Which milk, when, where?

Once upon a time, there was only soya milk - which is no good for me - I'm intolerant to soya milk. It causes me considerable stomach pain. Then there was rice milk I don't drink rice milk, because I'm still breastfeeding and so was advised not to, by the dietitian*.  

Fortunately for me, there are now so many dairy free milk substitutes out there, that I'm not constricted to just soya or rice milk. In fact there's so many out there now, that (if you're not allergic to nuts) it's difficult to know how/where to start. This post is about the ones we prefer and why.

I say 'ones,' as I don't have just one milk substitute. I used to think that was the way to go - I would find my replacement for milk and just stick with it. At that stage I was using Oatly - which is what we were recommended, by the paediatrician. I liked it (although you had to give it a really good shake before using it) but, made of oats, it wasn't low enough in gluten, when I developed my more recent problems, so I had to drop it and look for something else. But, eventually I came to the conclusion that the differing qualities, of each kind of milk, lent themselves to different things. So here (taking you through my daily routine) is how I prefer to go about it, now:

Coffee

Coffee is my way to start the day. No one should get between me and my morning cup of coffee - it's probably the only one I'll have all day (after all, I don't want Baby to stay awake all night) and for that reason it's precious to me. I'm so used to having my coffee black now (an Americano starts my day) that no milk is required. However, if I'm so inclined, it has to be hazelnut!

Breakfast - Porridge

Most days, I start the day with gluten free porridge, in which I quite like coconut milk. I like almond milk even more, but really, I prefer hazelnut milk, in my porridge, the most. It's creamier and as it is sweet enough (for me) as it is, I don't feel the need to add sugar. Bonus!!

Brunch - Pancakes

Well, I don't have pancakes everyday, in fact, hardly ever, but sometimes the need arises. Coconut and almond both work for me in pancakes. I can't decide which I prefer.

Time for a Cuppa 

These days, no milk is required in my tea - I actually prefer it black. In my opinion, flavoured milks do nothing for tea and there's no getting away from the nutty tastes in my favourite milks, which tend to go better with coffee.

Baking - Bread

I used to use Almond milk, but I've now discovered the unsweetened version and decided that in bread, it's the best. Sweetened milks make the bread sweet, which I hate. If I couldn't have the unsweetened almond, I'd use coconut milk, instead.

Lunch - Scrambled Egg

No milk is required whatsoever - I normally just make it with sunflower dairy free spread! However, I have also used a splash of almond milk and that works too.

A Dessert - Custard

Coconut milk carries the blandest flavour, so works best for me in custard. I quite liked the sweetened almond version, but my sister (who didn't even like the coconut much - she has the luxury of being able to have dairy) really drew the line at that one. I only make custard when we have people round - we don't usually do pudding - so I haven't yet tried hazelnut, although I'm tempted!

A Night Time Drink - Hot Chocolate

Baby's choice

I've tried a few of the ready mixed hot chocolates - Kara's coconut and Blue Diamond's almond, but I find them too syrupy sweet for my tooth. 

Baby likes a little of the Blue Diamond version but I prefer making my own - preferably with Hazelnut milk, Green and Black's Cocoa powder and half a teaspoon of sugar. Topped with a splurt of Soyatoo spray 'cream,' and/or a couple of marshmallows, it's... Delish!!

Baby's Milk

I've been trying to get Baby in to hot chocolate, (despite the horrendous sugar content) as she seems to have fallen out of love with her usual soya milk and I'm trying to get some more calcium in. 

Up to now, she has been happy with Alpro Plus 1 soya milk - it's specially formulated to meet the requirements of a young child, from the age of one (with the correct amount of calories and the same added vitamins that you'd find in a toddler's follow-on milk).

Baby's 'Giraffe' milk

The problem is that, to be quite honest, I can be a bit of a worrier and, left to myself, I wouldn't have given her any soya at all, once I became aware of the potential concerns associated with this legume. 

The concerns arise from the worry that the phyto-oestrogens in soya might not be suitable to young children - boys in particular. This is because oestrogen, is of course related to female sexuality, and the worry is that it might affect boys' future fertility.

Such concerns have led the BDA** (British Dietetic Association) to recommend that soya milk should not be used for children under the age of six months. Above that age, they say that soya can be included  as part of a balanced diet, but should not be over relied on.

Of course many Vegans have been using soya milk for years and do not seem too worried by this, but the seed of doubt planted in my mind, by this advice, caused me some worry. It's why I let  Baby continue to breastfeed - so she didn't rely too much on soya milk. 

However, I have come to the decision that as Baby can't have cow's milk and this milk is the one our dietitian recommended - due to the correct calorie content and added vitamins, and as I'm expecting this stage of Baby's life to be temporary, then we just have to go along with it. Now that she is older though, and is not lacking in calories and is seemingly okay with almond milk, I'm happy to let her have some of that on occasion, instead. Hence in her hot chocolate!

