Almond Breeze Almond Milk - Essay Example

Contents Introduction 3 References 10 Almond Breeze Almond Milk Introduction The almond is a native tree to South Asia and the Middle East. This tree also produces an edible and widely cultivated seed. In most cases, almonds are grounded and used to produce a beverage called Almond Milk. Most people around the word often consume almond milk as a substitute for dairy milk. Almond milk is different from dairy milk. It neither contains lactose nor cholesterol. For this reason, almond milk is a beverage suitable for vegetarians and vegans. When almond milk is produced for commercial purposes, it may often come in vanilla, plain almond milk or chocolate flavors. An example of a brand of almond milk is Almond breeze. In other cases, almond milk may be enriched with vitamins. Other people may also prefer producing the beverage at home. They do this by grinding almond seeds in a blender and adding water. After blending, the solution is then strained using a cheese cloth to remove the almond pulp. They can also choose to add sweeteners and vanilla flavoring. Almond milk has a creamy texture, slightly beige in color and a nutty taste. It can be bought in supermarkets, where it is packed in long-life cartons or made locally at home. The almond has been around since the middle ages. It was consumed by both the Christians and the Islam during lent. Almond milk was also preferred as a staple food because unlike, dairy milk, the almond milk could go for many days without spoiling. Until the 2000s, the almond was a fairy niche food. However, a survey conducted in 2011 revealed that the sale of almond milk had increased by 79%.the consumption of almond increased such that, its consumption surpassed that of soy milk. Today, almond milk is the most consumed plant-based milk in the United States (Cruise, p25). Almond Breeze Almond milk Almond Breeze is a company that produces almond milk. It produces smooth, pure and delicious almond milk. It also produces various flavors of almond milk like Almond Breeze Vanilla, chocolate and original. Almond breeze considers the preferences of the consumers. Therefore, it produces a wide variety of almond milk. Examples of such varieties are the sweetened and unsweetened almond milk. Health benefits of Almond Breeze Almond Milk Almond Breeze almond milk has a lot of benefits. It also contains more nutrients compared to other dairy milk alternatives. Its health benefits are almost the same as those of dairy milk. Almond Breeze almond milk has also been considered as a good alternative for those with lactose and soy allergies. One of the health benefits of Almond Breeze almond milk is that it is good for weight management. Unflavored and unsweetened Almond Breeze almond milk contains around 60 calories in each 8 oz serving. Therefore, plain Almond Breeze almond milk works as a great way of weight maintenance and weight loss. As a result of the little caloric content in Almond Breeze almond milk, the daily food calories consumption remains low. Almond milk is also good for bone health. It is recommended that an individual takes 25% vitamin D and 30% calcium daily. Almond Breeze almond milk contains the recommended value of calcium and vitamin. These nutrients are vital in the bone health of infants, children, men and women (Hayes and Laudan, p749). Almond Breeze almond milk has also been known to be blood sugar friendly. The plain Almond Breeze, almond milk contains around 8 grams of carbohydrates per serving. The amount of carbohydrates contained in Almond Breeze almond milk has a small effect on blood sugar levels in the body. The low amount of sugars in Almond Breeze almond milk contains a little glycemic nature. Therefore, they can be fully digested by the body and converted to energy. Almond Breeze almond milk also gives more muscle power. Despite the almond milk containing only one gram of protein per serving, it also contains vitamin D, which is in the form of riboflavin and iron. Each serving of iron has around 4% of the recommended daily iron intake. The iron is absorbed by the body, and in turn, it helps muscles to use and absorb proteins for growth, repair and production of energy. Almond Breeze almond milk has also been known to be good for skin care. This is because it has about 50% of the recommended amount of vitamin E. It also contains antioxidant properties that improve the skin’s health by protecting it against damage by the sun. Almond milk also contains vitamin A, which improves the functioning of the bones. Vitamin A also influences the bones directly. Through the help of vitamin A, the eye can adjust depending on the differences in light (Talbot, p45). Consumption of Almond Breeze Almond Milk in America In the United States, there was an increase in the consumption of almond milk in the early 2000s. In 2011, the sale of almond milk increased by 79%. In 2013, the consumption of almond milk had increased greatly to the extent that it replaced soy milk as the most consumed plant-based milk in the United States. The most popular brands of almond milk include White Wave Foods Pure Almond and Blue Diamond’s Almond Breeze. The consumption of almond milk in America was also increased by companies such as Milkman SF, based in San Francisco. This company makes Pure Raw Almond Milk, which is freshly and hand-crafted. Milkman SF increases the popularity and the consumption of almond milk by making a door-to-door delivery to all households. In 2010, the appearance of the refrigerated dairy case of almond milk also helped to fuel consumption of milk alternatives by 13%. Reasons for the consumption of Almond Breeze Almond Milk in the United States Almond Breeze almond milk shot up out of nowhere and appealed almost every person in the United States who tried it. It was appealing to many shoppers due to its appearance and the health benefits, which are associated with it. Most people in America would add it to coffee and cereals while