One thing I really miss on low-carb is an occasional glass of cold milk, but an eight ounce glass of whole milk has 13 carbs, way too many during Induction or OWL [Ongoing Weight Loss] and even more than I’d care to consume during maintenance. Granted, heavy whipping cream is allowed on low-carb and it has only 3 carbs/8oz but not many people care to drink a whole cup of heavy whipping cream. In addition, heavy whipping cream has been known to cause weight loss stalls in some people. So what’s a person to do when you get a craving for ‘something dairy’? Well, I’ve discovered a product that satisfies my dairy craving and is extremely low-carb friendly. It’s called Almond Breeze and it is produced by the Blue Diamond Almond Growers headquartered in Sacramento, California.
What is Almond Breeze? Here’s the description from the Almond Breeze website.
Almond Breeze® is a non-dairy beverage made from real almonds, all natural, smooth and creamy with a hint of almonds. Almond Breeze® is a great tasting non-dairy beverage without the thin, chalky after taste of rice and soy beverages.
Almond Breeze® won the 2004 Best Taste Award from the prestigious American Culinary Institute (ACI). ACI is an independent, chef based judging organization.
Enjoy Almond Breeze® chilled by the glass and on your cereal. You will love how it froths in coffee drinks, enhances fruit smoothies, and blends cup for cup in your favorite recipes.
Besides being lactose and gluten free, Almond Breeze® contains no cholesterol, animal ingredients or hormones, saturated fat, or added oils. Almond Breeze® is low in sodium and enriched with Calcium and Vitamins D and E, contains a high level of unique phytonutrients, and is a good source of Vitamin A.
Nutrition Information
Almond Breeze is available in Sweetened and Unsweetened versions. My review is limited to the Unsweetened version. The Unsweetened version is available in 3 Flavors: Original, Vanilla and Chocolate. Eight ounces of the Original or Vanilla has 40 calories, 3g fat, 2g carbohydrates, 1g fiber and 1g protein, thus 1g net carbs. Eight ounces of the Chocolate has 45 calories, 3.5g fat, 3g carbohydrates, 1g fiber and 2g protein, thus 2g net carbs. Any way you look at it, one or two net carbs for an eight ounce cup makes an excellent low-carb, non-dairy beverage that tastes a whole lot like milk. And this stuff is lactose and gluten free which is a real plus for many.
Taste & Smell
If you’ve noticed I haven’t called Almond Breeze milk! Blue Diamond doesn’t call it milk either, but it tastes a whole lot like milk to me. Matter of fact, I like it as well or better than milk with its ever so slight hint of nutty flavor. I normally drink my cup of Almond Breeze cold with one pack of Splenda. I can drink it straight but the Splenda turns it into a nice little taste treat that I truly enjoy and look forward to. One could just as well add a little Stevia or other sweetener of your choice if you don’t like it plain. Almond Breeze tastes great over some fresh berries or over some low-carb flax based cereal as well. I’ve never tried Soy Milk or Rice Milk so I can’t really give you a taste comparison between them.
I’ve tried all three flavors but my personal preference is the Vanilla. See, I’m a Vanilla Fan-Boy. Maybe your a Chocolate Fan-Boy or Fan-Girl. Not a problem since they’re all delicious and low-carb friendly.
Texture
Almond Breeze has a texture that feels a whole lot like milk when you’re drinking it. There is no gritty or chalky stuff going on with it. It’s a smooth, creamy texture and about the same thickness as milk. Poured into a glass beside a glass of milk you’ll notice the Almond Breeze has more of an off-white color than the milk.
Price
I pick mine up at Earth Fare Grocery for $2.00 to $2.50 per quart box, depending if it’s on sale or not. Yes, the price is high in comparison to milk, but I’ve found I don’t use it in the amounts I used milk, and I’m reducing my carb intake to a fraction of the carbs in milk. So, I personally see it as a great low-carb value.
