Almond milk vs cashew milk – who wins? If you are lactose intolerant or are simply searching for the best nut milk alternative, you may be wondering which nut milk is best. Both almond and cashew milk can be a great alternative to cows milk and both have their benefits and drawbacks when compared to dairy milk.
Nut milks can be a great alternative to dairy milk. Many people have intolerances to dairy and are searching for alternatives that not only offer similar nutritional qualities but taste just as good. Begging the question is cashew milk better than almond milk?
Almond or cashew milk are both quite similar nutritionally speaking. However, they do have their differences. They vary in taste and slightly in texture and this may ultimately be the deciding factor for you.
With so many brands of nut milks on the market, it can be difficult to know which one to pick. Taking into account their comparative benefits, nutrition, calories and more, I will take you through all you need to know to decide who wins between cashew milk versus almond milk.
What Is Almond Milk?
Almond milk is not a traditional milk made by animals and this has caused some debate against whether it should be classed as a milk or not as it does not naturally contain the same nutrient density.
Almond milk is the most popular of the nut milks, in fact it is the most popular plant based milk in the United States.
Almond milk is made by blending almond nuts with water and straining it, getting rid of any solids. An easy way to make it at home is to blanch some almonds, soak them to soften them and blend them with plenty of water. Next, you strain the blended almond milk through a muslin cloth.
Almond milk is low in calories, naturally high in vitamin E and has a subtle sweet taste. It can be a great alternative to dairy milk and can be purchased in sweetened or unsweetened varieties.
When you purchase store bought almond milk, the milk often has salt or sugar added. It may also be fortified with extra nutrients such as calcium, vitamin D and may also have preservatives, thickeners or stabilizers.
The only problem with making almond milk at home and replacing it as your primary calcium source is that almond milk contains significantly less calcium than cows milk.
What Is Cashew Milk?
Cashew milk is also not your traditional milk made by animals. It is a plant based milk made from delicious cashew nuts. It is also a relatively new nut milk to the market and many people want to know is cashew milk healthier than almond milk?
Cashew milk is made in the same way almond milk is made. Cashews are blended with water and strained to remove their solids. Cashew milk is slightly more creamy and rich than almond milk and comes in sweetened or unsweetened forms.
Making cashew milk at home is super easy and involves simply blending cashews with water until liquid. Because cashews are relatively low in fibre, they blend to a liquid without leaving behind pulp. Cashew milk made at home will have comparatively more calories than store bought and be more nutrient rich.
This is because store bought cashew milk is usually only 3% cashews. Pre made cashew milk is often fortified with calcium, vitamin D and thickeners and stabilizers. It is also more shelf stable than home made cashew milk.
Making cashew milk at home will provide a much creamier, richer and distinct flavor to your milk. However, it will not provide similar nutrient qualities as regular dairy milk.
How Do Almond And Cashew Milk Compare To Cows’ Milk?
Almond and cashew milk are both fairly similar in their nutrient density when purchased from the shop. They both offer a low calorie, high unsaturated fat content with low carbs and low sugar content. Fortified almond milk boasts a heap of vitamins and minerals including vitamins A, D, E and B12 that surpasses that found in cows milk.
Cashew milk is high in vitamins B and D, magnesium, zinc, copper, selenium and more.
Cows milk, however, is much more nutrient dense than either almond or cashew milk, with more protein, potassium and less fat, but with more carbs and significantly more sugar.
| Type of milk | Calories Per 1 cup | Protein (grams) | Fat(grams) | Carbs(grams) | Sugar(grams) |
| Cows | 103 | 8 | 2.4 | 12 | 13 |
| Almond unsweetened | 40 | 1 | 3 | 3.5 | 0 |
| Cashew unsweetened | 44 | 1 | 3.4 | 2.1 | 0.4 |
Almond And Cashew Milk Benefits
Which is better almond or cashew milk? Almond milk and cashew milk both offer a lactose free, low calorie, low sugar milk option. Although they may not be as nutrient dense as cows milk, it can be very beneficial to those looking to lose/manage their weight or those looking to cut dairy from their lives.
Both almond and cashew milk have a range of unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins and minerals that are important for your heart heart, cholesterol and sugar control, skin and hair and more.
