And thanks to AlproSOS... they all lived happily ever after??

I don't know about you, but I love a story with a happy ending, don't you?

The problem with a story with a happy ending is that unfortunately it has to have a miserable bit, before everything gets resolved! 

ONCE UPON A TIME...

This tale all started back in November (for those who don't know), with the announcement that Alpro had decided that in order to expand it's operations, it was going to move factories and this would result in nut milks being manufactured alongside soya milk. BUT, not only would this affect their milk, but other dairy free products such as custard, cream and yoghurt. This dealt a huge blow to families in which a family member was allergic to both dairy and nuts. Especially, when they realised that Alpro produced soya milk for many supermarket 'own' brands as well as for Provamel. 

It was a particular disaster, for families with young ones, who were relying on reliable supplies of the Alpro Plus 1 soya milk which is specially formulated for little ones - there is no other like it on the market. See why here.

Specially formulated for little ones

There was a partial resolution to this, when Alpro decided to secure the safety of this milk, back in March 2014. However, the issue of desserts and yoghurts still remained.

Many schools/nurseries use Alpro Soya products.

I was also concerned about the fall-out for children who were dairy free and who were mixing with nut allergic children in schools/nurseries etc. I was worried in case that meant that they would no longer be allowed to eat Alpro dairy free desserts/yoghurts within those settings and was quite frankly dismayed at how long it apparently took some members of the dairy free online community, some allergy organisations and some health care professionals to jump on board. 

I see it this way - if one part of the allergic community suffers, some kind of discrimination/barrier/injustice then ultimately we all do... at some point. As John Donne wrote in his famous poem:

No man is an island entire of itself; every man

is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;

We all need to work together to create understanding among the many out there, who just don't 'get it' and also to bring about CHANGE!

HAPPY ENDING!!

It just goes to show what will happen if we do all work together, because yesterday, after months of uncertainty and misery for the families that were directly affected, Alpro SOS was finally able to announce that Alpro was going to make the changes for which we'd all been hoping and praying and pushing... well, some of them at least!!

See here:

Dear AlproSOS

As you know, a year ago we decided to label all our plant based products with a 'may contain traces of almonds and hazelnuts' claim. This was to give consumers advance warning of the integration of products containing almonds or hazelnuts into its production facilities.

After thorough investigation and without compromising Alpro's ethical aims of bringing delicious and safe products to the market, we are PLEASED TO CONFIRM THAT WE WILL BE GRADUALLY REMOVING THE 'MAY CONTAIN TRACES OF ALMONDS AND HAZELNUTS' CLAIM FROM OUR SOYA, RICE AND OAT DRINKS AS WELL AS OUR PLANT-BASED ALTERNATIVES TO CREAM AND DESSERTS.

As part of a major investment in our facilities, we will ARRANGE OUR CURRENT PRODUCTION LINES TO BE DEDICATED TO PRODUCING SOYA, RICE AND OAT DRINKS OR ALMOND, HAZELNUT AND COCONUT DRINKS. ANY AVOIDABLE RISK OF CROSS CONTAMINATION IS THUS EXCLUDED, WHICH MEANS THE WARNING CAN BE REMOVED from our soya, rice and oat drink products and our plant-based alternatives to cream and desserts.

We apologise for any confusion relating to the nut claim, but our intention regarding labelling has always to keep consumers fully informed of the changes as early as possible. Now that production plans have changed, the claim is no longer necessary on soya, rice and oat drinks and our plant-based alternatives to cream and desserts.

These recent decisions and measures will allow all consumers to continue to enjoy Alpro soya, rice and oat drinks and our Alpro plant-based alternatives to cream and desserts in the future.

Ann De Jaeger
Vice President, Division General Counsel & Corporate Communications

Well almost!!

However, please note, this does not include yoghurts - as of yet!! Alpro SOS are continuing to push for other information too - check out their Face Book page for more information!

Today, Alpro SOS have also been able to announce that the 'sister company' Provamel will also follow suit, and I wish to congratulate all, working behind the scenes at Alpro SOS and thank them for all their hard work. And I wish to thank Alpro too, for considering the alternatives and coming up with some solutions. I am sure that this has required a lot of logistical nightmares as well the reallocation  of some finances! I do hope that they will work to resolve the anomaly of the yoghurts very soon!

