This question has been rolling around in my head for a while now… Which is better: coconut milk vs. almond milk?
From a taste standpoint, I enjoy drinking both. Coconut milk feels more hydrating and refreshing to me, but I love the rich flavor of almond milk.
I have come to the conclusion that coconut milk is better for my health. Have you heard of the N-3/N-6 ratio (better known as Omega-3/Omega-6 ratio)? Both Omega-3 AND Omega-6 are necessary for good health, but they should be balanced. (For a more scientific explanation, check out this post on Robb Wolf’s website.) To quote Robb Wolf, “With the adoption of grain feeding our cattle and the use of seed and vegetable oils heavy in the short omega 6 fat (linoleic acid) we have witnessed a dramatic shift away from the essential fatty acid profile we’d expect to see from an ancestral diet of ~1-1 or 2-1 N-6/N-3 to more than 10-1. The health implications of this shift have not been great. The N-6 family tends to produce “pro-inflammatory” cellular signaling, while the N-3 family tends to produce “anti-inflammatory” signaling. This is a simplification, but it get’s the idea across. More accurately, with excessive N-6 we see cellular signaling profiles that tend to promote pathology including cancer, autoimmunity and glucose dysregulation. I see this more like a band or orchestra playing out of tune than too much of one thing vs another thing, but the fact remains: folks likely get too much of the short form of N-6 fats. ”
So basically, we get MORE than enough N-6 fats in our diets. That is why many of us supplement with fish oil (high in N-3 fats) to counter-balance… imbalance results in inflammation, as mentioned above.
Because nuts are high in N-6 fats, they should be a limited part of our diet. In fact, the folks at Whole9 suggest that a serving of nuts should be limited to one closed handful.
Coconut milk should also be limited (read: you shouldn’t drink a can at a time), but not as limited, and only because it will fill you up quickly, leaving little room for all the meats and veggies that should surround it!
Therefore, because I am more concerned with my n-3/n-6 ratio than I am about my fat intake, I generally choose coconut milk over almond milk. I already enjoy some nuts as regular snacks, and I like to use almond meal for several baked items, so if I can avoid MORE almonds in the form of milk, I will!
While we’re on the subject, let’s consider your purposes for using either milk.
*If you are just drinking either as a regular beverage, you are better off with water, unless you are trying to gain or maintain weight. Both are easy to overdo because they are liquids.
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*In coffee, either will work. I prefer full-fat coconut milk in my coffee. The creamy chunks melt into the dark elixir, and make a delicious treat. Sprinkle some cinnamon on top, and you’ve got it made!
*For baking, I have found that most paleo recipes requiring milk do call for coconut milk. But a glass of almond milk with my favorite chocolate chip cookies is AMAZING!
1. The full-fat version comes in a can. Be sure to choose one with no added ingredients (except guar gum, which acts as a stabilizer, and is even “okayed” by Whole9 but use with caution). The cream usually rises to the top, so you will have to stir it really well before pouring. For storage, pour the remaining milk into a glass jar and refrigerate.
2. The lite version is just watered down a little. I keep a few cans on hand for smoothies. You can simply add extra water to your bottle/mason jar of full-fat coconut milk if you prefer to water it down yourself.
3. You can also find coconut milk in cartons in the refrigerated section of some grocery stores by almond milk. You should look for the UNSWEETENED version to avoid extra sugar that is really not necessary for the taste.
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1. The best way to obtain almond milk is to make your own. Simply soak 2 cups of almonds in water overnight, strain them, and then blend thoroughly with 2 cups of water. Once the mixture is completely liquified, pour it through a very thin strainer (like the one pictured above). I actually purchased a $2 paint strainer from Lowes Hardware, and it works beautifully. Store in the refrigerator for one week.
2. You can also find almond milk in cartons with brands like “Almond Breeze” or “Silk.” These do contain some preservatives, and you should look for the UNSWEETENED version to avoid added sugar.
Hope this helps you!
In the lawsuit vs WhiteWave, originally filed in late June, plaintiffs Tracy Albert and Sandy Karacsony argue that WhiteWave falsely portrays its best-selling Silk almond milk as being made primarily from almonds.
In fact, they allege, it contains only 2% almonds and is mostly made from water and 'various types of thickening agents, such as locust bean gum, gellan gum, xanthan gum, and carrageenan [editor's note: WhiteWave has recently removed xanthan gum and carrageenan from Silk almond milk].'
