How much protein is in almond milk?
Almond milk has 1 g of protein per 1 cup (240 g) — that's 0.4 g per 100 g, or about 0.1 g per ounce. One 1 cup is roughly 2% of the 50 g Daily Value for protein.
USDA FoodData Central · unsweetened, shelf-stable · FDC 174832
Protein & macros by portion
| Portion | Protein | Calories | Fat | Carbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cup (240 g) | 1 g | 36 | 2.4 g | 3.1 g |
| 100 g | 0.4 g | 15 | 1 g | 1.3 g |
| 1 oz (28 g) | 0.1 g | 4 | 0.3 g | 0.4 g |
Values computed from USDA per-100 g data (FDC 174832, SR Legacy). unsweetened, shelf-stable.
The honest answer: almond milk is basically protein-free
Almond milk has a health halo that its nutrition label doesn’t earn — at least not for protein. A full cup (240 g) of unsweetened almond milk carries about 1 gram of protein, and per 100 g it’s just 0.4 g. That isn’t “a little protein”; for practical purposes it’s none. If you’re drinking almond milk to help hit a protein target, it’s doing nothing for you on that front.
The reason is simple once you look at how it’s made. Whole almonds genuinely are a decent protein source — around 21 g per 100 g. But almond milk is mostly water with a modest amount of almonds blended in and strained; in many cartons almonds make up only about 2% of the contents. Nearly all of the nut’s protein, fat, and fiber stays behind in the pulp. What ends up in your glass is almond-flavored water — which is exactly why a whole cup runs only about 15–30 calories. The same dilution that makes it so light also strips out the protein.
What almond milk is genuinely good for
None of this makes almond milk a bad product — it just isn’t a protein food, and it helps to be clear about which job it’s doing. Where it shines:
- Very low calorie. At roughly 15 calories per 100 g, unsweetened almond milk is one of the lightest liquids you can pour. It’s an easy way to add creaminess to coffee, cereal, oats, or a smoothie without spending much of your calorie budget.
- Dairy-free and lactose-free. It’s a reasonable swap for anyone avoiding dairy, whether for intolerance, allergy, or preference.
- Usually fortified. Most shelf-stable cartons add calcium (often ~180 mg per 100 g, on par with cow’s milk) and vitamin D, so you’re not losing those if you switch.
Use it as a base, not as a source. As the liquid in a protein smoothie, the splash in your coffee, or the pour over cereal, almond milk earns its place. The mistake is treating it as a one-for-one stand-in for dairy milk when protein is the point.
If you want a plant milk with protein
When the goal is protein, the fix is to change the milk, not the almond milk. Two clear moves:
- Soy milk. This is the one plant milk that competes with dairy on protein — roughly 8 g per cup, versus about 1 g for almond. If you want a non-dairy carton that actually pulls its weight, soy is the default answer. (See protein in soy milk.)
- Cow’s milk. Around 8 g per cup as well, with calcium and vitamin D built in. If dairy is on the table, it’s the simplest high-protein pour. (See protein in 2% milk.)
If you’re attached to the taste and lightness of almond milk, keep it — just build the protein in around it. Blend a cup with a scoop of whey or plant protein, some Greek yogurt, or silken tofu, and you’ve got a genuinely high-protein drink on an almond-milk base. A few brands also sell almond milks fortified with added pea or soy protein (often 4–10 g per cup); those are the exception, and the carton will say so plainly.
One thing you can skip worrying about: amino acid completeness. That question matters for foods that actually supply protein, and at roughly 0 g per cup it’s moot here. Almond milk simply isn’t where your protein comes from — so spend your protein “slots” on the milk, yogurt, or powder you mix into it, and let almond milk do the lighter job it’s good at. For how much you’re aiming for in a day, see how much protein you need per day.
Packaged almond milk options, graded
If you'd rather grab it off a shelf, here are the best-graded almond milk in our catalog — each scored on our transparent 6-dimension Labelgrade.
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Labelgrade 76/100 · 2.4 g protein · 84 cal
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is almond milk a good source of protein?
No. Unsweetened almond milk has about 0.4 g of protein per 100 g — roughly 1 g in a full cup (240 g). That's a rounding error next to dairy or soy milk, which both deliver around 8 g per cup. Despite its healthy reputation, almond milk is not a protein food.
Why does almond milk have so little protein when almonds are high in protein?
Whole almonds are about 21 g protein per 100 g, but almond milk is mostly water with only a small amount of almonds blended in — often just 2 percent of the carton by weight. Almost all of the protein, fat, and fiber of the nut never makes it into the glass, which is also why it's so low in calories.
How much protein is in a cup of almond milk vs cow's milk?
About 1 g in a cup of unsweetened almond milk versus roughly 8 g in a cup of cow's milk (and about 8 g in soy milk). If protein is the goal, cow's milk or soy milk gives you eight times as much per cup.
Does sweetened or barista almond milk have more protein?
No. Sweetening or frothing almond milk adds sugar and sometimes thickeners or oils, but it does not meaningfully raise the protein — you're still looking at roughly 1 g per cup. The only almond milks with real protein are ones a brand has deliberately fortified with added pea or soy protein, which the label will state.
What plant milk has the most protein?
Soy milk, by a wide margin — about 7 to 8 g per cup, close to cow's milk. Pea-protein milks are similar. Almond, oat, rice, and coconut milks are all low in protein, generally 1 to 3 g per cup, with almond at the bottom of that range.
How can I add protein to almond milk?
Blend it with something that actually carries protein: a scoop of whey or plant protein powder, Greek yogurt, or silken tofu in a smoothie. Almond milk works well as a low-calorie liquid base — it just can't be the protein source itself.
Is almond milk still healthy if it has no protein?
It can be a fine choice for what it is — very low in calories, dairy-free, and usually fortified with calcium. Just don't count on it for protein. Treat it as a light beverage or recipe base, not a milk-for-milk swap when you're trying to hit a protein target.
Whole-food values are USDA reference data and are not assigned a Labelgrade — that score is for branded packaged products, where ingredients and added sugar/sodium actually vary. See our methodology and how much protein you need per day.