How to Calculate Calories in Homemade Almond Milk-[Formula]

By - Dr Hafeez Arshad

Most of us prefer homemade almond milk over store bought. Because store bought almond milk has a lot of extra ingredients in it. And due to intolerance and food allergies to these ingredients we avoid them.

All nut milk ingredients start off the same. They have basically just almonds + water in it. However, extra ingredients, additive thickeners, added sugars and flavors set homemade milk apart from store bought. 

Apart from avoiding additives, you can add flavors of your choice in homemade nut milk. Also in homemade milk you can control the amount of calories as well. However, knowing the amount of calories in your homemade nut milk is essential.

So, how to calculate calories in homemade almond milk?

First weigh the almonds before soaking (x). Write this value and then weigh again after soaking almonds (y) . After blending and straining the almonds again weigh the remaining pulp (z). Use 100g of almonds as a standard (n). And the calculate the calories using the formula (n*x/100)(y-z)/y. 

In milk nutritionally the proportions of fat, protein and carbs as an almond pulp is the same. 

We will dive deep into the topic of homemade almond milk. But before that let us have a quick look at the calorie count and nutrients.

Homemade Almond Milk Calorie Count-[Per Eight Ounce Serving]

Eight ounce serving of unsweetened almond milk, which is 1 cup , contains the following calories.

• Calories: 40g
• Protein: 1g
• Fat: 3g
• Carbs: 2g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: Roughly 0.8g

How to Calculate Calories in Homemade Almond Milk?

Commercial almond milk can also be an excellent source of the following nutrients as well. But of course the amount of nutrients depends on the brand.

• Phosphorus
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Manganese
• Iron
• Copper

Homemade almond milk is a better alternative for people who are lactose or sensitive to dairy consumption. It is the suitable substitute for cow’s milk and store bought milk. 

Generally, one glass of homemade almond milk contains 131 calories. In these 131 calories, 8 calories come from carbs, 17 from proteins and 106 from fats.

Let us see calories facts about homemade almonds at a glance.

Homemade Almond Milk Calorie Facts-[ Almond Milk vs Cow’s Milk]

There could not be a better substitute to cow’s milk than almond milk. Because almond milk is plant based and dairy free. So people allergic to cow’s milk can use almond milk and be vegan at the same time.

Let us now see the calorie count comparison between homemade almond milk and cow’s milk.

• When compared to cow’s milk, almond milk has fewer calories and carbs. 
• Skim milk has almost 80 Kcal per cup, while almond milk has only 60 kcal per cup.
• Cow’s milk contains 12g carbs compared to homemade almond milk which contains only 1g.
• Unlike cow’s milk, almond milk contains no saturated fat, trans fats and dietary cholesterol. 
• Cow’s milk doesn’t contain poly and monounsaturated fats which are heart friendly.
• Almond milk lacks proteins and calcium unlike cow’s milk.

In addition to that, unsweetened homemade almond milk contains 20 to 60 calories per cup. 

How to Make Homemade Almond Milk?

Homemade almond milk is store bought milk substitute and diary free. It can be poured on cereals, used in smoothies and even in your coffee. You might wanna try coffee creamer if you want to make your coffee a bit creamier.  

If you know how easy it is to make or how good it tastes. You might never buy almond milk from the store. 

Let us now move towards the recipe of homemade almond milk. 

Homemade Almond Milk Recipe

To make homemade almond milk steps are pretty easy and straightforward. Let us first see the ingredients of homemade almond milk.

Homemade Almond Milk Ingredients

• Almonds 1 cup (Soaked it in water for about 4 hours)
• Water (4 cups and filtered)

Now it’s time to tell how to make almond milk at home.

Making Almond Milk At Home

• Blend almond and water together.
• Ensure that almonds are completely crushed and broken. 
• Now you can blend it almost seamlessly into any recipe of your choice.
• For silky and smooth milk , just strain out the pulp.  
• If you don’t want it silky-smooth, then use mesh strainer.

