Almond Milk. No Really.

OK you guys I’ll keep this short, because I just did a Bikram yoga class and they are JUST THE WORST, and all I want to do is go to sleep and try and forget it ever happened (also, I do this about once a week).

We are going to talk about almond milk, why you should drink it, and how easy it is to replace whatever milk product (milk, maybe?) you currently drink with some unsweetened (vanilla if you’re feeling sassy) almond milk.

Let’s start with wtf it is. Almond milk is made from soaking almonds in water for a day or two, and then blending that with more water, and straining the blended concoction. There you have it. Almond milk.  It looks almost exactly like milk, but is better.

WHAT’S SO GOOD ABOUT IT

First of all, if you’re lactose intolerant, or allergic to milk, you can still drink almond milk. So, that’s what would be what’s so good about it. If this part is irrelevant to you, first of all THANK GOODNESS because no one should miss out on cheese, but second of all, there are still plenty of reasons you’ll convert to almond milk. Let me present them in list form.

• It has less sugar than milk. One serving of almond milk (unsweetened, obvs y’all) has about 2g of sugar, as opposed to milk, which has 12g. You could do way more with those extra 10g of sugar you saved. This is my main reason for switching.
• It has less calories than milk. My favorite almond milk, Silk Vanilla Unsweetened Almond Milk, has only 30 calories per serving, whereas milk can have anywhere from 80 (skim) to 150 (whole) calories.
• It has fewer carbs. Less than a gram, to milk’s 12g. Suckas.
• It lasts longer in the fridge. Almond milk can last around two weeks once it has been opened, and months if it’s unopened. So, you don’t have to worry about wasting money from throwing out bad milk.
• It tastes better. SERIOUSLY. Especially the unsweetened vanilla type. I’ve also tried soy milk, and rice milk, but they just weren’t as creamy and delicious.
• Almonds are bomb. Almonds already have a significant amount of omega-3s, calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin E, so almond milk doesn’t need to be fortified with more nutrients, like soy and rice milk (and milk milk) do.

WHEN CAN I USE IT

Pretty much anytime you would use other milks. Here are some exemplary uses:

• In your coffee (the vanilla one makes this realgood, and now you don’t have to drink black coffee when you’re trying to be healthy, because adding a splash of almond milk has so little sugar / calories, it’s like, no big deal.)
• In cereal, when you have it once a month (remember, cereal blows, it’s just sugar. But sometimes you just gotta. During these times, have it with almond milk, since you’re already maxing out your sugar allotment)
• In a glass, while eating a peanut butter cookie larabar. This is a decadent-tasting but really healthy snack. It even works as a dessert.
• In your protein smoothie. After a workout, throw a scoop of vanilla Designer Whey, half a frozen banana, and a cup of almond milk into a blender, and go to town. It tastes like a milkshake.
• ALMOND MILK ICE CREAM. I tried this recipe and wasn’t so good at it, but if you have a vitamix or ice cream maker, there are a bunch of more sophisticated recipes. You should shop around, try some!

Now the ONE THING I will say, is that almond milk has less protein than dairy milk, and even soy milk. It only has about 1g, where milk has 8g. BUT. There are way more efficient ways to get your protein, without all that extra sugar. This is one of those rare cases where you should opt for the low protein option.

Anyway, this is one of those really simple fixes you can do to cut down on sugar. So, just try it already.