The Protein Poverty Problem
Here’s something that might shock you: while a glass of cow milk or soy milk has 8 grams of protein, a glass of almond milk has a single measly gram. That’s right – just one gram in an entire cup. For nutritionists who’ve been recommending almond milk to clients for years, this stark reality has become impossible to ignore. Protein is essential for many bodily functions, including muscle growth, skin and bone structure, and enzyme and hormone production. When you’re paying premium prices for what amounts to flavored water with almonds, it’s no wonder experts are second-guessing their recommendations. The irony is brutal: an ounce of the nuts has 6 grams of protein, but its “milk” version is mostly water, and most of the nutrient-dense almonds get strained out of the final product. Many nutritionists now find themselves asking clients a tough question: why settle for almond milk’s nutritional emptiness when better alternatives exist?
Environmental Wake-Up Call
It takes nearly fifteen gallons of water to produce a mere sixteen almonds, and this staggering fact has pushed many environmentally conscious nutritionists toward the exit door. Estimates ranging from 130 to 200 litres of water are required to produce just one glass of almond milk, making it an environmental nightmare that even well-meaning health professionals can no longer justify. California-grown almonds account for 80% of the world’s commercial almond production, putting enormous strain on the state’s already stretched water resources during prolonged droughts. Dr. Richard Waite, a senior researcher at the World Resources Institute, warns that “when compared to other plant-based milks, almond milk’s high water use and pesticide reliance make it a less sustainable option”. The cognitive dissonance has become too much – how can nutritionists promote environmental health while recommending one of the thirstiest crops on the planet? Overall, soy, oat, hemp, and pea milks are more eco-friendly choices than almond or rice milk.
The Pesticide Problem Nobody Talks About
Over 34 million pounds of active pesticide ingredients were spread on almond trees in the U.S. in 2017, more than most other crops. This shocking statistic has nutritionists reconsidering whether they want to recommend a product that’s drowning in chemicals. The California Department of Pesticide Regulation reported that almond orchards accounted for more pesticide use than any other local crop in 2017. Increased pesticide use can be harmful to agricultural workers and to local wildlife populations, especially insects, with all of these pesticides having a particularly negative impact on bees. For nutritionists who pride themselves on promoting clean, wholesome eating, the pesticide load in conventional almond production has become a deal-breaker. Some are starting to question whether recommending a heavily sprayed crop aligns with their professional ethics. The environmental and health implications create a perfect storm that’s driving many experts away from almond milk altogether.
The Great Nutritional Deception
Compared to cow’s milk, only 12% of the milk-alternative products contain comparable or greater amounts of calcium, vitamin D and protein. This revelation has shattered the illusion that plant-based automatically means nutritionally superior. Almond milk has only 12% of the protein in cow milk, leaving nutritionists scrambling to explain to confused clients why they’ve been pushing what amounts to expensive water. You don’t get the well-known nutritional benefits of almonds (protein and good fat) nor milk (calcium), creating a nutritional no-man’s land that serves neither purpose well. Research has found that almond milk lacks many of the nutrients that cow milk contains. Many nutritionists now realize they’ve been inadvertently promoting what one expert called “a case of identity theft” – a product that borrows the name “milk” without delivering the nutritional goods. The professional embarrassment of discovering this gap has led many to quietly phase almond milk out of their recommendations.
Rising Costs, Diminishing Returns
The unit price of plant milks was on average 20% higher than dairy milk, making almond milk an expensive way to get very little nutrition. Nut and plant milks aren’t cheap, and nutritionists are increasingly uncomfortable recommending products that deliver poor value for money. When clients are paying premium prices for what’s essentially water with a handful of almonds blended in, the math just doesn’t add up anymore. Almond milk tends to be priced higher than dairy milk and some other plant-based alternatives, and the relatively higher cost can deter price-sensitive consumers from choosing almond milk regularly. The economic reality has forced many nutritionists to confront an uncomfortable truth: they’ve been recommending an overpriced product that fails to deliver on its promises. For professionals who want to provide practical, accessible advice to all income levels, almond milk’s premium pricing has become increasingly problematic.