Homemade Almond Milk Nutrition Facts-[For 1 Cup Almond]

Calories: 112Kcal

Carbs: 4.3g

Protein: 4.3g

Fat: 9.8g

Saturated Fat: 1g

Sodium: 12mg

Potassium: 252mg

Fiber: 4g

Sugar: 1g

Calcium: 102mg

Iron: 1.3mg

The major benefit of making almond milk at home is that you can avoid additives. Especially carrageenan which is used in store bought almond milk to thicken and stabilize the food. This is derived from seaweed and may cause inflammation and gastrointestinal discomfort. 

Furthermore, people with digestion issues and autoimmune conditions better use homemade almond milk. 

Let us see some major benefits of homemade almond milk.

Benefits of Homemade Almond Milk-[7 Major Benefits]

Homemade Almond milk is popular maybe because it is lactose free. Not to mention it’s delicious nutty taste that people allergic to lactose appreciate. 

Let us see what benefits homemade almonds contain.

Lactose Intolerance

Almond milk is plant based and not animal based. That’s why almond milk is just suitable for lactose intolerant people. Now they would drink milk and have all its benefits without any downsides.

Low in Calories

Homemade almond milk is low in sugar and carbs as compared to animal’s milk. Animal and dairy milk contains about 80 percent more calories when compared to almond milk. And this is the reason that almond milk is considered a low glycemic index food. 

Low Glycemic Index means that almond milk won’t cause a spike in blood sugar level. 

High in Calcium

Commercial almond milk contains bone building calcium. And it is a known fact that calcium is vital for bone health. Calcium not just makes your bones stronger but also fights osteoporosis. 

High Amounts of Antioxidants

Free radical molecules cause damage to nearby cells. Damage to cells can lead from aging symptoms to even cancer. 

Almond milk is high in antioxidants. Which means that almond milk helps manage antioxidants effectively and may prevent aging and cancer symptoms. 

Cognitive Disease Slow Progression

Vitamin E is an antioxidant known to be extremely helpful for the brain. Studies indicate the link between consuming vitamin E and lower risk of cognitive disease. Especially the slow progression of Alzheimer’s disease has been shown. 

Weight Management

People aiming for weight loss should switch to almond milk. Because almond milk meets your goal of low calorie intake. Studies indicate that people aiming for weight loss should reduce their energy intake from food.

And if you have plans for weight loss check out our top picks.

These products will maximize your efforts regarding weight loss. 

Dairy Free For Vegans

You might want to avoid dairy milk for religious, health or environmental reasons. Whatever the reason, almond milk is a vegan friendly diet. However, people with nut allergies should avoid it.

Furthermore dairy free products are without protein that play a role in milk allergies. 

Final Verdict

When compared to cow’s or dairy milk , the calorie count of homemade almond milk is relatively low. So calculating calories in homemade almonds won’t be necessary.

However still if someone wants to calculate the calories, use the aforementioned formula.

FAQs

Is it better to make almond milk at home?

Making almond milk at home is always better for various reasons. First of all homemade almonds are fresh and free of all junk. Secondly it tastes far better from store bought milk. Furthermore store bought almond milk contains preservatives, gums and extra additives. And last but not least you can control the amount of calories in homemade almond milk. 

How much does homemade almond milk last?

Generally homemade almond milk lasts for about 4 to 5 days. But keep checking it if it gets sour, don’t use the equipment before sterilizing. For sterilization pour boiling water on it and run it through the dishwasher.

Why should I avoid drinking store bought almond milk?

Basically to make almond milk you need two things, almonds and water. However, if you see the ingredient list on store bought almonds you won’t see just two ingredients. But it is loaded with a lot of other additives such as carrageenan. And actually the amount of almonds is too low in store bought almond milk. This is why homemade almonds are far better than store bought almond milk.

Conclusion

I hope the answer to how to calculate calories in homemade almond milk is clear. Aforementioned formula for calculating calories in homemade almond milk is easy to implement.

Homemade almond milk is better than store bought and cow’s milk due to low calories. Not to mention the freshness and calories controlling ability in homemade almond milk. 

That’s all.