The latest darling in the dairy aisle these days appears to be almond milk. Not too long ago "milk" choices were limited to cow's milk (whole, 2%, 1% or nonfat) and soymilk. Now, many more "milk" options are available including almond, hemp, and rice milk to name a few. However, among the options, almond milk appears to be the front runner to challenge cow's milk.

Adding almond milk to a healthy, balanced food plan has many benefits. With fewer calories and no saturated fats, it can help with weight management and decrease the risk of heart disease. A one-cup serving also contains 30% of the daily value (DV) for calcium and 25% of the DV for vitamin D to help maintain strong bones.

However, a  few words of caution if you are wanting to replace your intake of 1% or nonfat cow's milk exclusively with almond milk. First, almond milk contains little protein (1g per cup vs. 8g per cup for cow's milk). Second, while nonfat milk can be an effective high carbohydrate, moderate protein preworkout snack, almond milk  is not a wise preexercise drink due to its 4g of fat per cup combined with low carbohydrate and protein content. Finally, be aware that while unsweetened almond milk is low in  carbohydrates, flavored almond milk can have 20 or more grams of added sugars.

Almond milk  and cow's milk both can contribute a variety of benefits to a healthy meal plan. Be sure to read labels to ensure adequate nutrient content and to know what you are drinking.