While almond milk has many benefits, there are some important downsides to consider. Soy milk, almond milk, and rice milk are all popular, but they all use more water than the aforementioned plant milks, Poore's study found. Now that’s a lot of waste. Like quinoa, another staple of hip “health” obsessives before it, production of almond milk also appears to have a hefty environmental impact. ", Per the latest data from the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, the American almond industry has been growing steadily. Almonds require a huge amount of water to grow. Lacks protein. Almond milk and dairy production are both terrible for the environment. But aside from a modicum of fertilizer, these groves don’t produce even a fraction of the poisonous waste that dairy farms dump daily. By Sarah Berry Updated November 10, 2015 … The main problems are water use and pesticide use associated with almond milk production. Introducing the GH Book Club! Organic almonds grown in Europe can be pricier but do not use pesticides that can endanger bees. Protein, says Helen Bond, spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association, “gives a feeling of fullness, it helps you to feel fuller for longer, and a lot of people are trying to get their protein intake up”. Almond milk provides only 1 gram of protein per cup (240 ml) while cow’s and soy milk … While many have celebrated almond milk for its delicious flavor, nutritional benefits, and lesser environmental impact, ... cherrypicked stats and statements that make almond milk sound bad. Think twice before you pour it on your cereal, Last modified on Fri 17 Aug 2018 23.38 EDT. The environmental problems associated with almond milk. Why trust us? Oat milk is a much better alternative to dairy. "The commercial almond growers make such a difference here. Critics of the versatile bean and nutritious nut are saying that their environmental profile isn’t as green as we’d all like to believe. Here are two healthy, more environmentally-friendly options. The Truth Behind the Decline in Bees According to recent data, billions of … And even if the farmers don't pull bees out of their hibernation period early, global warming and rising temperatures may do it for them, Sass says. Almonds are one of the healthiest foods you can eat. It takes 1.1 gallons (5 litres) of water to grow one almond, and thanks to the big profits they bring in, almond orchards continue to be planted (this isn’t to say cow’s milk, which takes about 100 litres of water to produce 100ml of milk, is more environmentally friendly – more that its production is not concentrated in one area of the globe). However when you compare it to cows milk it isn’t worse for the environment. The unhealthy truth about almond milk is that not only does it cause hormonal imbalances, but it is depleting ground water reserves in the U.S. chrome chrome ", And, yes, cutting back on your almond obsession could help preserve what's left of the dwindling honeybee population. )There are 92 almonds in a cup, which make… Almond milk lovers, be prepared for some bad news. That's all wonderful, but coverage of almond-nutrition research necessarily affords a narrow vantage on health. Dairy, she adds, “is a really great source of a readily available form of calcium, so you need to look for plant-based milk that is fortified with calcium, essential for maintaining bones as we get older”. Is Almond Milk Really Bad for the Environment? But that doesn’t mean it’s bad for the environment. Alarm as almond farmers consume California's water, overtaken soya as its customers’ preferred dairy alternative, takes 1.1 gallons (5 litres) of water to grow one almond, 100 litres of water to produce 100ml of milk, apocalyptic piece for Mother Jones by Tom Philpott, up to 25% of the hives were damaged in 2014. "There could be a couple of unseasonably warm days in a row, and the bees in a single colony could all come out of hibernation in early spring, but they'll die because they could be missing a food source as the flowers haven't bloomed just yet.". A few years ago, those avoiding cow’s milk because of lactose intolerance or for ethical reasons were drinking soya, but health scares have seen a rising demand for alternative plant “milks”, including rice, hemp and – most popular – almond. Like most others, it also contains additives such as stabilisers and emulsifiers. Almonds are estimated to have a carbon footprint 10 times smaller than that of dairy milk. However, producing almond milk uses roughly 17 times more water than cow’s milk per litre, but cow’s milk emits nearly 10 times more greenhouse gases per litre (14). This might surprise you is that almond milk takes damage to the environment in ways not as we expected. Food Almond Milk Is Not the Problem It’s fine if you don’t like it. But the super-healthy nuts – mostly grown in drought-hit California – need millions of litres of water to be produced. Last year, an apocalyptic piece for Mother Jones by Tom Philpott, who has long detailed the environmental ravages of this crop in California, summed up the problems: almond farmers drilling thousands of feet down into aquifiers to pump out water has resulted, in some areas, in subsidence of around 11 inches a year, which “threatens vital infrastructure like bridges, roads, and irrigation canals” and could trigger earthquakes. It’s enough – or should be – to make anyone spit out their almond milk latte in alarm. Soy milk can be a great alternative to dairy milk, but you’ll want to pay attention to where … Bee colony deaths surpassed all-time highs last year, with beekeepers reporting an average loss of 38% of honeybee colonies in the winter season, per a 2019 survey issued by the Bee Informed Partnership, a nonprofit established by the United States Department of Agriculture. The listed health benefits will vary based on the specific product since some of these milks can be artificially sweetened or may contain other ingredients that affect nutritional quality. Prof. R. Jayaraman (VU2JN) A Personal blog on Academic career in Civil Engineering, Amateur Radio hobby, and other interests Menu Skip to content By comparison, it can take up to 880 gallons of water to produce a gallon of dairy milk. The main issues associated with almond milk production are water use and pesticide use, which may produce long lasting effects on the environment in drought-stricken California, where more than 80% of the world’s almonds are grown. In a world where many majestic animals are increasingly endangered due to climate change, the plight to save the honeybee may not seem as dire as it truly is. According to a new feature published by The Guardian this week, the American almond industry may be tipping the scales with their huge demand for honeybees to pollinate their orchards, and could be to blame for the loss of billions of bees over the last year alone. Almond milk: quite good for you – very bad for the planet Sales of the non-dairy milk alternative are on the rise. All animal agriculture pollutes groundwater and endangers human health (and that’s before you even eat these products). It seems like every day someone asks me to dichotomize a health trend : good or bad. The amount of sugar is less than the natural sugars found in cow’s milk, so it has fewer calories, but there is also less protein – 0.5g to the 3.5g you’ll get in the same amount of cow’s milk. Furthermore, insatiable demand for almonds is harming honeybees, already an embattled species. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io, 7 Easy Ways to Update Your Overnight Oats, All of Your Face Mask Questions, Answered, Easy Grocery Swaps To Reset Your Sugar Consumption, 10 Teas That Will Help Fight Off Your Cold. "Keep chemicals out of your garden and off your blooms," Sass says, advising that no commercial products should be sprayed on or near trees, flowers, or even common sidewalk areas. But consumers of soy and almonds have been getting a bad rap lately. Emily Cassidy writing for PlanetVision also noted the strain almond milk can have on our water, and mentioned that packaging can still leave a footprint on the environment even if the milk … It makes sense, then, to assume almond milk is packed with healthy properties. "Plant things that bloom in off seasons — I try to think of times when bees may have less food, so I might plant things that typically bloom in fall or winter. But the biggest killer isn't the weather or a lack of food — it could be the pesticides used by all commercial farmers in their fields, even those outside of the almond industry.
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