globe. How about you make your own Almond milk? Try it at home by soaking them for around eight hours, then blend them with 2:1 ratio of water. You can even add some vanilla essence or chocolate powder to break the monotony. Strain this mixture through a muslin cloth, and voila you have your almond milk ready. But why make almond milk when you can buy almond milk? Almond milk has become so popular that you may find it at any supermarket or general store. People who are lactose-intolerant, vegan or health conscious prefer almond milk over any other dairy or nut milk. You can use it to make coffees, pancakes, smoothies, and milkshakes etc.

Many popular almond milk brands consist of 30 to 40 calories and one gram of protein and fibre each. They also consist of a fair amount of fats required for daily consumption. The calories in dairy milk are way more than nut milk like almonds. To cover up the nutrition from cow milk, many producers are making almond milk look and taste like cow’s milk. They may add additional vitamins, stabilizers, and sweeteners to enhance the taste and make it healthy. The benefits of almond milk are that they reduce blood sugar since the content of carbohydrates are low. Almond milk is rich in good fats, which leads to a healthy heart. It provides 50 percent of your daily vitamin E intake and leads to glowing and younger looking skin.

Once you adapt your taste in almond milk it is fantastic to make healthy smoothies and desserts. It can be used in making Indian desserts, like, barfi, gulab jamun, rasmalai etc. It’s a drink you can consume at any point of the day and can be stored without being refrigerated!

8 Steps to Make Almond Milk At Home 

Almond milk is a nutritious substitute for dairy milk. Almond milk is free of lactose, fats, carbohydrates, and sodium which makes it suitable for just about anyone. Almond milk is also very beneficial for children since it is easy to digest and light on the stomach. Even though almond milk is available at any supermarket, why buy almond milk when you can simply make it at home? Almond milk is surprisingly easy to whip up in your own kitchen. Here are 8 steps to make this delicious dairy alternative that is packed with Vitamin E at home!

Step 1: Take a cup of raw almonds (unsalted) and rinse them well so that they are free of any dirt/salt.

Step 2: Soak your rinsed almonds in water and leave them in the refrigerator overnight.

Step 3: Once soaked overnight, take your almonds, and rinse them again until they are clean.

Step 4: Put your almonds in a blender or a food processor along with 3 cups of filtered water, preferably cold.

Step 5: If you are using a blender, blend the almonds for about 30 seconds. If you are using a food processor, let it blend for about 1 minute.

Step 6: Strain this organic almond milk mixture through a nut milk bag, a sprout, a strainer or a cheese cloth into a big bowl or a vessel.

Step 7: Pour your blended and strained product into the blender again.

Step 8:  Blend your organic almond milk with a sweetener of your choice. This sweetener could be honey, dates, sweet cocoa, or sugar. You could also experiment with different flavors by adding lemon peel, vanilla essence, chocolate, or cinnamon.

There you have it! Homemade almond milk in just eight simple steps!

 

Why India Is Switching to Almond Milk

You must have most certainly stumbled upon almond milk at your local grocery store and wondered how it was any different from dairy milk or any other milk alternatives. The many alternatives are excellent in terms of health benefits and are also good for individuals who suffer from allergies or are vegan. In the case of almond milk India has recently opened its doors to it and has quickly become a household necessity and trend. If you’re wondering if almond milk is actually worth the hype, here’s a quick look at the health benefits of almond milk. Read on to know whether or not you should make the switch!

Reason 1: Almond milk is extremely low in calories as compared to dairy products. This makes it a great substitute for those of whom are trying to cut some pounds.

Reason 2: Almond milk is great for your heart since it is free of cholesterol, saturated-fats and sodium. It keeps your heart health in check and prevents high blood pressure.

Reason 3: You should buy almond milk if you complain of aching joints because almond milk is a good source of calcium and reduces the risk of bone problems like osteoporosis, arthritis and more.

Reason 4: Almond milk is great for skin health and can give you a glowing complexion and protect your skin against sun damage. Almond milk contains Vitamin E which nourishes your skin and keeps it healthy and glowing.

Reason 5: Almond milk can be consumed by diabetic patients since it has low levels of carbohydrates which don’t cause any disturbance in blood sugar levels. This reduces the risk of diabetes or any other blood sugar problems.

Reason 6: Being lactose-intolerant can be stressful because you can’t get the nutrients of milk or any dairy products. However, almond milk is packed with nutrients and is naturally lactose free so it can be consumed by individuals who are sensitive to lactose and get all the nutrients it offers too.

Healthy Snack Alternatives That Your Kids Can Gorge On

Very often you must find yourself telling your children not to eat chips, not to gorge on unhealthy snacks, not to spoil their appetite before meals and many more things pertaining to their unhealthy eating habits. Do you, however, understand the rationale behind these dialogues well enough? After all, children get hungry at odd hours and they do require snacks between their meals, and no, it doesn’t always ruin their appetite. So, what is the solution? How can we allow our children to snack, and yet, prevent them from developing unhealthy eating habits? How can we get them to eat their veggies or voluntarily opt for badam milk instead of sugary powders? Here’s a middle ground.

First, let’s lay the ground for snacks by saying that if snacking is done right, it can play a pivoting role in your child’s nutrition levels. It also keeps your kids from getting cranky or irritable and can be used as an incentive too. If you look at the bigger picture, the problem is not snacking but what kids to snack on. What can you do? You can jazz up your children’s snacks by making it interesting so that they voluntarily opt for, for example, badam milk instead of sugary fruit boxes.

Need some ideas? Here are a few.

Smoothies for the win – Sweet, cold treats are the way to a child’s heart so why not give it a healthy twist? Blend up fruits, veggies and nuts to make a nutrition packed smoothie that your child will love. To make it healthier, instead of dairy milk almond milk is a better alternative.

Quesadillas – If you’re wondering how to get your kid to voluntarily eat veggies and enjoy it too, we have just one thing to say – QUESADILLA! You can add any and every vegetable to the mix and it will still taste as delicious as ever. You know better that kids absolutely cannot resist Mexican food, so why not take advantage of that, yeah?

Baked Sweet Potato Fries – There’s nothing that a child loves more than fries! A healthier alternative? Sweet potatoes carry greater nutritional benefits as compared to potatoes and of course baking is healthier than frying. Easy to make, tasty to eat, you have yourself a winning snack!

Custard with Fruits – Custard carries many essential nutrients. To make it healthier, add chopped up fruits like bananas, apples, pears or dry fruits like almonds, raisins, cashews, walnuts etc. This also serves as a healthier way to satiate your child’s dessert cravings. To cut down more calories, buy almond milk instead of dairy milk and make the switch since almond milk is low in calories and is lighter on the stomach.

There you have it, moms! You no longer must worry about your child munching on chips fried in bad oil or finishing every chocolate in the refrigerator. Get your child accustomed to healthy snacking alternatives so that they are conscious of what they eat in a healthy way instead of meticulously evaluating everything they eat. They are children, and sometimes need to indulge, so don’t cut it down, just replace it with what’s better, and every once in a while, let them dig into something their taste buds absolutely love.