Should I switch to almond milk ?
xodreamariexo
Posts: 63 Member
It’s the exact same price at my grocery store so I’m wondering what are the benefits of switching to almond milk. Does unsweetened almond milk taste like milk?
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Replies
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Unless you have a lactose intolerance or a dairy allergy, or if you have an ethical objection to using dairy products, there is no particular benefit to nut milk over dairy.
Pick whichever one you prefer for taste and that fits your calories.17 -
The main thing that seemed to catch my eye was the lower calories. Just wondering if there was anything else1
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What are you going for use it for and what percent of fat is the milk you use? To me the taste is totally different. Closest to compare if you've never had plant-based milks is skim milk. I was planning on getting oat milk for oatmeal when I spotted cashew and decided to try for the first time and prefer almond milk (vanilla unsweetened) way more even though cashews are my favorite nut. If you're looking for replacing milk in coffee my favorite is oat milk but it's not the same. Probably doesn't help you!4
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I switched to almond milk because it is lower in calories but more importantly, I prefer the taste. If you prefer the taste of normal cow's milk there is really little benefit in changing. Just make sure it fits within your calorie goals.3
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I actually hate the taste of regular milk. I only use it for recipes that require it, smoothies, or chocolate milk. So I would use almond milk for the same things2
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xodreamariexo wrote: »I actually hate the taste of regular milk. I only use it for recipes that require it, smoothies, or chocolate milk. So I would use almond milk for the same things
I think that answers your question.5 -
If you are interested in the nutrients etc., you cold try having different types, or varying for what you use them for. I use normal milk for my tea but use cashew milk for chia pudding which I have regularly. Sometimes I have coconut milk and it makes a lovely low calorie hot chocolate.1
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I like the taste better of almond milk, and I like that it's lower calorie.4
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If you rely on the protein in milk to meet your protein goals, then switching to almond milk wouldn't work. Nut milks have very little protein.
In smoothies and protein shakes, I often use unsweetened vanilla cashew milk. I like the taste.
Although I gave up coffee a couple of years ago due to GERD, I seem to remember that nut milks don't blend in well.6 -
RelCanonical wrote: »I like the taste better of almond milk, and I like that it's lower calorie.
Same. And hubby's mildly allergic to dairy, so win/win.3 -
bold_rabbit wrote: »If you rely on the protein in milk to meet your protein goals, then switching to almond milk wouldn't work. Nut milks have very little protein.
In smoothies and protein shakes, I often use unsweetened vanilla cashew milk. I like the taste.
Although I gave up coffee a couple of years ago due to GERD, I seem to remember that nut milks don't blend in well.
I like cashew milk too! I mainly stick to almond because it's a bit cheaper overall.2 -
Give it a shot I use it in protein smoothies for the lower calorie load. I find it doesn't really taste like much, but it does tend to satiate me better than when I mix protein powder with just water.0
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just_Tomek wrote: »Its NOT milk. Please stop calling it that. Its an almond / cashew / coconut infused water. Also instead of buying try making this at home. Stupid easy.
It costs around £5.50 for enough almonds to make around 2 litres of almond milk, it costs £3 for 2 x 1 litre of Almond Milk from the Supermarket. Stupid expensive is what it sounds like to me. That's without having to get the muslin and finding room to store it in the fridge.19 -
xodreamariexo wrote: »I actually hate the taste of regular milk. I only use it for recipes that require it, smoothies, or chocolate milk. So I would use almond milk for the same things
It works for smoothies and you can add chocolate and see if you like the taste. Depending on the recipe it might not work as a substitute.
Milk has more cals, but also more protein.
I never use any milk before it goes bad, so I just make cashew milk at home (homemade cashew milk, unlike almond milk, often uses the whole cashew, which makes it more caloric, but I like the nutritional profile of cashews and don't like wasting nuts). Plus I pretty much only use it for smoothies and so adding fat is usually a plus.
Anyway, I'd use whatever you like best, so try the almond milk and see. Soymilk is also an option with more cals but also more protein.0 -
xodreamariexo wrote: »It’s the exact same price at my grocery store so I’m wondering what are the benefits of switching to almond milk. Does unsweetened almond milk taste like milk?
There are no benefits other than if you prefer it. Dairy milk actually has a better overall nutritional profile and is a good source of naturally occurring essential nutrients. Dairy milk is also minimally processed while substitutes like almond milk are highly processed if that is something that is important to you.
For me, it's just preference. I don't like almond milk or any other substitute I've tried and just prefer dairy milk. I don't really consume a lot of it...typically 1 8oz servings of 2% daily. My boys go through a lot of milk though.8 -
I have drank Almond milk for probably the last 4 years or so. Mainly because I do not like cows milk. It's fine. Recently ive discovered Oat Milk. It is a little carby so if you are trying to cut those check the numbers first, but it has a texture thats the closest to a 2% milk then any other substitute I've ever tried. I love it in coffee and smoothies.1
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porkchopsandapple wrote: »I have drank Almond milk for probably the last 4 years or so. Mainly because I do not like cows milk. It's fine. Recently ive discovered Oat Milk. It is a little carby so if you are trying to cut those check the numbers first, but it has a texture thats the closest to a 2% milk then any other substitute I've ever tried. I love it in coffee and smoothies.
Same! I prefer Oat Milk over the others, it's a bit creamier.0 -
just_Tomek wrote: »Its NOT milk. Please stop calling it that. Its an almond / cashew / coconut infused water. Also instead of buying try making this at home. Stupid easy.