Better Alternatives Are Taking Over
Soy milk is my top dairy free milk choice because it is naturally high in protein with about 7 g per cup and also provides B vitamins, explains one registered dietitian who’s made the switch. From an environmental perspective, that’s a good thing: Almond milk requires much more water to produce than oat milk. Almond milk is lower in calories but also lower in protein than soy milk, making the choice increasingly clear for nutrition-focused professionals. A liter of oat milk requires 48 liters of water to produce, which is significantly lower compared to the water usage to produce dairy, soy, and almond milks. Nutritionists are finding that oat milk provides better mouthfeel for coffee drinks, while soy milk delivers superior protein content for smoothies and cereals. The exodus from almond milk isn’t just about what’s wrong with it – it’s about the abundance of better options that have emerged.
The Dairy Comeback Phenomenon
In 2024, America’s consumption of whole milk jumped 3.2%, while consumption of plant-based milk dropped 5.9%, and it was the third straight year that plant-based milk consumption fell. This trend has nutritionists questioning whether they jumped on the almond milk bandwagon too quickly. “For dairy milk to be growing at all is surprising, much less by these numbers. This reverses trends that have been in place for decades,” says John Crawford, Circana’s dairy expert. Some nutritionists are quietly acknowledging that maybe dairy wasn’t the villain they thought it was, especially when compared to highly processed, nutritionally sparse alternatives like almond milk. The pendulum is swinging back as consumers and professionals alike recognize that sometimes the original really is better than the imitation. This shift has forced many nutritionists to eat humble pie and reconsider recommendations they’ve been making for years.
Processing Concerns and Additive Anxiety
Processed almond milk can contain many additives, such as sugar, salt, gums, flavors, and lecithin and carrageenan (types of emulsifiers), and certain ingredients like emulsifiers and gums are used for texture and consistency. “The questionable additive in almond milk is carrageenan, which is used to thicken almond milk and prevent separation, but there are concerns that it may cause inflammation and damage in the intestines”. One test-tube study found that carrageenan, which is commonly added to almond milk as an emulsifier and recognized as safe, may disrupt gut health. For nutritionists who emphasize whole, minimally processed foods, the ingredient list on many commercial almond milks reads like a chemistry experiment. Many dietitians now recommend steering clear of options with excessive gums, carrageenan, or unhealthy oils, as these ingredients can compromise the nutritional integrity of the almond milk and may lead to digestive discomfort. The irony isn’t lost on professionals who promoted almond milk as a “clean” alternative only to discover it’s often more processed than the dairy it’s meant to replace.
Client Confusion and Professional Credibility
Nutritionists are finding themselves in increasingly awkward conversations with clients who feel misled about almond milk’s benefits. Consumers are misled if they believe almond milk offers identical health benefits to cow milk, or even identical health benefits to almonds. Many professionals report spending significant appointment time explaining why the almond milk they previously recommended isn’t actually delivering the nutrition clients expected. Consumers, most especially children and adolescents, that substitute almond milk for cow milk may have diets lacking in many key nutrients, including vitamin D, calcium, and high-quality protein. The professional embarrassment of having to backtrack on previous recommendations has damaged some nutritionists’ confidence in their ability to navigate the ever-changing landscape of food marketing claims. Client trust, once broken by misguided almond milk enthusiasm, takes time to rebuild. This credibility crisis has prompted many nutritionists to become more cautious about jumping on food trends without thoroughly examining the evidence first.
The Water Footprint Reality Check
Almond milk is good for the climate, but uses about the same amount of water as cow’s milk and contains very little protein, and the impact of almond milk’s water footprint may be worse than cow’s milk if comparing almond milk produced in a water-stressed region such as California. This stunning revelation has forced environmentally conscious nutritionists to confront their assumptions about plant-based superiority. It takes 3.2 gallons of water to produce one almond, making the water intensity of almond milk production almost incomprehensible. Sadly, almond milk is quite bad for the environment, as a single almond requires 12 liters of water to produce, and while it doesn’t contribute to the consumption of animal products, almond milk should not be the go-to alternative for its environmental benefits. For nutritionists who’ve been promoting almond milk as an eco-friendly choice, this data represents a professional about-face that’s both humbling and necessary. The water crisis in California, where most almonds are grown, has made the environmental cost of almond milk impossible to ignore or justify.