The Sequel

Meanwhile, as an allergic community, there is still plenty of work to do!

Supermarkets are still using unnecessary and useless 'may contain' labelling on their products and people with nut allergies are taking their lives in their hands should they dare to travel by airplane.  We need to continue to apply pressure, to help big companies see sense!

What can you do?

Some thing as simple as highlighting it on Twitter or Face Book, or signing a petition on Change.Org can all help. If you feel you could email/write to a company, even better!

Let's make change happen!

Related Posts:

Warning! Alpro soya milk may contain nuts!

Which Dairy Free Milk is Best?

Further Reading:

 Alpro to remove 'may contain nuts' warning on soya products - The Grocer 

FAQ's: Is A2 milk suitable for those with a cow's milk allergy, or 'milk intolerance'?

When I had 'Baby' among all our other problems I struggled with breastfeeding - not least because huge cracks, which were incredibly painful, developed around the nipple area. What I wanted to find was a nipple cream. My problem was that the only one on the market that is recommended is made with Lanolin... and guess what?? I'm allergic to Lanolin. When I approached the matter with my (locum) GP. She wouldn't entertain any discussion as to what else I might use, because nothing else had been found to be safe and it 'wasn't ethical' to test things on babies.

How is it relevant to this post?

Because I am feeling a niggle of concern about the way that A2 milk is presenting itself to the allergic/intolerant. Recently on Twitter, someone who (as far as I'm aware) was unknown to A2 was questioning what I thought about it. A2's representative to this person's query by responding with, 'Why don't you try it?' (Or words to that effect!) 

'Scuse me? Apparently not knowing this person, or much about their health condition (or indeed anything else) they suggested trying it!! Well, that strikes me as being rather irresponsible at the very least and unethical at it's very worst!

For those who don't know, A2 is a milk that in it's modern incarnation hails from Australia, where a special breed of cows has been bred. These cows produce milk that doesn't contain A1 milk proteins, but instead produces milk containing A2 proteins. The idea is that some people might be better off drinking A2 milk, rather than milk containing A1. The way it's explained all sounds very beguiling - to those who are having problems with 'normal' cows' milk. After all, we're desperate aren't we??  To find a solution to our problems??

A2 Milk is still Cow's milk

Up to now, I have restrained myself from blogging about A2 milk. My main worry being that if I draw attention to this product, that people will inevitably (out of curiosity, which is a powerful thing) want to try it - to see if they are the 'lucky' ones for whom it might work - especially if 'helpful' friends or relatives suggest they should 'give it a go'. BUT because the subject of A2 milk keeps cropping up, I've come to decide that some words of caution might well be required.

Following a recent exchange with A2 on Twitter, I discovered that A2 say that their milk is NOT suitable for those with a cows' milk allergy*. Good! I'd agree with them about that! 

So what's my problem? You may well ask!

Well, the thing is, it appears that A2 like to use the term dairy/milk intolerance or cmpi - which, by the way, doesn't feature in up-to-date NHS terminology. They referred me to their Nutritionist*, who tried to point me to a line in the NICE document which refers to 'food intolerance'. However, the bit to which she referred was talking about food intolerance as a whole, in an overarching sense - NOT specifically milk allergy. 

According to the NHS see here (near the bottom of the article, under the heading 'Milk and Dairy Intolerance'): 

'There are three conditions that cause a reaction to milk.'

The article goes on to explain that 

there is lactose intolerance and there is milk allergy - of which there are two kinds - Ige and Non-Ige.***

That's it. 

What used to be called cow's milk protein intolerance or cmpi is now referred to as a Non-Ige Mediated Cow's Milk Allergy. 

Following this one through, it would seem either that A2 mean that their milk is suitable for a medical condition that doesn't exist, or they mean that they think their milk is suitable for those who once upon a time would have been described as cow's milk protein intolerant, but who are now described as having a Non-Ige Mediated Cow's Milk Allergy. But as A2 say their milk is NOT suitable for those with milk allergy, it can't be the latter, can it?

