Almond Milk!
I have been lactose intolerant since middle school and haven’t had a glass of milk since. But little than I knew, many Americans are allergic to conventional pasteurized milk, which is different than developing an intolerance to lactose. And for other health reason, many are switching to nut milk. I, on the other hand, recently developed a nut and seed sensitivity causing major joint inflammation, swelling, and sores in my hands. So, I have to limit my nut consumption.
Almond milk provides excellent sources of protein, fiber, vitamin E, zinc, iron, selenium, magnesium, and calcium. Almonds have essential fatty acids, vitamin-like oils. Essential fatty acids are required for a healthy nervous system, anti-inflammatory effects, hormone balance and cell structure.
7 benefits of Almond Milk
Benefit #1: Weight Management
Plain almond milk, without added sugars or flavoring, contains 60 calories per each 8 oz serving size. A great option for people looking to lose or maintain weight.
The low caloric content of almond milk causes less of an impact on the daily consumption of food calories. Remember though that some milk varieties contain more sugars than the cereal that they get combined with.
Benefit #2: Heart Health
It contains no cholesterol and only 5 mg of sodium per serving. Low consumption of sodium and cholesterol helps maintain better heart health and normal blood pressure.
Without cholesterol, almond milk also decreases chances of gaining bad cholesterol levels, all while increasing the good cholesterol levels. Did you also know that almond milk also contains 150 mg of potassium in every serving? A mineral that works to promote healthy blood pressure.
Benefit #3: Blood Sugar Friendly
Unlike other milk alternatives, plain almond milk contains just 8 grams of carbs per serving. The 7 grams of sugars that make up the carbohydrate content have a limited affect on blood sugar levels. Good to know that when consuming simple sugars, metabolic functions tend to miss the nutrients which in turn ends up storing much of the carbs as fat.
Instead, the low amount of sugars in almond milk have a low glycemic nature, meaning the body fully digests them and use them as energy. A great for the diabetic.
Benefit #4: Bone Health
Almond milk contains 30% of the recommended daily value of calcium and 25% of vitamin D. These nutrients work together to build strong bones.
Vitamin D can help improve immunity and cell function. Some studies have shown that vitamin D can decrease osteoporosis and even Alzheimer’s disease. The magnesium in found in almond milk helps absorb more of the calcium provided by the nutritious beverage.
Benefit #5: Skin Care
Every serving contains 50% of the recommended daily value of vitamin E. This powerful nutrient has antioxidant abilities that helps regulate vitamin A use and availability.
More importantly, vitamin E acts as the primary regulatory nutrient that improves skin health.
Benefit #6: Eye Health
The moderate levels of vitamin A found in almond milk helps keep our eyes functioning properly. Vitamin A directly influences the eye’s ability to adjust to differences in light.
Benefit #7: More Muscle Power
Although almond milk only contains 1 gram of protein per serving, it contains B vitamins in the form of riboflavin. It also contains iron, a muscle regulating nutrient. Each serving of almond milk contains about 4% of the recommended daily intake of iron, which helps muscles absorb and use protein for energy, growth, and repair.
Iron also regulates certain cell functions like oxygen absorption.
Just a hand full of these nuts a day provides enough recommended levels of minerals, vitamins, and protein.
How to make almond milk?
1. Ideally you should soak the almonds overnight (between 6-12 hours). Skipping this step is also okay but when you soak them, it allows the almonds to become softer and therefore easier to work with. They also sprout, which is easier on the digestive system.
2.Rinse the nuts several times to remove any of the anti-nutrients and enzyme inhibitors. If soaking for the full 12 hours, make sure you rinse and soak a few times. Any nuts that float to the top have probably gone rancid, so discard them to be safe. It is not uncommon to have a few floaters. The almonds will have swelled with water and look a lot more plump.
3. Place almonds into the blender with about 4 cups of water. Blend.
4. Strain the almond milk.
This is the most important step and cannot be skipped. Gradually pour in the almond milk into the strainer, close the edges of the cloth and press out all of the milk, being careful not getting any pulp out of the sides of the cloth. When you have successfully pressed out all of the liquid and set the cloth aside for now. Do not throw away the left-over almond meal! You can use sprinkle it on top of salads, oatmeal, or even use it in smoothies or baking. So far I have made two recipes using the almond pulp.
5. Pour the now strained almond milk into a glass jar (add sweetener if so desired) and close with a lid (or use something similar and airtight). You should store this in the fridge, and it will hold nicely for 5-7 days. Remember to shake the milk before consuming, as almond milk has a tendency to separate itself slightly.
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