Almonds can’t literally be milked—at least, not like a cow. But they can be processed with a method that uses water to pull nutrients and flavor from the nuts. This yields the thin white liquid that makes an easy addition to smoothies, baked goods, and your morning coffee.
Just note that “milking” almonds removes some of their inherent nutritional value.
“Versus whole almonds, almond milk has much less fiber, protein, and even less of some antioxidants. After ground almonds are soaked in water, the flesh or pulp of the nut is removed, and that happens to be where the fiber and protein remain,” says Kelly Jones, M.S., R.D., CSSD, a performance dietitian.
“Almond milk also tends to be made from skinless almonds. Since the skins contain antioxidants, those are lost in processing,” Jones adds.
Depending on the almond milk you choose, you may also get less calcium in a cup of almond milk than in a serving of whole almonds. (Straining out almond pulp tends to remove calcium.)
That said, most commercially available almond milks are fortified with calcium—often resulting in higher levels than a glass of cow’s milk. Many almond milks also contain added vitamin D to match or exceed the amount in cow’s milk.
