Almond vs Soy Milk

After writing Cows Milk vs Soy Milk and having Soy come out on top as being better then cows milk, I thought I would do some research on the next best thing, Almond milk. I have been drinking Soy milk for quite a while but the other day while my husband and I were in the Nutrition House looking at soy powder the nutritionist interrupted us to tell us that soy was bad for you. That it has too much estrogen for men and can shut down your thyroid for up to 8 hours. After hearing this you can imagine how shocked and disappointed I was. Which then fueled the need to research it for myself and see what I could find. Also see if I could find an even better substitute for cows milk and now soy milk.

Soy
Here are some nutritional facts about soy (per serving)
110 calories, 10 g protein, 4 g fat, 14 gm carbohydrates, 80 mg calcium, iron, sodium, riboflavin, concentration of omega3 fatty acids, unsaturated fat and no cholesterol.

With no cholesterol its great for people with heart problems and you know it won't contribute to heart problems in this area at least. Also because of soy low calcium amount it is usually fortified with calcium to give you more intake.

Some benefits of Soy are:

• No Cholesterol
• Lots of protein and carbohydrates
• Good for a diabetic diet because of the variety of carbohydrates
• Helps to reduce fat that enters our body
• Its lactose free (milk sugar)
• The isoflavones help lower cholesterol and help reduce the symptoms of menopause.
• Does not have the protein casein.
• The isoflavones resemble the female hormone estrogen. It reduces the chances of cancer and osteoporosis and maintains our health. (This is Isoflavones as a positive)

And now for the negatives:

• A lot of use can lead to breast cancer and other cancers.
• Many brands have more sugar and chemicals then needed.
• Isoflavones contribute to thyroid disorder, leukemia and breast cancer. (and here it is as a negative)
• Non-fermented soy milk has a lot of Phytic acid which prevents the body from fully absorbing vitamins and nutrients through the digestive tract.
• Has a lot of Phytoestrogen which is a plant compound similar to the female hormone, estrogen.
  - Can bring on early puberty in children.
  - Higher risk of breast cancer in young woman.
  - Estrogen in Soy milk is harmful for babies.
• Fever, tiredness and wheezing are some side effects of soy milk also.

• Goitrogens in soy milk can suppress the functioning of the thyroid gland.

After finding out all of this lovely information it made me seriously reconsider Soy for my family. Especially for my little 5 month old that for the past couple months I have had to supplement with formula and I have been using Soy formula. But I have been working hard on rebuilding my milk supply so hopefully soon there will be no more formula. But definitely after finding all this out I will be switching to a regular lactose free formula.
My article on Increasing Your Breast Milk Supply is a good read for other mothers out there.

Almond
The one milk (besides Rice that possibly someday I will be making a hub about providing no surprises pop up with Almond milk) I have never tried before. So I really hope it tastes good.

Some nutritional facts about Almond milk per serving are:
30-40 calories, 2.5-3 g fat, 1 g protein, 1 g fiber, vitamins and minerals, a lot of unsaturated fat, omega fatty acids, manganese, vitamin E and selenium.

Health benefits of Almond milk:

• Helps in growth and repair of the body.
• Magnesium breaks down eaten food into energy and it helps the parathyroid gland function better.
• Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant.
• Selenium is good for your immune system and for the reproduction and metabolism of your thyroid gland.
• No cholesterol
• Potassium helps to maintain blood pressure.
• Naturally flavored so there's no need for artificial flavor.
• It can be easily made and stored.
• Because there is no boiling involved in making the milk there's no loss of vitamins and minerals as opposed to soy milk.
• Its lactose free.
• Manganese activates the bodies enzymes.

And now for the negatives:

• Its not a good option for an infant, breast milk is best.
• Low Iodine results in a goiter. Almonds are considered Goitrogens.
  - Goitrogens suppress the thyroid gland and are risky for people with already low thyroid functions.

In the end they are both good milks in there own ways and also bad. Soy milk has more protein where Almond milk has less fats and sugar then any other non-dairy milk.
There's more varieties of Soy milk because they are more popular then Almond milk. Because they have been labeled as great for you for the past decade or so. Always showing the public the one side of the coin, the shiny side. So its really up to you which of all the milks you prefer and which you think is best for you and your family. For myself and my family I really hope Almond milk tastes good..because I think we will be switching again.