taking their breakfast meal. Today, there are very many reasons as to why most Americans chose to consume Almond Breeze almond milk. These reasons range from economic benefits associated with Almond breeze almond milk to health benefits. A large number of Americans deal with the problem obesity. Those dealing with this problem try various ways of controlling weight gain. These methods range from exercises to dieting. However, through Almond Breeze almond milk, which contains 60 calories unlike 164 calories in dairy milk, people are able to manage their weight. In most cases, Almond Breeze almond milk is consumed as a weight management alternative. Almond Breeze almond milk is also economical to purchase and store. Almond Breeze almond milk can stay for a long duration without spoiling. Therefore, it does not require refrigeration. Almond breeze almond milk is preferred by many Americans because it helps to cut on electricity and also other costs. Almond Breeze almond milk comes in many flavors. There is the vanilla flavor, plain almond milk and the chocolate flavor. For this reason, it has a more appealing taste as compared to dairy milk. It also acts as the best alternative to those turned off by the taste. Its versatility also increases its consumption rate. This is because it can be used in recipes instead of dairy milk. However, despite having a different taste, it has the same consistency. Diabetes is classified among the leading causes of health-associated deaths in America. Many people prefer to consume Almond Breeze almond milk because it lacks additives and has a low level of carbs. This means that it does not increase the level of blood sugar, reducing the risk of diabetes. The little amount of carbs contained in Almond Breeze almond milk is used by the body as energy. Therefore, the sugars are not stored as fats. Almond Breeze almond milk is also consumed by people fighting heart diseases and also those preventing the diseases. Almond Breeze almond milk does not contain any saturated fats or cholesterol. It is also high in healthy fats such as omega and low in sodium. It has a large impact in the prevention of heart diseases and high blood pressure. Many people in America usually experience difficulty in the digestion of the sugar contained in cow’s milk. Therefore, many people prefer consuming Almond Breeze almond milk because it is a lactose-free substitute. Marketing of Almond Breeze Almond Milk in the U.S Almond Breeze almond milk can be consumed by people of all kinds ranging from infants to adults. However, there are specific groups of people who consume the largest amount of Almond Breeze almond milk in America. Almond Breeze almond milk is mainly consumed by vegetarians and vegans. These are the people who refrain from consuming dairy and animal products either due to health reasons or their beliefs. This is among the groups of people who are targeted by almond milk producers. Almond Breeze almond milk acts as the best alternatives for vegetarians and vegans. Diabetic individuals are also one of the main targets of almond milk producers. Almond Breeze almond milk contains low sugar level. Therefore, it is mostly suitable for those people fighting diabetes. The other target of Almond Breeze almond milk is the people dealing with weight management issues. Almond Breeze almond milk helps with weight management because it contains little calories as opposed to dairy milk (Kitchen, p159). Environmental effects of the production and consumption of Almond Breeze Almond Milk According to an analysis conducted by Martin Heller, there are approximately one billion kilos of milk produced yearly. There are also environmental impacts brought along by the production of large milk products. According to Martin Heller, 18.3 mega joules are used up by one liter of milk before it reaches the final consumer. This is equal to the energy used up by a single individual in one day. This translates that the quantity of energy needed to produce one gallon of milk per day is equivalent to the quantity of energy a person could use in four days. The quantity of energy utilized the production of dairy milk brings forth noticeable emissions. Unfortunately, this is a very large energy requirement. However, energy is not the only requirement needed in the production of dairy milk, water is also required. On the other hand, almonds, as one of the leading crops in California have surpassed soy as the largest competitor of the dairy industry. California is well recognized for the production of 100% of the United States commercial supply and 80% of the world’s almonds. Almond milk is simple to produce. It is made by grinding almonds and mixing the solution with water. The production of almond does not require any special energy requirements in a small scale or large scale method. It has a small impact on the environment due to its simplicity. Conclusion Almond Breeze almond milk has many benefits. It is economical to purchase and store and also has many health benefits. The health benefits of Almond Breeze almond milk include strengthening of the bones, prevention of diabetes, heart complications and also the management of weight. Almond Breeze almond milk is can also be consumed during religious occasions such as lent. The benefits brought along by the Almond Breeze almond milk makes it a suitable substitute for dairy products. References Cruise, Jorge. The belly fat cure sugar & carb counter: discover which foods will melt up to 9 lbs. this week. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, 2012. book. Hayes, Dayle and Rachel Laudan. Food and nutrition / editorial advisers, Dayle Hayes, Rachel Laudan. New York: Marshall Cavendish Reference, 2009. print. Kitchen, Leanne. Growers market: cooking with seasonal produce : over 200 recipes for every occasion. Millers Point, N.S.W.: Murdoch Books, 2006. print. Talbot, Sam. The sweet life: diabetes without boundaries. New York: Rodale, 2011. print. Read More