Almond milk has little to envy compared to cow’s milk. Compared to the latter, it has fewer proteins, more sugars, and a fat content that falls between whole milk and semi-skimmed milk.
Its low protein content makes it more similar to human milk, and for this reason, it provides a good addition to a child’s diet after the first year of age, especially in cases of milk intolerance or allergies. The nutritional aspect most linked to a high risk of being overweight and obesity in children up to 2 years old is an excessive protein intake, which is often seen in children fed with cow’s milk.
Sugars are present, as can be detected from the taste. However, its carbohydrate content also includes starches. This brings two advantages:
- almond milk is naturally sweet and does not require added sugar;
- the presence of starches means that this beverage does not have a high glycemic index, so it is also suitable for the diet of diabetics.
The fats, unlike the saturated ones in cow’s milk which affect internal cholesterol production, are mostly unsaturated (oleic acid), with a protective effect for the heart.
Continuing the comparison with cow’s milk, almond milk has an excellent content of bioavailable calcium—that is, immediately usable—and phosphorus, minerals that are fundamental for bone calcification, hormonal and nervous regulation, muscle function, and gene transcription.
Almond milk contains a lot of magnesium, which is not as present in cow’s milk. Magnesium regulates the absorption of other nutrients such as calcium, vitamin D, phosphorus, and potassium, and is involved in cellular metabolic processes that promote the growth and maintenance of tissues as well as the wellbeing of the cells themselves. Furthermore, it plays a key role in controlling the nervous system, together with potassium, which is also found in almond milk.
