Is Almond Milk Keto or Not?

If you are trying to follow the keto diet, you may be wondering, is almond milk keto or not? Almond milk comes in two varieties. The first version of almond milk is the unsweetened variety. The second type of almond milk is the sweetened variety. Even the nutritional content of almond milk can vary significantly depending on the flavor and brand you purchase.

Some people have cow’s milk allergies or are lactose intolerant and may be looking for a replacement for dairy milk. One of the more popular choices for an alternative to dairy milk is almond milk.  If you have a nut allergy, you may want to be careful with almond milk or other nut-based milk substitutes.

The good news is that unsweetened almond milk is typically keto-friendly. At the same time, it depends on how many carbohydrates you are limiting yourself to and how much almond milk you consume. Therefore, what do you need to know about almond milk and the keto diet? 

Nutritional Facts Almond Milk

When taking a look at the nutritional facts of almond milk, it is clear that the unsweetened variety is keto-friendly. The nutritional facts of unsweetened almond milk include: 

• 30 calories per cup
• 1.1 grams of carbohydrates per cup
• 2.6 grams of fat per cup
• 1.1 grams of protein per cup 
• 2.4 mg of sodium per cup

Based on this information, it is clear that unsweetened almond milk is keto-friendly; however, it is not unusual for sweetened almond milk to contain more than 10 grams of carbohydrates per cup. Almond milk does tend to have a lower fat content than whole cow’s milk. Therefore, this type of almond milk with higher grams of carbs and lower fat levels is not keto-friendly, so you might want to choose something else to use on a low carb diet.

Health Benefits of Almond Milk

There are several key health benefits of almond milk. First, almond milk is relatively low in calories, particularly when compared to traditional cow’s milk. Therefore, almond milk is a great option if you are looking to reduce calories and lose weight. In addition, almond milk is also very low in sugar (if unsweetened). Therefore, it may be able to help you prevent the development of diabetes. Finally, almond milk is also very high in vitamin E. It provides more than a third of the daily vitamin E requirement and a single ounce. Vitamin E is an important antioxidant that can reduce inflammation and help you alleviate stress. Therefore, if you are looking to increase your intake of vitamin E, then almond milk is a great solution. You can replace cow’s milk or cream with almond milk for your morning coffee.

Best Keto Brands of Almond Milk

You are looking for the best keto brands of almond milk, there are a few options you want to consider. For example, you may want to take a look at the option from Silk, which has only one gram of carbohydrate per cup. You might also want to take a look at the option from Blue Diamond, which has a similar carbohydrate content in a single cup. The variety from Blue Diamond is a bit creamier, so you can customize it to meet your needs. 

Making your own Organic Almond Milk at Home

You can also make your own almond milk at home with just almonds, water, and either a blender or food processor.I’d recommend using raw organic almonds and it’s important to let the almonds soak in a bowl of water in the fridge for one to two days prior to blending the almonds to make the almond milk.

• Once you’ve soaked the almonds, drain the water from the bowl.
• I typically use 1 cup of raw organic almonds and then add 2 cups of water to the blender or food processor and then blend until creamy.
• Use a strainer to separate the almond milk from the almond meal and fiber.
• Homemade almond milk should be used within 3 to 4 days of blending, otherwise the almond nut milk can spoil.

Alternatives to Almond Milk on the Keto Diet

Whole cow’s milk (with the 4% fat) is the obvious first option for an almond milk alternative, but if you are lactose-intolerant, cow’s milk may not be the best option. As far as plant-based milk alternatives, soy, rice, coconut, and cashew milk products may all be reasonable alternatives.