Does Almond Milk Cause Constipation?

• Almond Milk
• Almond Milk Constipation
• Benefits
• Takeaway

Almond milk is one of the lesser known primary dairy substitutes for those who want to avoid dairy. Soymilk is more popular.

Dairy has been found causing constipation in many instances, but does almond milk cause constipation?

We will investigate that in this article.

Vegans who particularly avoid dairy milk and others who are allergic to dairy (lactose intolerance) prefer plant based alternatives (1). Some of them don’t like soy so almond milk is a good choice for them. It's gaining popularity off late.

Any food you eat or drink can potentially cause occasional constipation, diarrhea and other stomach upset symptoms depending on various circumstances.

For example, if your food intake has less fiber then the probabilities of such metabolic disorder increase.

What is Almond Milk?

Almond milk is made of almonds and water. You can make it at home or buy it from a grocery store. Unfortunately all commercial almond milks contain thickeners, preservatives, and flavorings that reduce the purity of the nutrients in almonds.

On the other hand some commercial almond milks are fortified with vitamins and minerals. So, if you have to buy a commercial product then look for those additional nutrients to get the best out of it.

Making it at home is very easy.

You can soak almonds overnight, peel off brown skin in the morning. Then, toss them in a blender, add equal amounts of water and blend. Add more water if required to get the required consistency you prefere.

Does Almond Milk Cause Constipation?

Constipation is a common rising problem due to our current lifestyle. Other than lifestyle certain foods can also cause constipation.

Less fiber intake in our daily diet can be one of the biggests causes of constipation through food.

Homemade almond milk is rich in fiber and is a highly nutritional beverage. It does not cause constipation.

However, commercially made almond milks containing various additives to add flavour and shelf life may interfere with your digestive system to cause constipation.

But such cases are rare as most commercial producers constantly change their formulations to keep the beverage healthy.

While buying almond milk from a grocery shop look at the suspect ingredients such as carrageenan, a polysaccharide obtained from red algae.

This has been known to cause gas, bloating, diarrhea/constipation and fatigue. Most commercial manufacturers have stopped using it.

If you have tree nut allergy then it can cause all kinds of skin and digestive disorders including constipation.

Otherwise almond oil is more gut healthy than the cow’s milk which can cause occasional constipation.

Almond Milk Benefits

Almond milk is rich in vitamins and minerals. If you compare it with dairy milk then it is low fat, lower calorie and higher calcium content.

A cup of almond oil meets more than 100% of your daily requirement of Vitamin E (2).

Almond milk is an excellent natural source of vitamin E that helps protect your body from free radical damage. (3)

Vitamin E improves cognitive function, delays aging and improves eye health.

Some of the commercially available fortifications with vitamin D and calcium.

It is low in protein as compared to cow's milk, So you need to compensate for protein by eating more protein rich food during the day.

Be careful while choosing commercial almond milk. Many flavored and sweetened almond milks are high in sugar.

Too much sugar can increase your risk of weight gain, dental cavities, diabetes, skin irritations and other chronic conditions.

Avoid Almond milk if you have tree nut allergy.

Takeaway

Almond milk is a healthy plant based alternative to cow’s milk. Homemade is better than commercially made in most cases but some unsweetened almonds milk fortified with vitamins and minerals are also beneficial.

If you drink it supported with other fiber rich food items during the day then your chances of constipation are almost negligible.

+ 3 References