Part of my worry about the use of the term cmpi/cow's milk protein intolerance, is that, confusingly, it still seems to be in use, by some individuals. Perhaps some medical professionals (hopefully not allergy professionals) are still using out-dated terminology, because there are still people who seem refer to themselves, or their little ones, in this way. 

Or, it's quite possible that if you/your child were diagnosed around the time 'Baby' was diagnosed (she was originally diagnosed as cow's milk protein intolerant) or any earlier, you/your child may have been diagnosed as cow's milk protein intolerant. Unless your knowledge has since been updated you might still be referring to your diagnosis using the old terminology. If you describe your condition as cmpi/cow's milk protein intolerance, when it is in fact a milk allergy, you might wrongly assume that A2 milk might work for you. 

Now, even supposing that A2 milk might work for you/your child, the first problem you face is how to test/challenge you/your child to see if they're okay with it - without the risk of causing a significant reaction - remember the unethical bit? So I imagine the sensible way to do it would not be with a drink of A2 milk, but to follow the so-called Milk Ladder. Of course, you could only safely take this approach with a Non-Ige  Mediated Cow's Milk Allergy. Milk challenges of children with an Ige Mediated Cow's milk Allergy are usually carried out within a hospital setting - just in case (Heaven forbid) the worst happens!

The Milk Ladder (in case you've never heard of it before) is a 'safe' way of reintroducing milk to those with a Non-Ige Mediated Cow's Milk Allergy, by exposing them first to the tiniest trace. It is meant to be followed under the guidance of a dietitian - who can advise on specific amounts (even of biscuit, as this can make a difference) and for how long to stay on each stage, before moving on to the next. This will vary from person to person - which is why there is the need for a dietitian to be involved.

The Milk Ladder begins with trialling milk in the form of margarine or butter - which has been baked in a biscuit that has been heated long enough, at a high enough temperature, in order to 'denature' the milk protein somewhat. It has been discovered that most children with a milk allergy can tolerate milk in this form (my little one couldn't, until quite recently, see here) so this is a fairly safe starting point to use.

Of course the first problem is that A2 milk is (currently anyway) a standalone product - there is no A2 margarine or butter to bake in a biscuit. There is no A2 cheese (much further up the Milk Ladder) to be baked in a dish like Lasagna. So how, therefore, can you introduce A2 milk in a controlled way?

Even supposing you discover that A2 milk is suitable for you (without the use of the Milk Ladder), you will still only have one stand-alone product - another expensive replacement for 'normal' milk. You will still have to use dairy free/vegan margarine, butter, cream and yoghurt etc. When you eat out, you will still have to check every packet, every item on the menu for cow's milk - 'cos no one else will be using A2 milk.

Now I suppose it could be possible that the the Doctors, Dietitian's etc. just haven't yet identified the condition for which A2 milk is suitable - after all medical science is constantly evolving and discovering new things. However, one thing is for certain, until the Allergy Specialists say otherwise, I won't be touching it with a barge pole! Neither will my little one, with her confirmed diagnosis of Non-Ige Mediated Cow's Milk Protein Allergy. 

Anyone with a milk allergy, who is interested in the merits of A2 (or any other kind of milk, for that matter), should first discuss any new course of action with their own HCP's - that's Health Care Professionals - Doctors and Dietitians, who are best placed to advise you appropriately. 

Update:

I was most interested to read an article shared by Dr George Du Toit (@GoAllergy on Twitter) regarding A2 Milk. See here:

* I was therefore most surprised to see that despite this, they have published a testimony about their milk (on their website) by someone who describes themselves as having a milk allergy, but who is OK, apparently, with their milk. 

** I feel the need to point out that although some nutritionists are qualified in some way, not all are - in fact anyone can call themselves a nutritionist. I could, if I so wished, without a qualification to my name (see here for more about this)! Melanie Bibby, according to her profile on the A2 website has an MSc in Food Science from the University of Reading, but even so, the advice of a nutritionist should not supersede that of your Allergy Doctor or Specialist Allergy Dietitian.

***  For a more detailed description of Ige and Non-Ige Mediated Cow's Milk Allergy, see here.

New Update: 18th May 2015 

Today, A2's  nutritionist told me (via Twitter) that the NHS Choices article is out of date. I like to make sure my sources are reliable, so I've just checked. It was reviewed just the other month, so, no it isn't out of date!! She tells me that the FSA and NICE back up her definition of 'milk intolerance', however, she has not responded to my request for links to these (strangely enough). 

