Since almond milk is mostly water it would be low carb, but also expensive. You can easily make your own in a liquidiser http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-almond-milk-at-home-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-189996
I used to use almond milk, but found the one I bought, the only unsweetened one I could get, would curdle in coffee.
Milk has carbs, Soy has estrogen, Almond milk is low carb.
I think there are problems with soy and almond milk depending on which one you drink and also if you make your own there is a problem with the way almonds are processed to sterilize them in the us: either steamed(depletes nutrients) or treated with propylene oxide which is a carcinogen. I do drink them unsweetened sometimes but I have pretty much switched back to filtered water, tea and red wine for my drinks now, and after googling this online again due to your question I will probably avoid them now. Maybe coconut milk is better? I don't know the veracity of what I just read though but I already knew there was some problem with non organic almonds and processing too. I don't drink regular milk anymore unless I'm trying to raise bg since it has a lot of sugar. What I found on this is that raw/organic milk is the best.
It seems like one of those things with a complex array of choices, all of them with goods and bads---like so much of modern life---especially for a diabetic. I grew up in dairy country, loving all things dairy. I still like something Milk-like on my daily serving of blueberries, as well as in baking, and settled on almond milk, unsweetened, though I, too, have read of the processing concerns you mention, meee. But I also use heavy cream in both baking and on my blueberries. At least I know the Willamette Valley organic dairy farm coop where that is "grown in cows" and how it is processed! LOL....Good luck everybody--I'm sure we are all going to be exploring "variations on a theme" until we find what works best...Blessings...
I guess it depends on what you can get and drink. I'm lactose intolerant so cow's milk is out. When I was younger, I could get fresh water buffalo's milk or goat's milk - never had an issue. But I live in a different country and these types of milk are unheard of. Once I saw goat's milk but it was prohibitively expensive. I usually cannot get affordable almond' milk where I am. So, I'm left with soy milk which in Japan tastes absolutely brilliant (with minimal carbs).
Hi Judith, you're right, it is such a hard array of choices we are faced with... it seems there is something wrong with everything and it is hard to figure out what is correct. I also have some form of lactose intolerance so although I love cow milk, I usually stick to yogurt now which I seem to be able to tolerate ok and I love heavy cream too. That is great that you are in the know about the processing etc.! That is so true, how do we know for sure how a lot of things are actually processed unless it is a situation like yours. I have tried some raw/organic milks from wholefoods pre diagnosis which were really good.
I'd drink raw milk if I could get it, but I live in Canada, eh. I don't drink any of these milks. Water is my drink of choice after wine, rum, whiskey, and beer. I use heavy cream in my coffee, but that's it. I rarely eat cereal, but when I do, I use whole milk.
How about lactose free cow milk?
As a nutritionist, it honestly depends. Each thing has good and bad things about it. If you get a higher fat dairy milk, then you have more saturated fat, which can contribute to heart disease. Soy milk is a great option, and many companies are starting to fortify it with more calcium than dairy milk. The fat from soymilk is healthier. Almond milk also has good fats. Both soy milk and almond milk typically have added sugars to them.
I would suggest choosing the milk you think tastes the best! They are all healthy in their own way.
Many of us drink unsweetened almond milk which does not have added sugars.
Mmm...Alycat---soy is not really the wondrous thing it's been faddishly touted as, unless it is fermented. For a T2 lo-carber like myself (25-35 carbs/day)who has controlled with diet and exercise only for over 7 years, healthy fats are essential and lo-fat products usually have a lot more carbs.....
I just read an article in Mother Jones (of all places!) that said that almond milk is not all it's cracked up to be. I can't remember the specifics, but first off, almonds are an EXTREMELY thirsty crop, and California, which is where they are grown, is suffering the most extreme drought in a century. Second, almonds don't provide all THAT much nutrition, and in almond milk, you're mostly getting water. So it doesn't come anywhere near providing as much nutrition as dairy milk. You're only getting the equivalent of a couple of nuts in your glass of almond milk, and you'd be better off eating a handful of nuts than drinking the milk. Soy milk came in better, and they also mentioned hemp milk. I, personally, am not lactose intolerant (and there's a new finding on that, too, which I might talk about in another post), and I prefer dairy milk, so that's what I drink. Not a lot -- 8 oz. a day, usually, but I know what I'm getting.
Next interesting info: I just read an article that was talking about different proteins in cow's milk. Most cows all over the world produce a protein they're calling A2, but Holsteins, which are the favored dairy cow in the US produces A1. Guernseys, Jerseys, and other rarer European breeds produce A2. So now there is some evidence that a good number people are not LACTOSE intolerant -- what they cannot tolerate is the A1 protein. If our milk were labeled as to whether the milk was from Holsteins or other breeds, and better yet, whether it contained A1 or A2, then people could at least try the A2 type, and see if they could tolerate that. Of course, some people ARE genuinely lactose intolerant, but for those who simply can't tolerate A1, it would allow them to drink milk again.
Interesting, Natalie. I used to use a hemp protein powder in water on my train trips for an energy boost if I needed it. It was delicious as I recall.....
I don't know whether or not this will help anyone. Anyway, I have Celiac Disease, which is often accompanied by lactose intolerance. Of course I am gluten free, but if I take high-powered probiotics, I easily tolerate lactose. I like my milk and ice-cream!
Hi Trudy, which probiotics do you use? What's the difference between probiotics and prebiotics?
Soy milk is an option. Have you considered goat milk?
I used to do my own soy milk till start reading so much against soy products (not fermented) that now I stick to unsweetened almond milk :)
Hi, Ih378. I buy probiotic capsules kept refrigerated at a health food store. They are somewhat expensive, but I need them.
Prebiotics are the fiber that the probiotic bacteria use. There was a list on Livestrong.com: "Natural sources of these prebiotics include almonds, bananas, apples and vegetables such as Jerusalem artichokes, wild yams, jicama, leeks, asparagus, chicory, garlic and onions. Legumes such as soybeans are also high in prebiotics, as are whole-wheat, whole-grain oats and corn, along with made with these whole grains." http://www.livestrong.com/article/476744-the-best-prebiotics-to-eat/
I don't worry about prebiotics; I figure that I eat enough of the listed foods to be just fine.