Milk alternatives provide benefits to people with certain health requirements. Advantages of almond milk are many, but they are not enough to overshadow the advantages of cow milk, right?
Almond milk is great in taste; vitamins A, E and B are found in it. It is lactose-free, low in calories and has carbohydrates. Although calcium content is not present in almond milk, some brands available in the market are supplicated with calcium as well as vitamin D. Cow milk, on the contrary, is protein packed and is rich in cholesterol, vitamins, calcium and minerals essential for toddlers and the elderly. Lactose-free versions are also available of cow milk for lactose intolerant individuals.
Advantages of Almond Milk vs. Cow Milk
Almond Milk vs. Cow Milk debate has been going on, for quite some time now! Both forms of milk have their pros and cons and choosing one over the other is not possible, anyway. It depends greatly on the taste, choice and health condition of an individual whether he would like to have almond milk in his regular bowl of cereals or cow milk. Both kinds of milk vary in their nutritive value and respective health benefits. However, if you are looking specifically for health benefits that almond milk has over cow milk, here you go! Read below!
How to Make Almond Milk?
One of the best things about being a mum is to find an easy recipe which is tasty and healthy! Almond milk is one such recipe that takes almost no time to make and is packed with nutrients. All you require is
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- 1 cup raw organic sprouted almonds- soaked overnight in ½ teaspoon sea salt
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- 4 cups pure filtered water
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- vanilla bean (optional)
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- dates, honey(optional)
Blend all ingredients together until creamy Now, your almond milk is ready to be consumed.
Health Benefits of Almond Milk vs. Cow Milk
Our grandparents may not have heard of milk alternatives. But the ad-hoc system of life we live in today, has made us agreeable to the alternatives of things available naturally and purely such as Milk. The reasons why milk alternatives have been found and required are many, but the solution has left us completely baffled as to what type of milk should we consume. There is whole dairy milk, almond milk, soy milk, rice milk, lactose-free milk, skimmed milk and few others that we need to choose from. Each form of milk has different nutrients to provide and has altering taste and benefits too.
Almond milk is milk containing low calories (if it is unsweetened) and ground almonds increase the amount of proteins, that the milk has. There are many benefits of almond milk vs. cow milk. Some of them are as under:
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- Low-calorie count: A cup of almond milk provides 60 calories compared to the 146 calories present in whole milk. Thus, for those who need to watch their weight; almond milk is a smart choice!
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- No cholesterol: Almond milk has no cholesterol and is rich in omega fatty acids which are healthy. Cow Milk, on the other hand, is a great source of cholesterol. Thus, almond milk is good for heart patients!
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- Benefits of almond milk for skin: Almond milk provides 50 percent of recommended daily intake of vitamin E, essential for healthy skin. Vitamin E protects our skin from sun damage and keeps it glowing and young.
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- Low on Carbs: Almond milk is low in carbs and thus, it does not affect the blood sugar. Carbs provided by almond milk vs. cow milk are consumed as energy by our body, and there is no excess carbohydrate present, so it can be stored as sugar in our body.
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- Improves muscle power: Almond milk provides plenty of Vitamin B per serving which is essential for muscle strength and healing of our body.
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- Helps in digestion: Each serving of almond milk provides 1 gram of fibre which helps in digestion, keeping our digestive system healthy and smooth.
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- Lactose-free: Almond milk is lactose-free: Thus, people suffering from intolerance of lactose content present in Cow’s milk, can freely consume almond milk without worrying about excess harmful sugars.
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- Stays at room temperature: Almond milk can easily survive at room temperature and does not require refrigeration. Therefore, it can be taken on trips and picnics without worrying about it getting sour or curdled.
Almond Milk vs. Cow Milk; the Other Side of the Picture
Although there are many positive health benefits of almond milk vs. milk, there are some disadvantages of almond milk over cow milk too, which cannot be completely ignored.
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- Almond milk contains only 25 to 30 percent of calcium required by our body, daily. It is much lower than the percentage that cow milk provides us.
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- Cow milk is high in Protein which helps us grow. Protein is important for building and repair of cells. Thus, for growing age groups, cow milk is a better choice.
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- Cow milk is a good source of Phosphorus, essential for bone strength.
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- Cow milk tastes different than the almond milk. There may be some people who would prefer to have cow milk over almond milk or vice versa, due to the difference of tastes.
Must Read best foods for your heart.
Almond Milk vs. Cow Milk for Toddlers
Toddlers are in a growing age! They need proteins, calcium, vitamins and all other nutrients in fairly good proportion. Therefore, almond milk is not a recommended option for toddlers. They need all nutrients in enough amounts, which are provided by cow’s milk.
Choosing the right milk to consume depends upon your health goals! Considering the benefits of almond milk vs. cow milk, one can safely consume almond milk. However, for children in growing age groups, a natural source of nutrients is cow milk; a more powerful drink, indeed!