The majority of keto dietitians avoid whole milk completely as it has too much carb value.
Still, some find it difficult to completely cut milk out of their daily diet. If you’re one of them, you’ve probably come across various whole milk substitutes such as hemp milk, coconut milk, or almond milk.
However, will almond milk maintain ketosis? Let’s find out.
Health Benefits of Almond Milk
According to studies, there’s an abundance of health benefits associated with almond milk. Some of the most important are:
- Weight management – Almond milk contains less than half calories compared to whole milk, allowing you to maintain your weight.
- Increased heart rate – There’s a lot of healthy fats in almond milk that reduce blood pressure and prevent heart disease.
- Enhanced bone structure – Although it’s not as effective as dairy milk from cows, almond milk provides a fine amount of vitamin D and calcium. This keeps your bones strong, reduces the risk of arthritis, and improves your immune system.
- Good for digestion – One gram of fiber per cup makes almond milk a fine contributor to a healthy digestive tract.
- Keeps your muscles strong – B-complex vitamins, iron, and a gram of protein per cup grow your muscles and keeps you healthy.
Is Almond Milk Keto?
Good news – almond milk is completely keto-friendly. In fact, it’s one of the most popular substitutes for whole milk in the keto diet.
One cup of almond milk (8oz) has:
- 35 calories
- 2g of fat
- 2g of carbs
- 1g of protein
- 1g of fiber
Depending on the type of your keto diet, as well as the type of almond milk (sweetened or not, etc.), you can safely drink from 1 to 3 cups of almond milk daily without any worries. Even if you drink three cups per day, you’ll consume only 3g of carbs.
If you’re allergic to almonds (or nuts in general), you should avoid almond milk altogether. Otherwise, you may safely enjoy it. However, always check the product label before you get almond milk for carbs and other nutrients.
You can find plenty of variations of almond milk – vanilla or chocolate-flavored, sweetened or unsweetened, and you can even make it yourself.
How to Make Your Own Almond Milk
It’s fairly easy to make your own almond milk. Moreover, it’s the safest way to keep track of your nutrition, as you select the contents yourself. You’ll need a blender and a few ingredients before you proceed.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of organic, raw almonds
- 4 cups of purified water
- Optional ingredients to enhance the flavor (stevia, vanilla extract, cocoa powder, etc.)
Preparation:
- Put the almonds in water (non-purified) and let them soak for some time. Soaking them in water will make the texture denser.
- Drain the almonds and place them inside the blender along with 4 cups of purified water.
- Add your flavor-enhancing ingredients into the blender.
- Blend the mixture until it’s completely smooth.
When prepared, you can use almond milk as a refreshing drink or as a part of a keto-smoothie. Also, you can mix it with your morning cereals. These are just some of the possibilities!
Nothing to Worry About
Overall, almond milk is probably the best whole milk substitute available. It’s low on carb, high on health benefits, and you can make it yourself. This allows you to control your nutrient and carb intake much more efficiently than relying on product labels. So, why shouldn’t you try and make one right away?
