The NEW “Dairy” for Fat Loss

lol cool, what a coincidence, I made the switch not too long ago myself. Its by far superior to traditional milk and I have even substituted milk for it on cheat days. BTW, quick question Joel, do you have any tips on reducing the bloat and water retention on cheat days because when I read about other people’s comments on their cheats and it seems that this is something that not many experience.
thx :P

Hi Joel,

I can’t buy Almond Breeze here. We have plenty of rice, soy and oat drinks though…which one would work out if any? (other than soy, I got that much :-) )

pam

no way they sell this in norway-_-

I’m not sure if it was Isabel Rios who recommended Coconut Milk but I prefer its taste than the Almond Milk. What’s your take on coconut milk?

@Pam –

Hi Pam,

I make my own almond milk. Soak one cup of almonds overnight. Rinse and blend with 3-4 cups of water. Strain through a ‘nut bag’. Very healthy, no added ingredients. The leftover pulp can be used in various recipes. Jane

What IS almond milk? Dont you agree that your readers/practisioners had better know that (and have a right to be informed about it)? THANKS.

Harry Oosthoek

where can i buy almond mike and can it works?

I’m not sure we can get it here either, never seen it! Anything else that would work? I don’t love dairy at the best of times, it badly affects my sinuses! Did a detox program 2 months ago with no dairy, used Goat’s milk (which I hate!) and Goat’s milk cheese (not too bad)….I also hate Soya, and know it’s no good for me anyways….

If you’re an Aussie like me Pureharvest have their own Almond Milk:
http://www.pureharvest.com.au/products.html

I’ve also seen Almond milk in the health food section of various Coles, Woolworths and IGA stores.

It’s in lots of small Health Food stores as well. They could always order it in anyway if they don’t stock it.

Apparently http://www.flannerys.com.au/about/ (QLD) and http://www.fundies.com.au (NSW) have almond milk as well.

I’m not affiliated with any of these places.

I’ve just had discussions with folk in regards to almond milk. My dogs actually have Goats Milk as part of their diet – and I try to eat / drink organic / free range as much possible so I’m always looking out for alternatives.

I have been using unsweetened Coconut milk that I got from Whole Foods. It comes in a half gallon carton just like this. It’s fine unsweete4ned, I think sweetened would be too sweet. I love it, but it’s a bit pricey—$5.69 for a half gallon. I’ll see if I can find this Almond Breeze. Maybe it’s cheaper.

I’ve been drinking almond milk for a couple of years now, and I have to say it’s a pretty good substitute for milk. I actually learned about it from some raw vegan website, even though I’m not vegan or raw and it can actually be made in your kitchen with a blender and of course almonds.

I read on another fitness trainer’s blog that Almond Milk is still pretty high in sugar and he recommended raw, unpasteurized milk. He’s been drinking raw milk for years now and it’s never made him sick and it’s done wonders for the rest of his body. There are tons of good bacterias that pasteurization destroys that every body needs. If you don’t feel like spending upto $10/gallon from your local organic market, go to realmilk.com where you can find anything from a farm to a local market where real milk is sold in your area.

I would love some info on Darryl’s question too. I know you say to only weigh once a week, but I’m a masochist I guess. (Actually my weight can be subject to such day-to-day swings I’m concerned that a morning-of-Cheat-Day weekly weigh-in might fall on one of those weird days and give me an inaacurate , up number, so I track it all week.)

The problem for me is that Cheat Day often results in a 4 lb. “gain” that takes the rest of the week to grind away – and I only get back down to that previous week’s weight at the very last day or so – usually resulting in a 1/2 to 1 lb. weekly loss. Is this a normal pattern?

I’m not complaining. CYWT has given me great results – getting me off of a plateau and allowing me to resume my weight loss. (52 pounds total now.)

Almond milk is great!
Back in the 70s and 80s we used to make our own almond milk with water and almonds in the blender – started with lots of almonds and not much milk to get it smooth. The old Sunbeam Oscar (food processor with curved processing bowl) was the best. If you can grind the peeled organic almonds finely then add water to the consistency you require you can get anything from almond cream to almond milk. Almond cream can then be used to make mayonnaise or even ice cream!
I find probiotics effective for resolving bloat, sinus and upping my immune system. I use different probiotics e.g. Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii for candida, Lactobacillus rhamnosus for mucus issues, Lactobacillus acidophilus assists digesting lactose in dairy).
I’ve got a sensitive digestive system. I found supplementing with a small amount of rice vinegar and water before each meal and natural digestive enzymes after the meal made a big difference to my energy, nutrition, digestion and strength. I was able to get more benefit from what I ate shown by overall health improvements, mood evenness and increased strength in weight training. :-)
I’ve been “roadtesting” vanilla rice protein powder – unfortunately it sinks to the bottom of whatever liquid I put it into :-( Any recommendations on Rice Protein that is more user-friendly? I’m looking for an alternative to milk powder/whey mix sachets which work ok in tea/coffee when travelling.