And Finally - Out and about

Small is beautiful too!

When out and about, or away for the weekend, you don't want to be carting around a whole litre of dairy free milk, which is why I love these smaller cartons by Kara (more recently re-branded as 'Koko'). They are the perfect size for making a portion of porridge and also come with a straw. You can buy them singly, or in packs of three.

I've heard of people sending their primary age kids into school, with these to drink - instead of the usual cow's milk (which the schools supply). I can see us letting Baby have these, in years to come, when she goes to school (should they be required) as long as she likes them , of course!

In Conclusion
Funny how what seemed like a negative (not being able to have cow's milk) has turned into something quite positive. I don't think that I would ever have experimented with all these different milks, if Baby had been fine with cow's milk. Now, I wonder if, when I am free to go back to dairy, I might actually be happier with my dairy free milks, after all, or whether I'll find myself continuing to experiment with dairy free milks. After all, porridge with hazelnut milk is sooo delicious!

How about you? What milks do you prefer, and when?

Update: Kara (or 'Koko,' as they're now called) have recently brought out their mini cartons in strawberry and chocolate flavour. These are now available through Holland and Barrett, Ocado and some health food shops.

*In recent years, there has been concern over the levels of arsenic in rice. Babies being less able to cope with toxins in their body are therefore supposed to be steered clear of rice milk. If you're breastfeeding, the worry is that the arsenic could pass through one's system and into the baby. Personally, I don't like rice milk anyway. The little I have tasted didn't appeal to me, although I know it does to others.

However, if rice milk is all you can have, due to other allergies/intolerances, then that it what you have to use. I was interested to read an article about the concerns over arsenic in rice, the other day, which I think could prove helpful for anyone battling with these concerns.

*Arsenic in your Rice? A clinical Nutrition Report (US)
*Arsenic in Rice Drinks (FSA - UK)

**Food Fact Sheet - Suitable Milks for Children with Cow's Milk Allergy by the BDA.

Update 2: I'm very sorry, but the above link does not appear to be working. Meanwhile, this one (also by the BDA) does seem to work: Soya and Health


Related Posts:

There are alternatives - milk substitutes
Happy with Hazelnut?


Anyone for Almond Milk?
Have you tried Hemp?

There are alternatives - dairy free milk substitutes

So you can't have milk, but you might still want your morning breakfast cereal or something with your cuppa. Well there's no need for complete despair, there are alternatives! 

One of the main things to consider is the age of the individual involved. Some milk substitutes aren't suitable before the age of six months, two, three or even four years, so you need to read your labels carefully. 

Baby's choice:1+ by Alpro

You might also want to bear in mind whether your milk substitute needs to be enriched with certain vitamins. If, for example, you want your milk substitute to perform the same kind of role that normal milk would previously have carried out for you (by providing a considerable amount of your daily calcium allowance) you need to check the label. Most do, but organic versions won't, because they cannot call themselves organic, if they have added anything into the mix. 

Some also have vitamin D added. It is vital for your body to get enough vitamin D, in order to absorb calcium, so it could be worthwhile to make sure your milk substitute contains vitamin D as well. Some also have B vitamins, and so it goes on...


The good news is that there are all kinds of milk substitutes these days. The problem is that the choice could be bewildering, so let's take a look at the options:

Soya Milk

Perhaps most widely known and available - often offered in coffee shops etc. no good, however, if, like me, you have an intolerance to soya milk. Many people who can't have milk also have problems with soya. There is also some question mark over the use of soya by those who are pregnant or infants - soya contains a plant form of oestrogen, which it is thought might cause some kind of hormonal effect. More worrying for boys than girls apparently, but there nonetheless.

There are other associated risks, but reading around, it's tricky sorting out the fact from (quite frankly) the fanciful. The following article, from the BDA, is quite a helpful read.

One thing that does seem to be agreed upon, is that soya is not deemed suitable for children under the age of six months. Alpro produce a junior version (suitable from one year) that we now use for 'Baby'. This is the medical profession's preferred option for young children under the age of two, unless they are intolerant/allergic to soya. This is because it has the right amount of calories and additional vitamins, that are needed by very young children.

One of the major advantages of soya, however, has to be, that (as it has been around so long, as a useful milk substitute) manufacturers have found ways of developing yoghurts, cheeses etc. made with soya. You can also get it in various flavours and in smaller cartons, which are good for carrying around. So if you can tolerate soya, and don't depend too much on it, it could be a good option.

Rice Milk

Personally I think rice milk has a nasty after taste. It is a popular alternative but not considered suitable for children below the age of four and a half (and therefore not suitable for those who are breastfeeding either). This is due to the fact that rice contains a certain level of arsenic!! The arsenic comes from the soil in which the rice is grown. Yet somehow rice is generally widely consumed and is still considered safe as a first food for babies!! Read this article by the Food Standards Agency, for official advice. And then the following article, by Foodsmatter, for a more interesting read!

