Almond milk has gained a lot of traction lately due to its plant-based origin, making it the go-to choice for people following a vegan diet. However, the source of its popularity also lies in its rich texture and flavour.
Almond milk resembles the creaminess of milk and thus enjoys a top-shelf position in a plant-based diet. However, almond milk, unlike regular milk, is generally processed, packaged, and then sold to consumers triggering doubts around the nutritional efficiency of almond milk, especially when it comes to proteins.
As per almond milk’s nutritional analysis, the number of calories is very low, making it the perfect beverage in plant-based nutrition. Although almond milk is rich in other vitamins and minerals as a protein source, almond milk lags behind other, more popular, sources of protein.
This misconception was recently busted by nutritionist Bhuvan Rastogi, who, in an Instagram post, quashed claims of almond milk being rich in protein. “Almonds are higher in protein density by weight than wheat, but to get 3.5 grams protein, you need to consume about 13-16 almonds,” Rastogi wrote. He further mentioned that a person only gets 1-2 grams of protein in 200 ml of almond milk, whereas a 30 grams of wheat roti provides 3.3.5 grams of protein.
Rastogi also compared other plant-based milk options, including oats milk. Oats milk, too, contains almost similar amounts of protein as almond milk (1-2 grams per 200ml). As per the nutritionist, the best options vegans can go for, in terms of milk, is soy milk. “Soy by virtue of being a legume is much better, with most soy milk varieties giving around 3 grams of protein per 100 ml,” Rastogi wrote. Soy milk can easily provide the consumer with 5-6 grams of protein per 200ml.
In the end, Rastogi advises all vegans to consume nuts directly rather than going for the milk. However, in case the situation arises to ‘The Heart Wants What It Wants,” then source the milk from local sources who refrain from adding additives and sugars.