P.S. Or some weeks, the clock runs out on me and by the weekly weigh-in the remnants of the Cheat Day “gain” haven’t been totally eradicated and I end up flat or at a fractional gain for the week.

I know that Cheat Day is an integral and necessary aspect of the program (and I wouldn’t give up my Cheat Day for love nor money anyway – it is THE SINGLE GREATEST aspect of being on a “diet” – but the spike-and-then-struggle pattern can be frustrating.

Thoughts?

I’ve been using almond milk for a couple of years. The unsweet variety, both vanilla and choc and for some things I use the plain (like for dipping chicken, mixed with a little dijon then dredged in oats and sliced almonds then baked). Use the chocolate for shakes as well and my delicious protein ice cream. Almond milk goes in oatmeal, for ezekiel french toast, replaces milk in baked goods, and the chocolate sweetened with some stevia, then heated for hot chocolate. Oh there are many more uses.

Many places carry it now in both refrigerated and UHT packaging (that’s how I buy it). Several groceries…Publix, Sweetbay, local nutrition stores, Walmart (refrig version). You can go online to Almond Breeze and even print a coupon.

If they can make almond-based CHEESE, sign me up. :P

For those wondering, rice or oat milk will -not- be the same. Almonds are a source of fat, whereas rice and oats are a source of carbs. They’s excellent carbs, but carbs nonetheless.

Be mindful of what you replace something with!

I love, love. love this beverage and finally someone believes it is the best ‘dairy’ drink. I have been using this beverage since I saw it on the shelves and I cannot do without it. My breakfast consists of unsweetned green tea with some lime juice, (1/2 cup) oatmeal with a sprinkle of craisins, almond unsweetned vanilla (8 oz.) and a fruit.
Great taste, a variety of flavours, low calorie and best of all it is nutritious. It is the next best thing. Thank you Blue Diamond.

Almond milk is great! I use it alot with oatmeal and for other milk replacmentts.
However I must admit that this morning I had my oatmeal with half a scoop of whey and CREAM, yes, CREAM and I have never felt so full after a bowl of oatmeal. It was an experiment:D

We do not get ALMOND MILK IN INDIA so what can i substitute it with?

I’ve used keffir (“yoghurt plant”) to make my own cheese – really tasty and very popular. I flavoured it with sundried tomato, fresh basil, a little grated ginger and sea salt. In theory keffir could be used to make almond cheese too. Other cultures are used to innoculate the mix (e.g. almond cream) for specific types of cheese e.g. camembert. Has anyone else tried to make cheese with almond cream yet?

I’ve been using this for years and have found it easier to get all the time. I can buy it a local health food stores, Trader Joe’s and even my large chain in this area, Giant. For those who can’t buy it, you can make your own.

2 cups water
1/3 cups almond meal (purchased or grind your own in a blender)
Add vanilla and or stevia to taste
Blend, then strain
Voila! Almond milk!

Hey Joel,

We started using almond milk in our home last year when my wife figured out she was allergic to dairy. We use it for baking, making protein shakes, etc. …pretty much anything you can do with regular milk, you can do with almond milk. Even the kids like the way it tastes!

The only 2 drawbacks I see are that:

1. Almond Breeze® contains trace amounts of soy in the form of soy lecithin which is derived from soybeans. In general, I try to avoid most products containing soy. Luckliy, a soy-free version will also be available later this year.

2. Almond Breeze® is made using a high heat thermal pasteurization process to kill pathogenic microorganisms. Unfortunately….like with milk…high heat pasteurization also kills or damages many of the healthful qualities of the almonds. It would be much better if they used raw almonds instead.

If you’re looking for another great milk substitute that does not contain soy, give So Delicious® Unsweetened Coconut Milk a try. It doesn’t have as much flavor as the Almond Breeze®, but it contains only 50 calories per serving, 0 grams of sugar, 1 g of protein and 65% medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs).

We’ve had a lot of success using this product for weight-loss.

Thanks for sharing!

Wishing you health and happiness,

Pete

@Diane –

Almond milk usually runs 2.50 for a halof gallon depending in your location. Surprisingly Wal-Mart is the best place I have found it so far. The local Natural Food market was almost double. Hope that helps.