Almond Milk vs. Skim Milk

donamari7

After doing a little research on the nutritional values of Almond Milk vs. Skim Milk, I have found that while Skim Milk is fat free, it still has more calories, more, carbs, more sodium, and more sugar that Almond Milk. Aside from the obvious, that Almond Milk can be better tolerable than Skim Milk for people that have allergies, etc., which is really better for us??

I would like to know more about this topic. Thanks.

rivka_m

Skim milk also has protein, almond milk has nearly none (one gram per cup IIRC). So it isn't that one is better nutritionally, but rather what is better for your personal goals? Not all people count carbs, sodium or sugar, and some people think the extra 50 or so calories are worth it.

JoRocka

skim milk tastes like barely flavored water.
If I'm drinking cow milk- I'm drinking 2% or higher.
-
Being said- I use/drink unsweetened vanilla almond milk... it has fewer calories and actually tastes like something. Also. Being said- I don't drink it straight- I drink it w/ protein or add it to shakes- or make hot chocolate.

mmmhmmm hot chocolate. That sounds good right now.

Just115Pounds

I drink Silk's Unsweetened/Unflavored Soy Milk. It tastes pretty good (gotta get used to the taste change in my coffee, though) and it is definitely healthier in means of calories. When I compared my old milk (Reduced Fat, Lactose Free) to Silk, it had 100s of more calories and definitely more fat. The only difference is I was loosing 1g of protein, which was minor. I can definitely deal with that loss of a gram.

Pelamblue

I have 'alpro unsweetened almond milk ' with my porridge in the morning, just because I think it's delicious. It's all personal preference. Unless your drinking gallons of one or the other I don't think that it makes much difference

melimomTARDIS

almond milk doesnt have protien, so you'll have to get that somewhere else. It does have more calcium (the silk brand, anyway) and makes it easier for me to meet my calcium goals.

I get my protien elsewhere. The taste is superb in coffee/cereal, I prefer the lightly sweetened, or "touch of honey" varieties.

If I was lactose intolerant/vegan, I'd choose plain soymilk for a milk sub that is more nutritionally complete.

lemurcat12

I prefer skim milk (although I don't drink a lot of milk itself--I like dairy in general), because it has protein. Also, I believe a lot of the stuff in the almond milk is from fortification, which makes it basically just like taking a vitamin.

IMO, almond milk is nice for people who are vegans, lactose intolerant, or who don't like milk. But for me real milk is superior.

I also like 2% or full fat dairy often also--the idea that lower calories or lower fat is always healthier is just wrong. Having more fat in your diet (depending on the overall numbers) can be a positive. I know when I have oatmeal I often have to add some nuts or the like to my breakfast since I do better with a breakfast that is not low fat. Some regular milk would work for that purpose too.

goddessofawesome

Raw milk. All the milk goodness plus all the beneficial bacteria that gets killed during the pasteurization process.

belimawr

JoRocka wrote: »

skim milk tastes like barely flavored water.
If I'm drinking cow milk- I'm drinking 2% or higher.

I actually think skim milk tastes better than almond milk. I drink unsweetened vanilla almond milk and the like because I am very prone to sinus infections. I do love cow's milk though, it stinks.

h7463

I love the taste of almond milk, but it won't help my protein goal. My favorite is light soy milk, with all the protein and less calories than cow milk, but sadly, it's obscenely expensive around here. So back to skim milk I went.... Cheers!

BigGuy47

donamari7 wrote: »

which is really better for us??

Just pick the one you like and move on.

The minor differences in protein and fat is irrelevant in the big picture.
More important questions:
Are you hitting your calorie target for the day?
Are you hitting your macros target?

Will the choice between Skim milk or Almond milk have a dramatic impact on those targets?

CJDaniel7

I only drink milk in my coffee, but I have moved to the point I really enjoy the taste of almond milk. But, I make my own and think it is the most delicious. My stomach has issues with milk sometimes. Health difference I won't claim to know.
-Cup of almonds*
-1/2 gallon of water
-1/2 tsp of cinimmon
-1 to 2 tsp of vanilla depending on your taste
-3 dates (to sweeten without the use of processed sugar or artificial sweetener.) Makes is ever so lightly sweet, I don't like sweet.
1. Blend
2. Strain
3. Bottle I use an old Organic milk glass bottle.
4. Done

*some people say to soak the almonds over night in water with some salt, then rinse before start process to soften and extract more milk from them. I have a vitamix so i don't notice a difference, if you don't you may want to try this.

jstavix

Our whole family has stopped drinking milk period for many reasons. We have also all became vegetarians as well. We are drinking almond breeze with honey in it and so far, so good. We use it in cereal etc. I have never been one to sit down and drink a glass of milk since I was a little kid so the switch was easy. I personally think it's what is good for you. Sure, it doesn't have protein but, it also doesn't have the gross things milk has either. Do some research on what the FDA allows in your milk! Kinda sickening!

goddessofawesome

jstavix wrote: »

Our whole family has stopped drinking milk period for many reasons. We have also all became vegetarians as well. We are drinking almond breeze with honey in it and so far, so good. We use it in cereal etc. I have never been one to sit down and drink a glass of milk since I was a little kid so the switch was easy. I personally think it's what is good for you. Sure, it doesn't have protein but, it also doesn't have the gross things milk has either. Do some research on what the FDA allows in your milk! Kinda sickening!

