Talk to me about almond milk

[Deleted]

Hmm... I much prefer soy milk. I think soy milk is better nutritionally (more protein), and usually has a lot less additives than almond milk. Almond milk has so much fillers.

[daisy24342]

I drink it currently while doing a dairy free diet while nursing. I like the taste, not sure about kiddos. I think it has less calcium than cows milk, unless it's fortified, as well as less protein. I've noticied a longer shelf life.

[irishbride2]

Jan 26, 2015 23:05:43 GMT -5 @rainbow said:

Hmm... I much prefer soy milk. I think soy milk is better nutritionally (more protein), and usually has a lot less additives than almond milk. Almond milk has so much fillers.

The hormones in soy can be a lot for littles ones. And it is not flat out better nutritionally. Most of the dairy alternatives have different areas they are better than. 

Sources tend to be pro almond (soy tends to be more controversial) so I'm intrigued as to your sources. The protein thing is undeniable, or course. 


We do almond. 

[Deleted]

My dd is on almond milk and has been since 12m (she's almost 3)

She likes it, especially when I get chocolate as a treat.

TBH, she doesn't drink much. We use it for cereal, smoothies, etc

She mostly drinks water and occasionally almond milk.

It says to use it within 7 days of opening but I have gone longer than that. You can buy it not refrigerated and then it's good on the shelf for like a year or something. But once you open it you're supposed to use it within 7-10 days

[redpenmama]

My DD drinks it. We tried everything, and it's the only one she likes. She doesn't drink a ton of milk -- usually a cup a day and with cereal. We get the Kroger (Simple Truth) organic brand, and it has much longer shelf life than cow's milk.

[Deleted]

We work really hard to get protein in every meal other ways (PB, meat, beans/rice, avocado, eggs, peanuts, etc)

[LoveTrains]

I drink almond milk and it lasts for at least two weeks in the fridge. Maybe longer.

[mandapanda18]

Jan 26, 2015 23:18:19 GMT -5 irishbride2 said:

Jan 26, 2015 23:05:43 GMT -5 @rainbow said:

Hmm... I much prefer soy milk. I think soy milk is better nutritionally (more protein), and usually has a lot less additives than almond milk. Almond milk has so much fillers.

The hormones in soy can be a lot for littles ones. And it is not flat out better nutritionally. Most of the dairy alternatives have different areas they are better than. 

Sources tend to be pro almond (soy tends to be more controversial) so I'm intrigued as to your sources. The protein thing is undeniable, or course. 


We do almond. 

Soy is way higher in protein, but *can* act metabolize like estrogen in some individuals. My Dr. Said to stick with soy a supplement to my breast milk from months 15-18 (he was ebf until 15 due in part to his major dairy allergy) and then once he reliably ate protein in other sources switch it out at least 50% to almond or coconut (if no allergies popped up).

I just took a gander at the almond milk (organic) vs. Soy (organic) in my fridge. The soy has 8 grams protein, 100 calories, and 9grams sugar to each 8 oz. the almond only has 1gram protein, 80 calories and 13 sugars.

[MadamePresident]

Wet do almond, but coconut is another good alternative. I usually get the Aldi brand

[teatimefor2]

I drink coconut milk and like the So Delicious brand

[borinquen57]

We're trying to move away from drinking so much WCM so we got some to try and it's ok. DD1 doesn't really like it and I wouldn't buy it just for me, so we probably won't be getting it again. OP mentioned coconut milk and I've heard that's a good alternative, so we might try that next.

[anna7602]

We're all lactose intolerant over here. For a long time, DD didn't drink any kind of milk except breast milk and got most of her calcium from cheese and yogurt (she doesn't react to these). To this day, she still eats cereal with yogurt instead of milk.

I use soy milk for cooking things like Mac & cheese or pancakes, but like pp said, don't want DD to be drinking a lot of it due to estrogen issues.

We've researched it and goat's milk actually has the highest amount of protein/good fat of the alterna-milks out there. It's what DH and I drink.

[Deleted]

Each alternative milk has its pros and cons so to speak. Soy milk does have more protein than almond milk but I would not give soy milk to my kids. I wouldn't drink it myself either but definitely not my kids because they drink so much. There is a lot of research out there about the negstive effects of phytoestrogens in soy.

Almond milk is also lower in fat than regular milk so that is also somethig to consider. Almond milk does have more calcium than cows milk though.

When J was a year old we gave him a mixture of oat and coconut milk. Oat milk has more protein, similar to cows milk, and the coconut milk added the fat. now that he is 2 we give him almond milk because it is his calcium source. He eats plenty of protein and other sources of fat. He couldn't do almond until after 2 when we confirmed he wasn't allergic.

You have to look at what it is you are trying to get nutritionally from the milk to find the best one.

When the girls are a year we will give then a mixture of coconut and almond. they eat plenty of meat, beans, and nut butters for protein. So we are looking to get fat and calcium from it.

Eta: hemp milk is also a good one for the protein. We started with that but J reacted so we switched to oat.I also wouldn't do rice milk because of the arsenic reseach.