The lawsuit does not state the exact percentage of almonds a reasonable consumer would expect to see in a commercial almond milk product, although it notes that “upon an extensive review of the recipes for almond milk on the internet, the vast majority of the recipes call for one part almond and three or four parts water.'
Plaintiffs: 'The products only contain 2% of almonds'
The phrase ‘Discover the tempting taste of almonds’ coupled with multiple pictures of almonds on the packaging also reinforces the notion that Silk almond milk is mostly made from almonds, says the lawsuit - which is nearly identical to the one filed vs Blue Diamond.
'WhiteWave is selling products that are branded as almond milk, and leading people to believe that the products are made primarily from almonds when the products only contain 2% of almonds.
'[This] has created a false perception amongst the public that Defendant’s almond milk labeled products are premium products that are healthy for you because they are primarily made from almonds.'
According to the Silk website, the ingredients list for Silk original almond milk is: Almondmilk (Filtered Water, Almonds), Cane Sugar, Sea Salt, Locust Bean Gum, Sunflower Lecithin, Gellan Gum, Calcium Carbonate, Vitamin E Acetate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin D2.
Defendant 'uses the same deceptive practices in selling soy milk, coconut milk, and cashew milk branded products..'
Adobe after effects cc download full. WhiteWave Foods does not disclose how much almond is in Silk almond milk in the US. However, its UK almond milk brand Alpro contains 2% almond milk, which the plaintiffs in the US lawsuit have seized upon:
'Defendant discloses to consumers in the UK that its almond milk labeled products contain 2% of almonds but does not disclose that to consumers in the US.. WhiteWave uses the same deceptive practices in selling soy milk, coconut milk, and cashew milk branded products in that said products contain a tiny fraction of the plant-based ingredient being advertised that the drink is made from, and is really made from less costly thickening agents.'
According to IRI multi-outlet data, US retail sales of almond milk rose from $686.6m in 2013 to $946m in 2014 (refrigerated: $854.3m + shelf-stable: $91.7m), a 38% rise. Volumes rose 28.4%. However, if you include sales from outlets not covered by IRI such as Whole Foods, ALDI and Trader Joe’s, Packaged Facts estimates 2014 sales were likely closer to $1.19bn.
According to Packaged Facts, almond milk is taking share from dairy milk but also from soy milk, sales of which plummeted 16.1% to $346m in 2014.
Focusing on the small amount of almonds in almond milk is a new line of attack for plaintiff’s attorneys in the US, who have historically targeted almond milk companies for using the term ‘milk’ to describe a non-dairy beverage, or ‘evaporated cane juice’ to describe sugar.
However, the line of attack is similar to that deployed in the high-profile POM v Coke lawsuit, in which POM Wonderful accused Coca-Cola of misleading shoppers by marketing a juice comprised almost entirely of apple and grape juice as a ‘Pomegranate Blueberry flavored blend of 5 juices’ (the juice contained just 0.3% pomegranate juice and 0.2% blueberry juice).
Attorney: Echoes of POM v Coke
So what do food law attorneys make of these cases?
David L. Ter Molen, a partner in the Chicago offices of law firm Freeborn & Peters LLP, told FoodNavigator-USA that he saw clear echoes of the POM v Coke lawsuit: “In both instances, the lawsuits claim that a product’s name highlights one or more ingredients that only make up a small fraction of the product, and thus misleads consumers into believing that the product is primarily made from those ingredients.
“I expect to see similar lawsuits in the future involving products having ingredients in their names where the product allegedly only contains a small amount of that ingredient.”
WhiteWave Foods: 'We believe lawsuits like this one have no merit'
WhiteWave Foods told FoodNavigator-USA that it 'does not discuss details of pending litigation.. However, we remain confident that our labeling is accurate and the contents of our almondmilk are correctly listed within our ingredient panel. We will continue to aggressively defend the labeling of Silk almondmilk products because we believe lawsuits like this one have no merit.'
A spokesperson added: 'Like most food companies, we do not share our exact product recipes, but we can share that our almondmilk is made with:
'Combined, these ingredients deliver the quality and taste that our consumers know and love.'
*The cases - both filed by law firm James C Kelly in the southern district of New York - are: Sandy Karacsony and Tracy Albert et al vs WWF Operating Company 1:15-cv-04870-VM and Tracy Albert and Dimitrios Malazianis et al vs Blue Diamond Growers Case 1:15-cv-04087-VM. The cases have now been consolidated into one class action: Case 1:15-cv-04087-VM