And some almond milks are sweetened with excessive levels of added sugar. Made with only a few almonds, they are essentially almond-flavored water thickened with highly processed gums. However, many store-bought almond milks are not a healthy choice. The healthiest nut milks contain only two simple ingredients: water and nuts. Some store-bought almond milks are healthy choices Healthy Almond Milks Have Minimal SodiumĪll information below is for a 1 cup serving. Recommendation: Buy and drink additive-free almond whenever possible. However, there are many packaged almond milk options that do not contain lecithin. More research is needed to understand the complex interactions between the foods we eat, our microbiome, and our health. However, a recent clinical study evaluating the effect of eating eggs on biomarkers for cardiovascular disease risk found that while as many as three eggs a day resulted in a dose-dependent increase in blood choline levels, no corresponding increase in TMAO was observed. And there is conflicting research linking choline to the formation of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a biomarker for cardiovascular disease. Lecithin is an excellent source of choline, a B vitamin. In almond milk, lecithin helps keep the almond oils suspended in water.
As an emulsifier, lecithin helps keep oils or fats suspended in water. Lecithin is an emulsifier that is found naturally in egg yolks, soy beans and even sunflower seeds. Healthy Almond Milks Do Not Contain Carrageenan However, occasionally eating small amounts of these additives is probably fine, unless you experience gastrointestinal discomfort or are following a specific diet.
Recommendation: It is best to avoid foods that contain gums and other thickeners, as they are often highly processed. Guar gum is a soluble dietary fiber that is partially fermented by intestinal microflora.(7) Guar gum is a polysaccharide extracted from the beans of the guar plant. Xanthan gum is a soluble dietary fiber that is fermented by intestinal microflora. Similar to gellan gum, xanthan gum is a soluble fiber created when the bacteria Xanthomonas campestris ferment sugar. Also called carob bean gum, locust Bean Gum is a soluble dietary fiber that is fermented by intestinal microflora. Locust Bean Gum a polysaccharide extracted from the seeds of the Carob Tree. Gellan gum is a polysaccharide created when the bacteria Sphingomonas elodea ferment glucose or other carbon sources such as corn syrup, lactose, whey protein, or soybean extracts. Typical gums and other thickeners in diary-free milks include gellan gum, locust bean gum (also called carob bean gum), xanthan gum, guar gum, and carrageenan. In almond milk, they prevent separation and thicken the drink to hide just how few almonds are in the almond milk. Thickeners and gums are routinely used in packaged food to improve texture, shelf life, and product aesthetics. Gums and other thickeners are frequently found in almond milks and other plant-based beverages. Recommendation: To find a high quality almond milk, look for a product with around 100 calories and 8 to 10 grams of fat per one cup serving. We have estimated the number of almonds in each cup of store bought almondmilk evaluated below. The easiest way to approximate the nut quantity is by looking at the fat, protein, and calories in a beverage. How do you know how many almonds are in your favorite nut-based milk? Unfortunately, you can’t look at the ingredient list as almonds will almost always be the second ingredient. Not surprisingly, most almondmilk is made with very few almonds because they are the most expensive ingredient. Healthy Almond Milks Contain Many AlmondsĪlmond milks vary widely in the amount of almonds used to make the beverage. What to look for when choosing a healthy almond milk 1. However, most commercially available almond milks have long ingredient lists. The second, and preferably only other ingredient is almonds. Water will always be the first ingredient in a non-dairy milk.
This comprehensive guide details what to look for and what to avoid when choosing a healthy almond-based beverage. Whether labeled Almond Milk, Almondmilk, Almond Plant Based Beverage, or Almond Non-Dairy Beverage you have, no doubt, seen many almond-based beverage options at your local grocery store and favorite coffee shop. Almond milk is the most popular non-dairy milk sold in the US.(1) While almond milk is a good low-carbohydrate plant-based milk alternative, is it really a healthy choice?
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