Having dug around on the A2 website (see here - please note, their definition of 'milk intolerance' looks remarkably like a description for Non-Ige Mediated Milk Allergy - they even use the term 'Non-Ige'), I found the links to the sources to which I suspect she was referring. The link to NICE appears to be permanently broken (I tried it several times) but I'm guessing that it would have taken me to the extract which I have already addressed (see above). The link to the FSA worked, but as far as I can see, it bears no relation to her definitions of 'milk intolerance'. 

Moreover the FSA article does not seek to define these terms, but rather examine how milk or dairy free foods are labelled and how that labelling is understood by individuals suffering from various forms of 'milk sensitivity' - this term being used as an overarching term for all medical conditions linked to an inability to tolerate milk.  

To me, it seems like they're re-shaping facts to fit their marketing claims for their milk - which could be interpreted as misleading. This is nothing new - pseudo-scientific terms have long been used by promoters of quack cures/therapies as a way of convincing the unsuspecting!

What I would much prefer to see offered by A2, by way of evidence, is a paper, quote or statement by a recognized specialised allergy professional, clearly and convincingly endorsing A2 and it's suitability for those with a so-called 'milk intolerance'. Someone such as Dr George Du Toit, or Dr Adam Fox would convince me - not someone like Dr Mark Porter (GP and TV Doctor) who has previously been used as a figurehead to endorse their product (or even the most recent addition to their arsenal: Rick Miller - a Clinical and Sports Dietitian - apparently renowned in his field, but NOT an allergy specialist)!

However, the kind of evidence (remember it needs to be independent, peer-reviewed etc. etc.) that would convince me of (A2 milk's suitability) is unfortunately lacking!!


New update: 4th June 2015

Hallelujah for 'Sense About Science'. Assisted by various experts in the field, they've just published a new booklet, 'Making Sense of Allergies' which has been created specifically to debunk myths about allergies. It confirms all I've been saying about A2! See the bottom of P.22 here for the full story but to quote: 

'... the best scientific evidence suggests that A1 protein intolerance does not exist. The position of the Dietitians Association of Australia is that "there is no solid scientific evidence demonstrating that A2 milk is better for you than regular milk." This company is marketing a product that the best scientific evidence suggests does not exist.' 

I rest my case!!



New update: 21st August 2015

Unfortunately A2 milk are still not playing ball, even though top allergy professionals continue to work behind the scenes on this one! Rick Miller (their RD) was trying to undermine this blog post today - casting aspersions, by saying it was a year old! Watch out for a future post, hopefully coming soon! 

Please note, despite A2's claims about new more recent research, it is still not recognised by current top UK allergy professionals and their 'research' and 'evidence' is only funded by their organisation - which is, of course, not going to release any information from their research unless it fits their version of the 'facts'. 

Always check the credentials of anyone who offers you advice about new products  - especially in relation to allergies/intolerances. Rick Miller's qualifications and expertise, for example, are mostly related to sports nutrition, NOT food allergies. Any responsible person should suggest you check with YOUR allergy HCP's first!

Related Posts: 

Which Dairy Free Milk Is Best?

Challenging 'Baby'!

Further Reading:

A2 milk is Allergenic - The Medical Journal of Australia (subscription required)

A2 milk: What you need to know - Medical News Today

Cow's Milk (Dairy) Allergy - Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy

More A2 Milk Nonsense - Planet Lactose (NZ blog)

Warning: A2 Milk - Allergy UK

Baking with 'Baby' 14 - Silvana's Super Shortbread

Shortbread. 

Once upon a time it seemed such a simple pleasure. I used to love the shortbread that came in tartan tins at Christmas! The pictures on the front were always a tad twee, but the contents were what truly mattered to me!

Shortbread that is dairy free and gluten free and tastes convincing - well that's a bit more tricky to come by!

This shortbread does it for me!

I've tried a number of substitutes, but that buttery flavour is pretty hard to replicate and most gluten free shortbreads are very fine and crumbly - due to all that rice flour! My favourite susbstitutes for shortbread, until now, have been Asda's Free From Shortbread and Sunstart's Supreme Golden Crunch (the latter not claiming to be shortbread at all, but tastes more like it to me than the shortbread by the same firm)!