For those who can have rice milk, as well as the larger cartons, it also comes in handy smaller lunchbox-sized versions, which are good for travelling. They also come in variety of flavours.

Almond Milk

One alternative that is becoming more and more popular, is almond milk. I really like almond milk. Almond is a good natural source of calcium, so it makes good sense. It's also an excellent source of vitamin E. The good news, for nut allergy sufferers, is that almonds are not nuts - they're drupes and are related to the peach!

Ecomil, Blue Diamond, Alpro, Dairy Free Dream, and Rude Health all make their own versions of almond milk, but Ecomil's, being organic will not have any extra vitamins beyond those which are naturally present in the almond itself because you can't add vitamins to an organic drink - it immediately invalidates its organic nature). Rude Health's version will not be suitable for anyone avoiding rice milk (see section below), as it contains 14% rice milk. This isn't a huge amount, so you might regard it as okay, but that's entirely up to you!

Alpro's advice (aimed at those of us who have young 'uns) is that Almond milk is not suitable as a main milk drink for children under three, but can be used in cooking etc. Additionally, they state (unless they're organic, of course), that all Alpro milks contain vitamins B2, B12, and D as well as calcium.

Hazelnut Milk
Hazelnut milk has quite a distinctive nutty flavour. I like it in porridge, as it adds a kind of creaminess, which is missing in almond milk. Alpro is the brand leader in this one. Rice Dream also make a hazelnut milk, but it's unsuitable for anyone avoiding rice milk as rice milk is blended in with the hazelnut milk. As with almond milk, Alpro state that it is not suitable as a main milk drink for children under three, but can be used in cooking etc. 

Coconut Milk

Chocolate Kara

Made by Kara, it's OK, but I thought it left a slightly powdery taste on my tongue (but maybe that's just me). Kara's coconut milk is quite good used in custard and rice pudding. It's very popular with parents whose children are unable to have rice or soya milk. Kara's coconut milk contains calcium (250ml = 375% of RDA) and now vitamin D as well (it didn't used to). It is apparently cholesterol free. 

Handily, it comes in smaller cartons now, and in three flavours: Original, Chocolate and Strawberry, although the strawberry only comes in the smaller size. The chocolate version makes a very good hot chocolate once warmed!

Hemp Milk

Called 'Good Hemp' and made by Braham and Murray. I know it has lots of fans, but I tried this one once and am not a fan - it has a very distinctive taste. I'm guessing they've successfully removed the narcotic effects of the Hemp, though, as otherwise things could get a wee bit interesting! It's main selling point seems to be that, not only does it apparently contain calcium and vitamin D, it also contains omegas 3 and 6!

Quinoa Milk

Quinoa (keen-wah) is a type of grain. It was used by the Incas to strengthen their warriors, I believe. It's quite a good source of protein and is regarded by some as a sort of 'super food'. Made by Ecomil, we've only used this in making bread, so far!

Oat Milk

Oatly, are the brand leaders with this one, although there are now more oat drinks on the market. It was my personal favourite before my intolerance problems really began. Now that I can't tolerate gluten, this one is out for me - as it's not made with gluten free oats, which is a shame. 

It's not suitable for children under the age of two, as a main milk drink (unless advised otherwise by your dietitian), but can be used in cooking. I didn't get any nasty after-taste from it, but you do need to shake the carton really well before use as the mixture can separate. You can get a chocolate version (which isn't too bad) and they also do an Oatley cream substitute which is not unpleasant either (it's fairly thick, but thins somewhat, when it comes into contact with warm food).

In case you're wondering...
Goats milk and sheep milk are two substitutes to cow's milk that we've not tried - although people often bring these up in conversation, once they realise you have a problem with cow's milk! The reason that we haven't is because both of these contain proteins that are very similar to those found in cow's milk, so we're not going there! 

I have a friend who did rear her children on goat's milk (you can get it as a powdered formula in a tin from some supermarkets and good health food shops, it's called 'Nanny Care'), but I'm not prepared to take the risk of a bad reaction. Camel's milk and mare's milk are apparently much less allergenic, but I don't know about you, I've certainly not seen them on sale in any supermarket, just yet!


If you're from the States...
For the Americans among us, a comprehensive breakdown of milk substitutes available in the US, has been produced by the American nutritionist, Heather Bauer.


At the end of the day (having considered the options) whichever milk substitutes you end up trying, I hope you find one that you can enjoy with your cuppa and/or cereal!! 


And please... let me know how you get on!

More posts about milk substitutes can be found on our blog, under the heading 'Dairy Substitutes' which also covers yoghurt, cream and cheese!