Almond milk has been a popular choice among vegans, plant-based eaters, and flexitarians for years, and Almond Breeze is one of the most well-known brands.
But is Almond Breeze truly vegan? It’s common for seemingly vegan-friendly foods to contain surprising animal products or byproducts, so it’s important to do your research.
Luckily, I’ve done it for you! As a vegan registered dietitian, I’ve reviewed all Almond Breeze products and will discuss which of their almond milks are safe for vegans to drink.
And, of course, I couldn’t write this post without also discussing the health benefits and disadvantages of almond milk for vegans in addition to providing recommendations for how to optimize your non-dairy milk choices!
Is Almond Breeze vegan?
All Almond Breeze Almondmilk products are vegan except for two items: Hint of Honey and Hint of Honey Vanilla Almondmilk. Almond Breeze states on their website that the rest of its almond milk varieties are free from animal products, animal by-products, and animal derivatives.
Almond Breeze specifically indicates that the following products are vegan:
- Almond Breeze® Original Almondmilk
- Almond Breeze® Unsweetened Original Almondmilk
- Almond Breeze® Vanilla Almondmilk
- Almond Breeze® Unsweetened Vanilla Almondmilk
- Almond Breeze® Reduced Sugar Vanilla Almondmilk
- Almond Breeze® Chocolate Almondmilk
- Almond Breeze® Extra Creamy Almondmilk
- Almond Breeze® Almondmilk Nog (seasonal item)
Nutrition & health benefits for vegans
For reference, the ingredients in Almond Breeze Original Almondmilk are listed below:
Almondmilk (Filtered Water, Almonds), Cane Sugar, Calcium Carbonate, Sea Salt, Potassium Citrate, Sunflower Lecithin, Gellan Gum, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin D2, D-Alpha-Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E)
A significant advantage of Almond Breeze is that it’s fortified with two key nutrients: calcium (in the form of calcium carbonate) and vitamin D. These nutrients are essential for maintaining healthy bone mineral density as we age, yet they can be a little more difficult to get enough of on a vegan diet if you aren’t intentional with your food choices.
For most vegans, I highly recommend choosing non-dairy milks that are fortified with calcium and vitamin D. It’s one of the simplest ways to get the required amount of these important nutrients.
I also appreciate that Almond Breeze offers unsweetened varieties of almond milk to help vegans limit their intake of added sugars. Unsweetened almond milk is especially great for foods that are already sweet, such as fruit smoothies and breakfast cereal.
Disadvantages of Almond Breeze for vegans
While Almond Breeze products can be a helpful way to get more calcium and vitamin D, they do have a couple of disadvantages for vegans looking to optimize the nutrient density of their diet.
Low in protein
The first disadvantage is that Almond Breeze Almondmilk isn’t a very good source of protein. Each 8 fluid ounce (1 cup) serving of almond milk contains only 1 gram of protein.
While it’s entirely possible to get enough protein on a plant-based diet without high protein plant-based milks, they do make it a little easier.
And since protein is satiating, using protein-rich soy milk or pea milk can help make meals like smoothies, oatmeal, and breakfast cereal more filling, something I’ve had multiple vegans tell me they struggle with.
Higher-protein milk alternatives are also particularly helpful for vegans trying to build muscle since this requires additional protein in the diet.
Not fortified with vitamin B12
For some reason, almond milk usually isn’t fortified with vitamin B12. This is true across many brands. In contrast, other dairy milk alternatives like soy or pea milk are almost always fortified with this vitamin.
Vitamin B121 is lacking in plant-based foods, yet is an essential nutrient for proper neurological functioning and the production of red blood cells. A deficiency can become quite serious if left untreated. Consuming vitamin B12-fortified plant-based milks makes it much easier for vegans who don’t want to take a supplement to get enough B12.
If you already take a vitamin B12 supplement, then your choice of non-dairy milk isn’t as significant. If you prefer to get your vitamin B12 from fortified foods, however, your only real options are fortified plant milks or nutritional yeast.
Contains added sugars
Lastly, the Original and Chocolate Almondmilk products contain some added sugars. While a small amount of added sugars in the context of an overall nutrient-dense diet isn’t a problem, it’s important to be aware of the added sugars in your diet since they can add up quickly.
Summary
All Almond Breeze Almondmilk products are vegan except for their Hint of Honey and Hint of Honey Vanilla Almondmilk, which contain real honey. Their almond milk is a good choice for bone health since they’re fortified with calcium and vitamin D.
That said, they’re quite low in protein compared to soy milk, pea milk, or protein-fortified almond milk. This isn’t much of an issue if you’re already getting enough protein from food, but physically active vegans and those looking to build muscle will likely benefit from a higher-protein option.
Almond Breeze almond milk isn’t fortified with Vitamin B12, so you may need to consider a supplement if this product is your non-dairy milk of choice.
For more information on choosing the best milk alternative for your needs, check out A Vegan Dietitian’s Guide to Non-Dairy Milk.
The scientific information in this article was accurate at the time of publishing but may change over time as new research becomes available.
References
- National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin B12 – Health Professional Fact Sheet. NIH website. Accessed 12/22/23.
