Almond Non-Milk

There's a new "milk” in your dairy case. And it sounds perfect.

"Earth's Own Almond Fresh fortified beverage is made with real almonds,” crows the label. It's "Low Fat, Cholesterol & Gluten Free,” an "excellent source of Calcium and Vitamin D,” and "a source of Vitamin E.” What's more, Almond Fresh has at least 10 per cent of the Daily Value for vitamin A, riboflavin, vitamin B-12, and zinc.

Who knew that almonds were so nutrient-rich? They're not. All but the vitamin E (6 per cent of a day's worth) are added.

And that would be fine, except for one thing: A cup of cow's milk has 8 to 9 grams of protein and a cup of soy milk has 6 to 8 grams. A cup of Almond Fresh has 1 gram. That's because Almond Fresh isn't made from many almonds. Judging by the 2 grams of fat in every serving, a cup of almond milk contains about 3 ½ nuts. The "milk” is mostly water and enough cane sugar to supply about two teaspoons of added sugar to every cup. (That's for the 70 calorie Original. The 80 calorie Vanilla has about 3 teaspoons of sugar per cup, and the 30 calorie Unsweetened has none.)

Blue Diamond's Almond Breeze is similar, though it has fewer added vitamins. "Your body needs fat to function and the monounsaturated fat found in almonds may be the very best kind for your health,” says the company's Web site. "In fact, research studies suggest that almonds may help lower cholesterol.” Eating almonds? Maybe. Getting a few almonds in a beverage? Not so much. And yes, the almond milks are gluten-free. But so are other milks.

Almond "milk” may appeal to vegans (who eat no dairy foods) or to people who are allergic to dairy. If that's you, here's a tip: You're better off with protein-rich soy milk.

Nutrition Action Health Letter, October 2010