Not sure I would stop calling it by the name that is on the label. Almond milk has been called milk since the 18th century.15 -
just_Tomek wrote: »Around here its almond / cashew beverage... right on the box.
Fair enough. I suppose if I lived there, I would call it cashew beverage then. Here, it is called milk.3 -
just_Tomek wrote: »debrakgoogins wrote: »just_Tomek wrote: »Its NOT milk. Please stop calling it that. Its an almond / cashew / coconut infused water. Also instead of buying try making this at home. Stupid easy.
Not sure I would stop calling it by the name that is on the label. Almond milk has been called milk since the 18th century.
Around here its almond / cashew beverage... right on the box.
It's mostly "almond milk" on the cartons I've seen in the US. Does Canada have some law about it? I wouldn't mind if we started calling it bruet of Almayn again, however.
Or there's this:
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One benefit of almond milk is that it stays fresh for longer than dairy milk. I used to buy milk but used it rarely. It would go sour before I could use it up. I switched to almond milk for several reasons but one of my main reasons to use it is that it doesn't go sour as fast. I can keep a carton in my fridge and used it up all the way.2
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My daughter isn't a fan of cows milk, though she enjoys yogurt, cheese etc, just doesn't like it for drinking.
She uses unsweetened vanilla almond milk. She said she liked cashew better but it costs more so she uses the almond. She doesn't drink cups of it straight, she uses it in cereal or smoothies mostly. One container lasts her quite awhile.
TLDR: if you prefer it to cows milk, go for it.1 -
I use it to make pancakes and such for the calories. I suppose it makes me think it is something more then water with some juiced almonds. I don't care I like the pancakes made with it and don't want/need milk.1
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It's a lot lower in calories. I have been meaning to get it for my oatmeal because of that but I love milk so much
It depends what you use milk for. If it's just to eat cereal or oatmeal or things like that it's fine but I would not drink a glass of almond milk, for example. 0 -
Cow's milk is for baby cows.10
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tinkerbellang83 wrote: »just_Tomek wrote: »Its NOT milk. Please stop calling it that. Its an almond / cashew / coconut infused water. Also instead of buying try making this at home. Stupid easy.
It costs around £5.50 for enough almonds to make around 2 litres of almond milk, it costs £3 for 2 x 1 litre of Almond Milk from the Supermarket. Stupid expensive is what it sounds like to me. That's without having to get the muslin and finding room to store it in the fridge.
£5.50 worth of almonds will produce a beverage with way more almond taste than store bought.3 -
katecrooker wrote: »Cow's milk is for baby cows.
Lol! Humans have been ingesting cow, goat and sheep milk (and in some places Yak and Water Buffalo) for millenia. That whole line of reasoning is *kitten*.
It is an extremely well balanced food with an excellent mix of carbs, fat and protein. It also contains IGF1, which is fabulous for growing children as well as seniors and those trying to grow muscle.
As we age, we produce less lactase to break down the lactose in cow's milk. In these instances, dairy products from sheep or goats are a great alternative.
Nut milks, while having thier uses, are not a very good nutritional substitute for cow, sheep or goat milk.18 -
I never buy milk (beyond gross) and switch between soy, cashew, and oat milk. I have never had a problem subbing soy or cashew for regular milk in a recipe (and only get the chocolate oat milk bc its so darn good!)4
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katecrooker wrote: »Cow's milk is for baby cows.
Lol! Humans have been ingesting cow, goat and sheep milk (and in some places Yak and Water Buffalo) for millenia. That whole line of reasoning is *kitten*.
I think a more accurate line of thought would be that some humans have been ingesting cow milk for millenia. Hence why there are population that have significantly higher incidences of lactose intolerance than others.7 -
katecrooker wrote: »Cow's milk is for baby cows.
Lol! Humans have been ingesting cow, goat and sheep milk (and in some places Yak and Water Buffalo) for millenia. That whole line of reasoning is *kitten*.
It's true though – cow's milk is for baby cows. The line of reasoning stands because it's what those of us in the sciences call "biology". I don't know who needs to hear this, but cows do not produce milk unless they are pregnant. A lot of people don't know this because it wouldn't benefit the narrative or profit margins of the dairy industry if we actually talked about how and why milk is produced.
Like all mammals, including humans and goats, cows produce milk to feed their babies. When their babies are weaned, they stop producing that milk. A cow's gestational period is 9.5 months and if left alone – without human intervention – she won't have another baby for a year or more. Nowadays, however, starting at age 1, cows are forcibly kept pregnant by the dairy industry. Once they give birth, they are impregnated again within 2 months and this repeats over the course of 4 years – at which point her body can no longer take anymore forced pregnancies, thus she can't produce milk, which means the industry can't make money off her so, she is killed. This is all done to ensure a constant supply of milk in order to take the milk intended for the baby and to sell it for a profit. It wouldn't be profitable otherwise. Small farms and large farms...it happens the same everywhere because it's biology and human intervention, folks. The average natural lifespan of a cow is 15-20 years.
Dairy farmers wouldn't deny it and I know several (who no longer participate in all this). It's just what happens. Cows don't make milk for humans. They make milk for their babies. Humans kill the baby (one way or another) and take the milk. Just because some humans have been ingesting milk for millenia, just because one can ingest it, doesn't change the fact of who it is actually intended for: baby cows.
Science is science. Let's not argue what actually happens biologically or how and why humans intervene.7
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