User:Indiemindy/sandbox

Almond milk is a non-dairy alternative for milk that contains neither cholesterol nor lactose. It is the most popular plant-based milk in the U.S., especially among those who are lactose-intolerant and who wish to avoid dairy products, including vegans. Along with its growing popularity, there has controversial issues on the nutritional values and sustainability of almond milk products.

Nutritional Concerns
Several clinical presentations of children associated with high almond milk ingestion featuring hematuria, dysuria, abdominal pain or kidney stones. Studies suggest that the high oxalate content in almond milk products cause these symptoms especially in young children between ages 7 and 13 years who consume less fluid and restricted variety of foods than adults. Because humans lack oxalic decarboxylase that can degrade oxalic acid, an excessive amount of almond milk intake can compromise renal health.

Sustainability
A majority of American almonds are grown in the state of California. In light of the recent issues with drought in California, it has become more difficult to raise almonds in a sustainable manner. The issue becomes complex because of the high amount of water needed to produce almonds. Studies show that a single almond requires roughly 1.1 US gallons (0.92 imperial gallons; 4.2 liters) of water to grow properly. Although a 100mL of milk requires a 100 liters of water, the environmental concern about almond milk production comes from the fact that its production is focused heavily on one particular part of the world that suffers from serious drought and earthquakes. Almond crop uses 80% of the state's water, and in order to pump out water, almond farmers drill into 11 inches into aquifers which could trigger earthquakes by threatening critical infrastructures such as bridges and roads.

The environmental impact of almond milk production also threatens the health of honey bees. Honey bees store pollens to feed growing larvae in their nest and depend on fungi to preserve pollen provisions. Research suggests that honey bees exposed to fungicides have increased mortality rate compared to unexposed bees. The fungicides used to prevent almond trees from pests and pathogens can destroy the fungi component of the pollen carried by honey bees and consequently disrupt the growth of healthy larvae.