Almond milk

Commerce

In the United States, almond milk remained a niche health food item until the early 2000s, when its popularity began to increase. In 2011 alone, almond milk sales increased by 79%. In 2013, it surpassed soy milk as the most popular plant-based milk in the US. As of 2014 it comprised 60 percent of plant-milk sales and 4.1 percent of total milk sales in the US.

Manufacturers and distributors of animal milk have advocated that plant-based milk not be labelled as "milk". They complain that consumers may be confused between the two, and that plant-based milks are not necessarily as nutritious in terms of vitamins and minerals. In the case of the United States, the FDA said in 2023 that plant-based milk could be labeled as milk, but that producers should note the nutritional differences from regular milk. European Union regulations require "milk" to be used for animals only, except coconut milk. (See Plant milk § Labeling and terminology.)

Within the Italian regions of Sicily, Apulia, Calabria, and Campania, almond milk is a protected traditional agricultural product.

Nutrition

Nutritional content of human, cow, soy, almond, and oat milks

Non-human milks are fortified

If unfortified, almond milk has less vitamin D than fortified cow milk; in North America, cow milk must be fortified with vitamin D, but vitamins are added to plant milks on a voluntary basis. Vitamin E is released from the almonds and absorbed. The positive effects of the vitamin E include strengthening the cells. Because of its low protein content (0.4 g per 100 ml), almond milk is not a suitable replacement for breast milk, cow milk, or hydrolyzed formulas for children under two years of age.

Production

The general production method involves soaking and grinding almonds in an excess of water. A milky white liquid is obtained after filtering the almond pulp (flesh). Almond milk can also be made by adding water to almond butter. In commercial production, almond milk is homogenised with high pressure and pasteurised for greater stability and shelf life.

Almond milk can be stored in the fridge in an air-tight container (preferably a glass container) for about 4–5 days. However, certain factors, such as the temperature of the refrigerator, sterilization of the blender or storing jar, and surface cleanliness, can decide how many days you can keep it fresh. Storing homemade almond milk for more than a week may reduce its nutrition or even make it unhealthy.

In July 2015, a class action lawsuit was filed in New York City against two American manufacturers, Blue Diamond Growers and White Wave Foods, for false advertising regarding the small quantity of almonds (only 2%) contained in the final product. In October 2015, a judge denied the plaintiff's request for an injunction.

Sustainability

Almond production in California is concentrated mainly in the Central Valley, where the mild climate, rich soil, and abundant sunshine and water supply make for ideal growing conditions. Due to the persistent droughts in California in the early 21st century, it became more difficult to raise almonds in a sustainable manner.

Almond sustainability is challenged because of the high amount of water needed to grow almonds: a single glass of almond milk requires roughly 74 litres (16 imp gal; 20 US gal) of water to produce. Among plant-based milks, almond milk requires substantially more water during the growing and production stages than soy, rice or oat milk (graph). Dairy milk requires more water to produce than almond milk (graph). In 2014, California produced 42.3 billion pounds of cow's milk and only 2.14 billion pounds of almond milk.

Sustainability strategies implemented by the Almond Board of California and almond farmers include:

• tree and soil health, and other farming practices
• minimizing dust production during the harvest
• bee health
• irrigation guidelines for farmers
• food safety
• use of waste biomass as coproducts with a goal to achieve zero waste
• use of solar energy during processing
• job development
• support of scientific research to investigate the potential health benefits of consuming almonds
• international education about sustainability practices