Is almond milk good for weight loss?
Probably milk is not something you have thought too much about, but nowadays you can find a wide variety of animal and plant-based milks in the market with different nutritional content and health properties that might benefit you in your journey to weight loss and healthier living.
Today we’ll take a look into one of the most widely consumed plant-based milks that is chosen as an alternative for people due to health or ethical reasons, almond milk. We’ll see what research says about its health properties and how it can help you shed some pounds.
Plant-based milks
There are many different kinds of plant-based milk in the market, each with its own benefits and drawbacks and different nutrition contents you have a wide variety to choose from depending on your specific goals and health requirements. Here’s some nutritional info on the most popular ones:
Soy milk: developed in large due to people with allergy or intolerance to cow’s milk, it has been a popular choice especially for having almost the same protein content as regular milk, 6-8 grams, and 90-110 calories per serving.
Coconut milk: another popular choice, with higher fat content, 5 grams, and lower protein content, 0-1 gr, than other plant-based milks.
Rice milk: really good for people with allergies. It has very low saturated fat content and similar calories to regular milk, 120 per serving, but lower protein content, 0-1 gr.
Nutrients and benefits of almond milk
Produced with grounded almonds and water, almond milk has become one of the most popular and consumed plant-based milks for its great nutritious content and properties. It has a low caloric content, with only 30-60 per serving, almost no saturated fat, low content of sugar with only 7 per serving, and a gram of protein. This might vary depending on the manufacturer and the addition of sweeteners or other components, so as always going for the whole organic version will be better.
It also contains a good amount of fiber, B vitamins, Magnesium, Calcium, Vitamin E and antioxidants, and it doesn’t require refrigeration. Its vitamin and antioxidants content has shown to help in immune function, slowing the progression or development of cognitive disease And the low carb content makes it a low glycemic index food which can help you manage sugar levels in your blood, which can be a great tool for people with diabetes in managing their disease and maintaining a healthy weight as it has been shown to promote satiety and reduce BMI. As an added benefit it has also shown to improve the health and appearance of your skin reducing wrinkle severity and decreasing facial pigment intensity.
Almond Milk for Weight Loss
Almond milk has shown successfully to help people lose fat and maintain a healthy weight. It can be explained by a few mechanisms that will help you achieve a healthier lifestyle:
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its low caloric content (30-60 per serving) around 50-80% less calories than regular cow’s milk, as well as its very low carb and sugar content, low saturated fat content, make it a great drink to have without increasing your caloric content and which is also packed with vitamins, healthy fats, and other antioxidants.
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Its ability to improve satiety and control your appetite throughout the day will help you consume less calories every day and week by achieving a caloric deficit and thus ensuring weight loss.
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It has also shown to help maintain lower glucose levels in blood after eating and during the day, which as mentioned before can help manage diabetes or other conditions where glucose levels need to be controlled.
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The almonds in the milk, just as other nuts, have been shown to help with metabolic health and maintain a healthy metabolic rate due to its healthy fat content as well as its vitamin, fiber and antioxidant content which promote healthy enzyme functions in the body.
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Almond milk’s calcium content and its anti-inflammatory properties can help you feel better and move more by helping you recover faster from your workouts and physical activity.This as well as the steady source of energy throughout the day..
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It can promote good gut health and a healthy gut microbiome, helping improve digestion and absorption of nutrients like iron and other vitamins.
As you can see, including almond milk in your diet, or opting for almond and other plant based milks instead of regular cow’s milk can be powerful strategies to reap a lot of their health benefits and to manage your calories intake and appetite to move closer to your weight loss and health goals. Remember however to be careful and consult with your main health provider before making changes to your diet, especially if you’re not sure if you might have some form of sensitivity or allergy.