Almond Milk Vs Cashew Milk
Cashew Milk Vs Almond Milk: Nutrition
| Type of milk | Calories Per 1 cup | Protein (grams) | Fat(grams) | Carbs(grams) | Sugar(grams) |
| Almond unsweetened | 40 | 1 | 3 | 3.5 | 0 |
| Cashew unsweetened | 44 | 1 | 3.4 | 2.1 | 0.4 |
Is almond or cashew milk better for you? Well its hard to say. When comparing their nutrient qualities, they are very similar in what they offer. Cashew milk has slightly more fat and sugar but less carbs.
Cashew and almond milk both offer similar vitamins and minerals including manganese, magnesium, zinc, selenium and more. Almond milk contains significantly more vitamin E, with 1 cup of almond milk giving you 100% your daily requirement of vitamin E.
Almond Vs Cashew Milk: Calories
When purchasing almond or cashew milk you will find they both offer a very similar amount of calories, with cashew milk being only slightly higher in calories than almond milk.
However, if you choose to make almond or cashew milk at home the amount of calories and nutrients will go up. This is because store bought cashew and almond milks are often only 3% almond or cashews.
When making cashew or almond milk at home you can increase or decrease the amount of nuts. Cashew milk is a super easy nut milk to make as it requires no blanching, peeling or straining like almonds do. This leaves you with a super creamy, rich and nutrient dense, high calorie cashew milk.
Cashew Vs Almond Milk: Uses
Cashew and almond milk can both be used similarly. The way you use each nut milk may depend on how you feel about each of the nuts individual taste.
You use almond milk by adding it in your cereal in place of regular milk, adding it to your tea and coffee, mixing it in smoothies, using it as a milk replacement in a lot of baked recipes, and more.
Cashew milk can be used in much the same way, although cashew milk has a creamier and richer texture than almond milk making it great in tea, coffee and hot chocolate, in smoothies, baked goods, cereal, sauces, etc.
Cashew Milk Vs Almond Milk: Taste
Cashew milk and almond milk are again quite comparable in taste when purchased from the store. The real difference between almond milk and cashew milk comes down to their textures.
Cashew milk offers a more creamy and rich mouth feel with a subtle nutty flavor.
Almond milk is slightly more watery, though still creamy, and tastes quite sweet with a distinctive yet subtle almond flavor.
Almond Milk Or Cashew Milk: Allergies
Almonds and cashews can both pose a big threat to those with allergies to them. Many people have serious allergies to both of these nuts and it is not unusual for most people allergic to one nut find they are allergic to both.
If you are planning on swapping out dairy milk in place of nut milks in baked goods, be sure those who are enjoying it are not allergic.
Is Almond Milk Or Cashew Milk Healthier?
It is hard to say which nut milk is healthier when purchased from the store. The almond milk vs cashew milk nutrition chart above shows that these nut milks offer pretty much the same nutrient value as each other.
However, if you are making almond or cashew milk from home, you will find cashew milk can be much more nutrient dense than almond milk. This is because cashew milk requires no straining and you can add as many cashews as you’d like to make a super creamy and nutrient dense milk.
Almond milk, however, does provide you with 100% of you daily vitamin E requirements in just one cup.
Want to know how they compare price-wise?
Can You Substitute Cashew Milk For Almond Milk?
You can absolutely substitute cashew milk for almond milk.
Both of these nut milks offer similar taste qualities, a mild nutty flavor. The real difference is in their textures with cashew milk being slightly creamier than almond milk.
If you are looking to replace cashew milk for almond milk, the only difference you may notice is a slightly less creamy flavor.
Conclusion: Is Cashew Or Almond Milk Better?
It is hard for me to say which is best between cashew and almond milk. It really depends on what your individual needs are.
Both offer a similar nutrient density when purchased from the store and both offer a similar mild nutty flavor with cashew milk being the creamier milk and almond milk offering more vitamin E.
Personally, I love the creaminess of cashew milk and the refreshing taste I get from almond.
Who is you winner?
Find all my guides to cashew products here and almond products here. You can also read about how to froth almond milk here and read what milks you can substitute cashew milk for here.
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