Anyone for Asda's?

I've tried making straight substitutions with Dove's gluten free flour and Pure sunflower margarine, but that just didn't cut it for me!

However, I finally hit on a recipe that does it for me when I came across this recipe from Silvana's Kitchen. Apologies for those who can't have almonds, because this recipe requires them!  Eggs are listed as an ingredient, but as they're only used for brushing over the top for a golden finish, you could easily leave this step out, if you can't have eggs (and in fact I always do, because I'm just too lazy!

Silvana's recipe also uses 'cups' for measurement. This is fine by me, as I love using these to cook too! I love the fact that it's a simple measure and being more visual, I think it makes it easier for 'Baby' to understand - rather than loads of digits on a scale.

Lovely visual way of measuring, especially with these!

If you're not used to cooking with cups, the thing to remember is these aren't your average teacup or mug, they are an actual specific unit of measure, that you need to buy from a shop, OR you can use this simple conversion chart instead, and carry on using your kitchen scales!! If you do use cups, then make sure you level them off properly, for accuracy (see why here, if you don't believe me)!!

The next thing you need to know is that the margarine I used was Pure sunflower margarine and the flour was Dove's gluten free flour. 'Confectioner's sugar' (just in case you're wondering) is good old icing sugar.

The only other translation you may need, is that Silvana cooks her shortbread at 325 degrees Fahrenheit, my oven works in degrees Celsius, which roughly works out at 160 - 165 degrees. Gas would be mark 3.

Now when your shortbread comes out of the oven, it will hopefully look somewhat like this (mine are a bit thicker than Silvana's):

Not quite perfect, but near enough!

You can of course eat them as they are... and we do!

But sometimes, it's fun just to bling them up a bit, like this (all 'Baby's' own work):

Fun for 'Baby'

OR, if you want a more grown-up finish, you could always melt some dairy free chocolate, dip your shortbread and leave it to harden... or you could just dip it in the chocolate and eat it anyway! 

Well, why not?

I would! 

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like:

Baking Dairy Free

Further baking adventures with 'Baby' can be found by following this link.

Which Dairy Free Milk Is Best?

Some Background

The other day someone on Face Book asked whether there was any information available comparison the nutritional values of different types of dairy free milks. 

'Good question!' I thought... After all, there is a very wide range of dairy free milks available now. How DO we know which one is best? 

Take your pick!

So I decided to do a little digging!   

The problem was that a lot of the nutritional analysis of dairy free milk, that I came across on the Internet, such as this article, came from the United States. It was interesting, there were similarities but the brands were different. 

Then Specialist Peadiatric Allergy Dietitian Lisa Waddell pointed me in the direction of Itch, Swell, Ooze and Wheeze blog. There was an interesting post - closer to home, for sure. 

However, some of the major players were missing, so I decided to compile my own table - including some of the big dairy free branded products that I know a lot of us are using regularly.

Et Voila!


Table comparing well-known brands of dairy free milk (UK)

Per 200ml serving	Calories (Kcal)	Protein (g)	Carbs (g)	Sugar (g)	Fat (g)	Sat. Fat (g)	Fibre (g)	Sodium (g)	Calcium (mg)	Vit. B12 (µg)	Vit. B2 (mg)	Iron (mg)	Vit. C (mg)	Vit. D (µg)
Tesco Organic Whole Cow’s Milk	137	6.8g	9.4	9.4	8	5.2	0	0.04	244	1.8	-	-	-	Trace
Oatly (Oat)	90	2.0	13	8	3	0.4	1.6	0.08	240	0.76	0.42	-	-	1.5
Almond Breeze	48	1	5.8	5.6	2.2	0.2	0.6	0.1	240	-	-	-	-	-
Alpro Almond	48	1	6	6	2.2	0.2	0.4	0.26 salt	240	0.76	0.42	-	-	1.5
Almond Breeze (unsweetened)	28	1	0.8	0.2	2.4	<0.1?	0.6	0.1	240	-	-	-	-	-
Alpro Almond (unsweetened)	26	0.8	-	0.2	2.2	0.2	0.8	1	240	0.76	0.42	-	-	1.5
Good Hemp	78	<0.1?	6.8	3.2	5	0.4	<0.1?	0.04	240	-	-	-	-	1.5
Rice Dream	94	0.2	18.8	8	2	0.2	0.2	0.08	240	-	-	-	-	ü
Koko (Coconut)	54	0.4	3.8	3.2	4	3.8	0.2	0.08	240	0.76	-	-	-	1.5
Alpro Soya	80	6	5.6	5.4	3.6	0.6	1	0.04	240	0.76	0.42	-	-	1.5
Alpro Plus 1 (Soya)	128	5	16.6	5	4.4	0.8	0.8	0.08 salt	240	0.76	0.42	4.2	24	3
Alpro Hazelnut	58	0.6	6.2	6.2	3.2	0.4	0.6	1	240	0.76	0.42	-	-	1.5

