Myth: Almond milk and cow’s milk are the same thing.

Answer: Busted!

Almond milk is a beverage made from ground almonds and water. It can be used as a vegan substitute for dairy milk in many recipes, but it does have a different taste than dairy milk. It is also more expensive than cow’s milk.

A 1-cup serving of unsweetened almond milk supplies around 90 calories. It contains approximately 3 grams of fat, 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of protein, and supplies 30 percent of your daily calcium intake. It is free of cholesterol and saturated fat and is rich in vitamins and minerals and omega fatty acids.

A 1-cup serving of whole cow’s milk contains 145 calories. Reduced-fat milk has fewer calories. It contains approximately 8 grams of fat, 8 grams of protein, and supplies 30 percent of your daily calcium intake. It does contain cholesterol and saturated fat, but it is also rich in vitamins and minerals.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends 2 cups or equivalent per day of low-fat or fat-free milk for children ages 2-8 years. For children over 9 years and adults, the recommendation is 3 cups or equivalent per day.

Additional nutrition information can be found on the MissouriFamilies website.

Contributor: Maude Harris, Nutrition and Health Education Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, harrismau@missouri.edu, (573) 545-3516