Benefits of almonds are no secret. We have been savoring our favourite dry fruit for a very long time. But of late, almond milk has been widely publicised across media leading to more people consuming it.
Almond milk can be made at home by soaking almonds overnight, blending them with water before straining the mixture. However, different varieties of packaged almond milk are also available in the market.
Is it just a passing fad or is it actually beneficial for us? We researched it around and came across the following benefits:
Weight Management
One of the primary benefits of consuming almond milk is that it helps in managing body weight. It is known that cow milk contains fat and all dairy products are primarily fatty in nature. But when you switch to almond milk, you will find it easy to shed your weight as you stop consuming additional fat.
According to Effects of Almond Milk on Body Measurements and Blood Pressure, published in Food and Nutrition Sciences, “In addition to its low content of saturated fats and lack of cholesterol, almonds are known for their nutritional content, which is high in protein, fibre, unsaturated fatty acids, tocopherol and many vitamins and minerals. Ros reported that almonds are rich in alpha-tocopherol and antioxidants, which are concentrated in the shell. Thus, shelling almonds leads to the loss of 25% – 50% of antioxidants. One hundred grams of almonds contain 579 calories, 21.15 g protein, 49.93 g fat, 21.55 g carbohydrates, 12.5 g fibre, 269 mg calcium, 270 mg magnesium, 481 mg phosphorus, 733 mg potassium, 1.138 mg riboflavin, 3.618 mg niacin and 25.63 mg alpha- tocopherol. Maguire et al found that the percentage of unsaturated fatty acids was 91.6% of the total amount of fats.”
For a Healthy Heart
Almond milk is also claimed to be beneficial for heart health. People having almond milk regularly experience better performance in physical activities, such as running and jogging. According to Almonds and Cardiovascular Health: A Review published in Nutrients journal, “A recent systematic review found that eating almonds results in significant reductions in total cholesterol, LDL-C, and triglycerides levels, while having no significant impact on HDL-C levels.”
Boon for Lactose Intolerant People
Almond milk is a natural gift for people suffering from lactose intolerance. Such people are allergic to milk and dairy products and suffer from conditions like flatulence and other gastric disorders after consumption. Almond milk is a very convenient substitute for such people. They can enjoy the taste of milk combined with all the benefits and yet avoid health complications.
Bone Health
Almond milk is known to benefit in improving the health of the bones. It is a rich source of calcium, which is the primary nutrient required for healthy bones. When there is a deficiency of calcium in the body, severe conditions, such as osteoporosis, can develop.
Calcium deficient body is prone to develop fractures, because the deficiency renders the bones brittle and weak. By consuming almond milk, such conditions can be avoided. It is suggested to buy vitamin A and D marked almond milk, if opting for packaged almond milk.
Brain Health
Almond milk is an acclaimed source of vitamin E, which acts as an antioxidant in the human body. Antioxidants are very important as they help in countering the damage to cells from free radical injury. It is proven that free radical injury is one of the root causes of several other disorders.
Benefits of vitamin E include reduction in memory decline and prevention of confusion caused due to deteriorating memory.
Anti-cancer properties
Almond milk is very rich in antioxidants, and thus it is considered beneficial against cancer. The antioxidants constituted in almond milk help reduce oxidative stress which is caused by free radicals.
With more people preferring the vegan lifestyle of late, almond milk has emerged one of the most preferred substitutes for dairy products and cow milk.
Source: The Statesman