Note:
1. Nutritional Values sourced from Websites/Cartons of Brands, except Oatly (Holland and Barrett website).
2. -  indicates that I couldn't source a value
3. a tick indicates present but value unknown
4. ? indicates value unknown due to < therefore it couldn't be doubled.

5. Organic dairy free organic milks were not included in this table, as they are not fortified with essential vitamins, such as calcium, vitamin D2 and B vitamins. B12 is a vitamin that needs to be particularly considered by those on a plant-based diet (see here). 
6. Two types of Almond Milk and two brands - just to see (out of interest) how they compared.

Method in my Madness

The table I compiled includes cow's milk - since that has been excluded from the dairy free diet - in order to provide some kind of reference point. 

For the purposes of the table, I've taken the nutritional information provided by the brands in regards to their products (which is calculated per 100ml) and then translated that into what one might refer to as a 'serving' (i.e 200 ml) - simply because that helps me to better understand what it is that we're putting into our bodies and where the shortfall lies.

Some cells in the table have been left blank - merely because the brand has not provided that particular information in regard to their product - it doesn't mean it's not there, it's just not mentioned, if it is!

The table is by no means exhaustive - other vitamins etc. have been omitted partly because most brands didn't list them - so there was nothing to compare against, but also because the table was getting rather large and unwieldy! 

Compiling the table, although laborious, was a useful exercise for me - usually when I look at a table full of numbers, my eyes glaze over and the numbers all go flying over my head! It made me really take note of the statistics and apply that information to my own situation.

One of the things I noted was that, as far as dairy free milk is concerned, calcium, and vitamin D2 came pretty much as standard, so shouldn't come into consideration when choosing a dairy free milk (as long as it's not organic). But there are clear differences in other areas, such as protein and sugar.

It made me wonder whether the lack of protein in almond milk may be the reason why I don't feel so satisfied when I've eaten my cereal with dairy free milk - since protein makes us feel fuller for longer. Therefore, something made with egg would probably better for me to eat, for breakfast, as it would make me feel fuller for longer! 

That'll be more pancakes and waffles, for breakfast, for me then!  ;)


The table I created has since been eclipsed by this one, kindly supplied by Dr Carina Venter, which specifically addresses the nutritional needs of children:

Note:
1. I am extremely grateful to Dr Carina Venter, Allergy Specialist Dietitian, for granting permission to share this table.
2. Please note the values in this table are given per 100ml, not as per 200ml in my table.
3. Vitamin B2 is expressed here as Riboflavin
4. Chufa Milk is otherwise known as Tiger Nut Milk. Isola Bio make an organic version of Tiger Nut Milk - it is unfortified as it is organic. Tiger Nut Milk seems to be more common in Spain (see here). 
5. I've not seen either chufa or potato milk commercially available in the UK. 


What should we be getting?