Hence the reason I get raw milk from a farm up the street. I will never go back to store bought milk

donamari7

Thanks for all the great comments. I like Skim Milk too, but I don't care for it in my coffee. I love my coffee in the morning, but I don't like it black, so the Almond milk is pretty good in my coffee. I also tried some Almond milk in my granola this morning and that was quite good. I also agree that the protein difference is too minor to make a difference, unless you are counting on getting alot of your protein from milk.

donamari7

BigGuy47 wrote: »

donamari7 wrote: »

which is really better for us??

Just pick the one you like and move on.

The minor differences in protein and fat is irrelevant in the big picture.
More important questions:
Are you hitting your calorie target for the day?
Are you hitting your macros target?

Will the choice between Skim milk or Almond milk have a dramatic impact on those targets?

What is a macros target? This is a new term to me.

successgal1

Not using skim milk in my morning coffee results in an 8 gram protein deficiency I have to get elsewhere, and that's hard since I'm supposed to limit dairy and I'm not a huge meat eater. Using another source for protein adds back in the calories so its kind of wash except for sugar I guess.

BigGuy47

donamari7 wrote: »

What is a macros target?

Macro ratio's is a better term. It's your percentage of macros, for example.: 45% carbs - 30% protein - 30% fat

ab3381

Skim milk is also full of sugar!!! They add it to give it taste. I'd stick to whole before drinking skim. I do almond milk, unsweetened.

lemurcat12

I've never seen skim milk with added sugar, that's a myth.

If you understand dairy, you'd understand that milk, including skim, naturally has lactose, which is sugar.

ashleycde

lemurcat12 wrote: »

I've never seen skim milk with added sugar, that's a myth.

Skim milk doesn't have added sugar, however it does contain more sugar than full-fat milks. Specifically lactose, a milk sugar. I am lactose-intolerant and if I had even a sip of skim milk I'd be running for a toilet, while a little full-fat cream doesn't both me as much.

I used to drink unsweetened almond milk, but lately I've switched to coconut milk and prefer it, mostly for coffee and smoothies.

tracie_minus100

I put almond milk in my morning smoothie. (It has a scoop of whey protein powder so I'm not bothered that the almond milk has little protein). But if I were to drink a glass of milk (which doesn't happen often), I would choose skim or 1% milk hands down.

ValerieMartini2Olives

I have never liked animal milk.I drink almond or soy milk because it tastes better to me.

ana3067

Almond milk makes me nauseous. I've been drinking partly skimmed milk 1% for YEARS. Like... at least half of my life. I do not like the taste or texture of fattier milk.

uptownplum

I don't think people who drink almond milk are "ignorant hipsters" as this article so delicately puts it, but the sentiment of the rest of the article is more or less the same. Almonds are such a wonderful food - why pulverize them to create "milk" (see: cloudy water)? I don't know, if people like it, that's fine with me, but I personally won't drink it for this reason. http://www.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2014/07/lay-off-almond-milk-ignorant-hipsters

asdowe13

Which is better for us? Depends on taste preferances, and your dietary goals.

If/when I drink milk, It's 3.5% or higher, or a 2% chocolate milk.
Skim milk seems pointless to me, and I don't care for almond milk.

Roxiegirl2008

I hate the taste of milk so opt for almond milk. Not for protein or anything like that just more of a personal taste. I found silk "holiday nog" last year and it is so yummy. I also love the dark chocolate version from silk.

lemurcat12

ashleycde wrote: »

lemurcat12 wrote: »

I've never seen skim milk with added sugar, that's a myth.

Skim milk doesn't have added sugar, however it does contain more sugar than full-fat milks. Specifically lactose, a milk sugar.

That's a very different claim to the "they add stuff!" one I was addressing, but it's also misleading at best. All milk has lactose unless it is altered. If you compare the same number of calories of whole vs. skim (the whole being a much smaller amount, of course), you have more sugar in the skim, because a higher percentage of the calories in the skim is, obviously, from lactose in that one of the only other major contributors of calories (fat) has been removed. BUT if you compare equal amounts (say, 100 grams), there are identical amounts of sugar in both--5 grams, typically.

So again the claim that skim or low fat milk have ingredients or specifically sugar added that whole doesn't have is at best a myth (or simply a weird untruth people like to tell).

I quite like 1% and 2% dairy in particular (as well as full fat) and also find it a really good source of protein for the calories, so I think it deserves a defense. Obviously if one is lactose intolerant you would avoid lactose, but I see zero reason to.

CapnVillainBLK

I honestly don't understand how milk doesn't gross human beings out. The stuff is packed with bacteria, puss, fecal matter, pesticides and IGF-1 which causes cancer. Plus, cow's milk is naturally intended to turn a small calf into a 1,000 lb cow!

lemurcat12

uptownplum wrote: »

I don't think people who drink almond milk are "ignorant hipsters" as this article so delicately puts it, but the sentiment of the rest of the article is more or less the same. Almonds are such a wonderful food - why pulverize them to create "milk" (see: cloudy water)? I don't know, if people like it, that's fine with me, but I personally won't drink it for this reason. http://www.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2014/07/lay-off-almond-milk-ignorant-hipsters

Heh, that's basically how I feel, although I accept that some people don't like or can't drink dairy or just like the almond stuff better (although I certainly do not--however, taste is a puzzling thing). ;-) The hype for store-bought almond milk from people who are otherwise all about "natural and unprocessed" is always the weirdest.

EvanKeel

I prefer to mix my protein powder with something other than water. Skim milk would be preferable to almond milk if I didn't react badly to it (skim). So, for the sake of my physical comfort, when I do make my own protein shake, I like to use almond milk.

No idea what my issue is with milk; I've tried lactose-free variants with no difference. But given the amount of milk I don't consume on an annual basis, I haven't felt the need to research it further.