One of the main concerns of the keto community is to search for a suitable alternative to dairy milk. Traditional milk contains a high amount of carbs, i.e., 12g net carbs in 1 cup of milk (240 mL). It’s critical to restrict your net carbs consumption to 20g – 30g/day to maintain ketosis.
In this context, almond milk is one of the most suitable options to replace dairy milk in the keto diet. Moreover, recently almond milk gained an enormous reputation as keto-friendly milk.
Almond milk has an incredible nutty flavor and mouthfeel. It is dairy-free, lactose-free, vegan, and very low-carb milk. Almond milk is fully packed with remarkable nutrients that are vital for your health.
Still wondering whether or not almond milk is allowed on the ketogenic diet? Let’s dive in to see what makes almond milk a good choice for the keto diet.
Almond milk’s nutritional value varies according to the variety used. There are two varieties of almonds present in the market, i.e., sweetened and unsweetened.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), a cup of almond milk contains the following nutrients.
Carbohydrate intake is often limited to 5–10% of total calories on a standard keto diet. Carbohydrates would be reduced to 20–50 grams per day on a 2,000-calorie diet.
Almond milk is keto-friendly due to its very low net carbs content. However, the net carbs value of almond milk depends upon its variety. Unsweetened almond milk contains only 1.4g net carbs per cup. This makes it a perfect choice to incorporate into your keto diet.
However, sweetened almond milk is not a good option due to its high net carbs value.
The critical lesson is to always see the label carefully before purchasing almond milk from the market.
Almond milk is a highly nutrient-dense vegan milk with plenty of trace minerals. Almond milk has a high amount of vitamin E, which plays a vital role as an antioxidant. In addition to that, it reduces inflammation and cardiovascular disease. Similarly, almond milk’s high content of calcium is essential for your bone and muscle health.
The keto diet requires rigorous adherence to high fat and extremely low carb diet to achieve the optimum results. You can easily incorporate one to two cups of unsweetened almond milk into your ketogenic diet plan. This quantity is low enough in net carbs (3 g) without much concern.Â
Typically, almond milk is a quite popular non-dairy milk for both vegan and non-vegan communities. Another advantage is its suitability for lactose-intolerant people. However, one important reason to avoid almond milk while on the keto diet is if you have a nut allergy. If you are allergic or intolerant to nuts, then you should avoid almond milk.
Skip the store-bought product and easily prepare almond milk yourself at home. All you have to do is soak almonds in water overnight. Blend almonds with water in a strong blender for 2 minutes. Then remove the pulp by sieve.
You can use almond milk for your coffee, smoothies, and chia puddings.
Comment below and share your experiences with the community!