Cooking with Almond Breeze
I have not used Almond Breeze in any recipes that required cooking, but I’ve read of those who have used it successfully in cooking, and the Almond Breeze website recommends its use in cooking. Hopefully, some of you can chime in with your Almond Breeze experiences and share them with the rest of us.
Conclusion
Check out the Almond Breeze website and get the complete low-down on this low-carb friendly product. Got milk? The answer is NO if your a low-carber. But now you can have the next best thing…Almond Milk. Try it, you just might like it. And hey, if you don’t like it you’re only out a couple bucks, and who knows, your cat might like it!
Disclaimer
No, I don’t work for Almond Breeze, Blue Diamond or the almond industry, and I am not associated with them in any way. I have NO financial interest whatsoever in writing this review; I don’t sell it or receive any commissions from its sale. This is a totally unsolicited, therefore unbiased, review of a product I just happened to like and wanted to share it with my low-carb friends. When I find something that works, I like to spread the news.
There Really is Life Without Donuts!
Ron, aka The Former Donut Junkie
Life Without Donuts 
Sep 14, 2008 @ 02:46:17
I’m not one to go for packaged items like Almond Breeze. We use real raw milk in our family, though I understand, it isn’t for everyone.
But have you ever considered making your own almond “milk”?
I read a book on medieval foods recently, and almond “milk” figured prominently, even back then (religious abstentions, etc.). Seems like a very easy thing to make at home, actually.
Sep 14, 2008 @ 05:36:52
Anna, thanks for dropping by. I haven’t really considered making my own almond milk, only because I just don’t have the time to fit it into my schedule. If I weren’t in the weight loss mode, I might consider the raw milk as well.
Sep 14, 2008 @ 05:56:20
I’ve tried the Almond Breeze and liked it. My only problem is I can’t buy it locally, but I can get Hood’s calorie down. We really like it and since I’ve never enjoy a class of milk, ick it works wonderfully for all my needs. But I would buy the Almond Breeze since it’s non dairy if I didn’t have to order on line and pay shipping cost.
BTW when I tried it I picked it up at Netrition while ordering other low carb products.
Thanks for the review I haven’t checked it out lately so it’s a good reminder to look on my next visit to the grocery.
Vikki
Sep 14, 2008 @ 06:03:49
Our Wally World only carried the Hood’s for a short time in 2003, then like so many other things, they dropped it. Once I discovered Almond Breeze I was glad to switch. They have a product locator on their website, so you might check that to see if it’s available anywhere in your area. Thanks!
Sep 14, 2008 @ 14:17:13
Sounds great! Unlikely, I would find it locally either.
Sep 15, 2008 @ 22:26:50
I love this stuff for making cocoa, sometimes mixed with a little coconut milk so it’s thicker. I use the plain unsweetened – there aren’t any flavoured unsweetened ones in my grocery store.
I’ve seen almond milk used in medieval recipes too – haven’t tried it yet though.
Oct 04, 2008 @ 17:35:19
Thanks for the great review! Almond milk is a personal favorite. I buy Pacific brand a lot now, because it is less expensive AND organic, but Almond Breeze is still a favorite.
Oct 04, 2008 @ 17:43:34
Alisa, I’ve not seen the Pacific brand at any stores in my area but I will definitely keep a look out for it. Thanks for your positive comments and for posting the link to this review!
Dec 02, 2008 @ 15:07:40
Hello non-carbbers!
Making almond milk is a snap.
Soak 1 1/2 c. almonds in a container, add 4 c filtered water, and let it sit on your counter about 6 hrs or overnight. Then, saving the water it soaked in, run the almonds through your food processor for a few minutes. Add enough of the water to make it liquidy. Then return the processed almonds to the water, mix, and put it in the fridge. I don’t filter it, though you certainly could do so. The weight of the ground almonds keeps it from mixing up.
The whole mixing process takes less than 5 minutes, and it will keep in the refrigerator up to a week. Note: keep it cold and don’t let it sit out at room temp or it will go bad pretty quickly.
Cathy