[anna7602]

More on goat's milk. I'm always really surprised by the number of people IRL who are surprised I drink it. It doesn't seem to register on most people's radars.

www.prevention.com/which-healthier-goat-milk-vs-cow-milk

[Deleted]

Isn't it pretty low calorie? My kids just drink milk, but not a ton of it. I see a lot of ads about how unsweetened almond milk is half the calories of skim milk... not something I'd really think had tons of nutrition for children.

[Jalapeñomel]

I do half almond, half cow's milk. D loves it.

[rugbywife]

I drink the coconut almond milk mix and love it. DD will get homo WCM as long as she doesn't have any reason not to.

[GracieLouFreebush1]

Other than lactose intolerance, why no cow's milk? I've been hearing this lately and I'm concerned b/c DD1 drinks a lot of cow's milk.

[penguingrrl]

I looked into it when my middle was young because she had MSPI as an infant. The only thing it really will provide nutritionally is calcium and it's not really a substitute for WCM. It's tasty, but nutritionally not going to offer much.

There's no real need to give WCM if you make sure your child otherwise gets plenty of protein, fat and calcium. WCM is recommended because it's a great vehicle for all of that that many kids will happily take. The plant-based "milks" aren't going to provide a nutritional equivalent, though.

[Deleted]

Jan 27, 2015 9:40:39 GMT -5 GracieLouFreebush1 said:

Other than lactose intolerance, why no cow's milk? I've been hearing this lately and I'm concerned b/c DD1 drinks a lot of cow's milk.

I am very interested in this answer.

I will not give my kid soy, period. Soy is evil. Almond milk is pretty nutritionally void. I hope she's not lactose intolerant so I can go with WCM from our local dairy.

[rugbywife]

In the case of the OP, she mentioned the doctor suggested it because of a cough. Some research shows that daily increases phlegm production.

[rugbywife]

Dairy, not daily. Lol.

[Deleted]

Jan 27, 2015 9:40:39 GMT -5 GracieLouFreebush1 said:

Other than lactose intolerance, why no cow's milk? I've been hearing this lately and I'm concerned b/c DD1 drinks a lot of cow's milk.

I really wouldn't worry. It's trendy to hate on dairy. That's pretty much it.

In this case, it was a doctor hating on dairy. Given how much nutritional training a doctor has... I wouldn't be switching to almond milk.

[Deleted]

Jan 27, 2015 9:41:53 GMT -5 @stilljustash said:

Jan 27, 2015 8:55:01 GMT -5 namasteak said:

Try to find an almond milk without carrageenan in it.

Chocolate almond milk is a delicious treat and unsweetened vanilla almond milk is good to use instead of cows milk.

silk unsweetened vanilla is carrageenan-free.

as is trader joes brand. Those are the two I have found. We drink the tj one.

[Deleted]

Jan 27, 2015 9:40:39 GMT -5 GracieLouFreebush1 said:

Other than lactose intolerance, why no cow's milk? I've been hearing this lately and I'm concerned b/c DD1 drinks a lot of cow's milk.

J has a severe dairy allergy and the girls are mspi. That's why we use alternative milks. But like Token said, it's just trendy right now.

[Deleted]

Jan 26, 2015 23:37:22 GMT -5 LoveTrains said:

I drink almond milk and it lasts for at least two weeks in the fridge. Maybe longer.

That's what I loved about Almond milk. 

Now I can't drink it because I crave WCM.

[Deleted]

Jan 27, 2015 9:08:37 GMT -5 @tokenhoser said:

Isn't it pretty low calorie? My kids just drink milk, but not a ton of it. I see a lot of ads about how unsweetened almond milk is half the calories of skim milk... not something I'd really think had tons of nutrition for children.

Yup, it has 45 calories I think in 8oz. by itself, it's not a great substitute for WCM because it only provides the calcium without the fat and protein.

[Deleted]

Jan 27, 2015 10:50:22 GMT -5 @notquiteblushing said:

Jan 26, 2015 23:37:22 GMT -5 LoveTrains said:

I drink almond milk and it lasts for at least two weeks in the fridge. Maybe longer.

That's what I loved about Almond milk. 

Now I can't drink it because I crave WCM.

I craved WCM pregnant! It was so weird because I never drink milk otherwise.

[Deleted]

Jan 27, 2015 10:27:25 GMT -5 @tokenhoser said:

Jan 27, 2015 9:40:39 GMT -5 GracieLouFreebush1 said:

Other than lactose intolerance, why no cow's milk? I've been hearing this lately and I'm concerned b/c DD1 drinks a lot of cow's milk.

I really wouldn't worry. It's trendy to hate on dairy. That's pretty much it.

In this case, it was a doctor hating on dairy. Given how much nutritional training a doctor has... I wouldn't be switching to almond milk.

There is something called milk and cookies disease, that is related to a cough and dairy/sugar.  The original poster might want to look into it.  I doubt the doctor is telling everyone no dairy, just probably in this case.

[bunnymendelbaum]

Our pedi did not recommend it as an alternative to WCM because all other "milks" are so heavily processed.

If she is not even drinking milk, I don't think that would have that much to do with her cough?