Mostly everyone knows cow’s milk is not the best when you’re trying to lose weight but many miss that comforting glass of white stuff in the evening before bed. So can you drink almond milk at night for weight loss instead? What are the pros and cons?
Related: Discover the power of cider vinegar for weight loss.
Can You Drink Almond Milk At Night For Weight Loss?
Yes, you can drink almond milk at night for weight loss and not have to worry about it. The fat in almond milk is unsaturated making it a much healthier choice than whole cow’s milk, which contains saturated fats. Almonds are highly nutritious too.
Watch: Versatile Vicky makes delicious homemade almond milk 🙂
(this is so much more tasty than the shop bought version!)
Why Is Drinking Milk At Night a Thing?
Believe it or not, this goes back thousands of years. Ancient Ayurvedic medicine regards cow’s milk so highly that it’s seen almost as an elixir of life.
There may be some basis in nutrition science for this too. It’s all to do with tryptophan and melatonin but that’s beyond the scope of this article.
The cow is sacred in India because of the milk she produces. Traditionally, cows were respected and honoured … but times change.
India is now the largest producer of milk by a huge margin and with scaled up production comes the inherent cruelty. Profit doesn’t revere religion.
Of course, modern factory farming did not exist in ancient India. I’m pretty sure the treatment of the average 21st century dairy cow would be condemned by those early Swamis.
Yet the beliefs around cow’s milk are still very strong and ingrained to this day.
Almond Milk Is a Great Weight Loss Replacement
If you’ve always enjoyed a glass of warm milk at night before bed, you’re certainly not alone.
But full-fat milk has quite a high calorific content and the fact it’s heavy on the digestion means consumption before you go to sleep is probably not the best idea if you’re watching your weight.
Almond milk, on the other hand, is much lower in calories and fat so is a great choice if you just can’t give up that glass of warm milk in the evening.
In reality, consuming significant amounts of any food at night, including milk, is unlikely to help the digestive process.
Most of us have experienced that uncomfortable feeling of a full tummy when lying in bed after a big blow out! It’s not particularly pleasant.
I usually get heartburn if I eat too close to bedtime.
Then again, if a small glass of warm almond milk calms you down before bedtime then it’s unlikely to be detrimental for your weight loss goals.
What Are The Negatives Of Almond Milk?
Much like cow’s milk, almond milk is mostly water.
Most commercial almond milks generally contain around 2% almonds although you can find some brands with a 6% concentration.
So you’re really not getting much of a health benefit from the majority of almond milks available in the supermarkets today.
Having said that, cutting out dairy in and of itself often results in improvements in health outcomes. Not surprising when much of the population is lactose intolerant.
Of course, the food giants cottoned on to the ‘alt-milk’ market early on and now we have a myriad of choices when we go shopping.
Most of the almond milk products on the supermarket shelves have additives which help bind the ingredients together. Emulsifiers or stabilisers like carrageenan.
For some people these additives can cause digestive issues and in fact, one of the common questions we get asked is: “why does almond milk hurt my stomach?”
If you do find your stomach cramps after almond milk then carrageenan might be the culprit.
The answer? Make your own almond milk.
It’s Really Easy To Make Almond Milk
A lot of people choose the DIY option when it comes to almond milk because you have control of what ingredients you include.
We used to make our own all the time and it was absolutely delicious!
Our rich, creamy almond milk was 30-40% almonds which is not only highly nutritious but far superior to anything you can buy commercially.
These days there are so many nut milk makers on the market, it’s a far cry from when we used to slave away squeezing nut milk bags by hand!
Modern technology has taken all the pain out of the process and I would highly recommend the [product here] if you wanted to get serious about making your own.
Otherwise, if you just wanted to test out the DIY option simply blend up a cup or two of almonds with some filtered water and a couple of dates (de-stoned), add salt to taste, strain through a muslin cloth or nut milk bag and Bob’s your uncle.
Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. So tasty!
A mug of luxurious, homemade almond milk at night before bed is a great dairy replacement to help with your weight loss regime 🙂
Conclusions: Almond Milk For Healthy Weight Loss
Almond milk can be a healthy addition to your weight loss plan. Cutting out fatty dairy products will go a long way to helping you achieve your goals.
Just be aware of the additives in almond milk (and other dairy alternatives) when consuming the commercial product.
I would highly recommend making your own if you’re planning to drink it in any quantity. The health benefits are clear and you have 100% control over what you’re putting in your body.
It’s also worth knowing that nutritionally, commercial almond milk is very similar to cow’s milk. If you go down the DIY route the nutrition benefits are, arguably, far superior.
A huge benefit for me is by drinking almond milk instead of cow’s milk you’re reducing the responsibility you bear for the inhumane treatment of calves and their mums in the obscenely bloated dairy industry (one of the reasons I’m vegan).
I hope this article has helped you answer your question today. If you’ve any questions please comment below and I’ll respond as soon as is humanly possible! Spread the love and share this content with your friends using the socials below 🙂
Thanks for reading and have a compassionate day!
Rohan.