Almond Milk Health Benefits and Nutrition Facts

Nutritional summary

Almond milk is consistently lower in saturated fat and energy (calories) than cow milk, though it typically contains significantly less protein .
The production of almond milk is notably water-intensive, requiring approximately 270 litres of water to produce a single litre of the beverage, which is higher than the water requirements for soy or oat alternatives .
While whole almonds are well-established in systematic reviews for improving blood lipid levels (cholesterol) and cardiometabolic health, these benefits may not translate directly to the milk form due to the removal of fibre and the dilution of almond solids .
Most commercial almond drinks contain negligible amounts of starch and have been found to have very low levels of environmental contaminants like arsenic or glyphosate residues .

Interesting fact

Despite its modern popularity, almond milk has been a culinary staple since the Middle Ages, frequently used in European and Middle Eastern kitchens as a shelf-stable substitute for animal milk during Lenten fasts.

Standout nutrients

GREAT

SOURCE

Vitamin E

SOURCE

Molybdenum

EPIC

SOURCE

Fatty acid conversion factor

EPIC

SOURCE

Water

kcal per 100g

Protein0.85g

Fat2.21g

Carbs0.92g

Fiber0.10g

Sugar1.20g

Fat breakdown

Polyunsat0.40g

Monounsat1.28g

Saturated0.36g

Seasonality

Not available

Diet

VeganVegetarianPescatarianGluten FreeDairy FreeLow Fodmap

Sustainability

Moderate

While it has lower greenhouse gas emissions than dairy, its exceptionally high water footprint in drought-prone regions raises concerns.

Confidencehigh

Storage

Refrigerate After Opening

5–7 days

Store in the main body of the fridge, not the door.

Room Temperature

6–12 months

Applies to unopened UHT/shelf-stable cartons only.

Flavour

Data & Sources

Harmonized from 3 validated sources

French Food Database

1 contributing source food

Swiss Food Database

1 contributing source food

USDA

USDA FoodData Central

1 contributing source food

Claim citations

Perspective: Current Scientific Evidence and Research Strategies in the Role of Almonds in Cardiometabolic Health - PMC

[1]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of Almond Milk Versus Cow Milk on Postprandial Glycemia, Lipidemia, and Gastrointestinal Hormones in Patients with Overweight or Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial - PMC

[2]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Dairy and Plant-Based Milks: Implications for Nutrition and Planetary Health - PMC

[4]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

International Analysis of the Nutritional Content and a Review of Health Benefits of Non-Dairy Plant-Based Beverages - PMC

[8]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Comparison of nutritional composition between plant-based drinks and cow’s milk - PMC

[11]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Coverage

Nutrients

FoodCompass

38.4

Version

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