Just in case you're wondering how this information stacks up against what we should be getting, I've compiled some information here:

Reference Nutrient Intakes 

AGE	Calories (Kcal)	Protein (g)	Sodium (g)	Calcium (mg)	Vit. B12 (µg)	Vit. B2 (mg)	Iron (mg)	Vit. C (mg)		AGE	Vit D (µg)
Under 1 Year	721	13.5	0.3	525	0.3	0.4	5.4	25		0 – 6 months	8.5
1 - 3	1197	14.5	0.5	350	0.5	0.6	6.9	30		7 months – 3 years	7.0
4 - 6	1630	19.7	0.7	450	0.8	0.8	6.1	30		4 - 6	-
7 - 10	1855	28.3	1.2	550	1.0	1.0	8.7	30		7 - 10	-
11 – 14 (male)	2220	42.1	1.6	1000	1.2	1.2	11.3	35		11 – 14 (male)	-
15 - 18	2755	55.2	1.6	1000	1.5	1.3	11.3	40		15 - 18	-
19 - 50	2550	55.5	1.6	700	1.5	1.3	8.7	40		19 - 50	-
50 +	2340	53.3	1.6	700	1.5	1.3	8.7	40		50+	-
11 – 14 (female)	1845	41.2	1.6	800	1.2	1.1	14.8	35		11 – 14 (female)	-
15 – 18	2110	45.0	1.6	800	1.5	1.1	14.8	40		15 - 18	-
19 - 50	1940	45.0	1.6	700	1.5	1.1	14.8	40		19 - 50	-
50+	1877	46.5	1.6	700	1.5	1.1	8.7	40		65 +	10.0
Pregnant 16 - 50	2140	51.0	1.6	700	1.5	1.4	14.8	50		Pregnant	10.0

Note: 
1. Vitamin B2 may otherwise be called Riboflavin
2. - indicates that I couldn't source a value
3. Source RNI
4. Source Vit D 


SO, back to the original question - which dairy free milk is best? 

Well, this I will have to leave up to you to decide. This will all depend on you and what you need - I'm aware that not all dairy free folks are babies, toddlers or even allergic!

If you're the parent of a little one, you'll probably be aware that calories and protein are especially important, alongside calcium and vitamin D. But most adults are probably getting a more than adequate supply of calories elsewhere  ;) 

If you want to lose weight, then something like rice milk would probably be best for you - as it's extremely low in calories, but if you're sporty or athletic, you'll definitely be burning more calories and need protein to build muscle, but of course, you're not going to get them from milk alone!

When it comes to choosing the milk that's right for you, you might want to consider the following points

Further points to consider when choosing a dairy free milk

1. Soya milk might need to be avoided by those with an under active Thyroid. Consult your HCP for further advice.

2. If you're coeliac/very sensitive to gluten check all cartons to make sure they're gluten free. Oat milk should be avoided by anyone with gluten problems - unless it's Rude Health, which is organic (and therefore not fortified).

Further points to consider when choosing dairy free milk for young children

1. Under the age of one, non of the dairy free milks are suitable as a main milk drink, unless otherwise specifically recommended by your HCP (Health Care Professional). This is because milk is a major source of nutrition for babies and none of the plant-based milks contain all the necessary nutrients. At this stage, either breast milk or alternative safe/prescribed formula would be required. 

2. Well, if you're not continuing with a dairy free or hydrolysed formula, Alpro Plus 1 seems to be the choice of most HCP's when recommending a dairy free main milk drink for children between the ages of 1 and 2. It has been specifically created to mimic 'follow-on' milk - carefully balanced calories and vitamins etc. 

Obviously if your little one is allergic to soya,  or, if you have concerns about the level of oestrogen in soya, your HCP can advise you otherwise and suggest how you might supplement your little one's diet, accordingly.

3. Rice milk is not advised as a main milk drink for under 5's due to the level of naturally occurring arsenic in rice. Recent research suggests that this age limit may even need to be revised upwards. Regarding rice milk, you need to be careful, as some companies are blending other milks with rice (Alpro Coconut and Coconut Dream are the two that immediately spring to mind).

4. Nut milks should be avoided by those at risk of a nut allergy. A coconut is not a nut but a 'drupe'. Those potentially allergic to nut need not avoid coconut unless this has been identified as a problem.

Further Reading:

Soya and Health - BDA Factsheet

Milk Allergy - BDA Factsheet

Suitable Milk for Children with Cow's Milk Allergy - BDA Factsheet

Survey of total and inorganic arsenic in rice drinks - Food Standards Agency

Arsenic in Rice - Food Standards Agency

Arsenic in Rice - A Cause for Concern - ESPGHAN committee on Nutrition