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Got a question about going dairy-free? Dietitian Kate Arthur answers your questions - £200 voucher to be won

155 replies

LucyBMumsnet · 11/10/2021 09:58

Created for Alpro

Ever thought about going dairy-free but wondered how it might affect your health? Post your questions to registered dietitian Kate Arthur, and you could win a £200 shopping voucher.

  • Everyone who shares a question on the thread below will be entered into a prize draw
  • One lucky Mumsnet user will win a £200 voucher for a store of their choice (from a list)
  • Kate will be back at the start of November to answer a selection of your questions


About Kate:
“Kate Arthur is a Registered Dietitian with 25 years experience. She is passionate about promoting easy to understand nutrition and dietary advice for adults and children. Having worked for a number of years as a Dietitian for Alpro she has helped to promote the importance of plant based eating for both health and the planet.”

Here’s what Alpro have to say:
“With an increasing number of people wanting to lead a more plant based lifestyle, Alpro is on hand to ensure that parents are equipped with the tools and information to be able to follow a nutritionally balanced, healthy diet. Alpro Soya Growing Up drink and the new Alpro Oat Growing Up drink are tasty alternatives to cows’ milk and are formulated to provide nutrients tailored to the needs of children aged 1 to 3 years.”

So whether you have a question about the health or eco benefits of adopting a dairy free diet, or the ways you can introduce dairy free alternatives into your family’s diet, post your question on this thread for Kate to answer.

Thanks and good luck,
MNHQ
Got a question about going dairy-free? Dietitian Kate Arthur answers your questions - £200 voucher to be won
Bloatstoat · 11/10/2021 10:40

If we don't have any allergies/intolerances as a family, can we mix and match? I'd like to reduce dairy, but also there are some things we really enjoy and would like to have sometimes, so would it be ok for my children (aged 2 and 6) to have oat and soya milk sometimes and sometimes dairy? Thanks Smile

Beurre · 11/10/2021 11:11

Can you recommend a test to check if people have intolerances to dairy? My sister has constant stomach pain and although she has IBS, I suspect she may also have a dairy intolerance.

LadyLothbrook · 11/10/2021 11:16

Will there be any deficiencies or health issues if we choose to eliminate dairy from our children's diet altogether? Neither child has dairy intolerances.

lemonjam · 11/10/2021 11:20

Is there a best plant milk for young children?
Does going dairy free change anything in regards to iron/iron absorption? (Am stubbornly anaemic!)

jellybeanpopper · 11/10/2021 12:45

What are the benefits of going dairy free?

jellybeanpopper · 11/10/2021 12:46

Is there an age under which you would not recommend going dairy free?

jellybeanpopper · 11/10/2021 12:47

What are the differences between different dairy free milk in terms of the benefits they provide?

jellybeanpopper · 11/10/2021 12:48

Rather than going dairy free would mixing between dairy and dairy free options be more advantageous?

adrianmolesmole · 11/10/2021 12:50

As someone who's just turned 50 I've found my hair is thinning at the crown and my peri/PMT symptoms have worsened. How much can dairy be contributing to this? Can dairy increase DHT/oestrogen/testosterone etc levels in women thus contributing to hair loss?

MumDad1958 · 11/10/2021 13:20

I would like to be dairy free to see if I have an Intolerance but I'm not sure. I was looking at using Oat drink as a milk substitute but I'm not sure about substitutes for other dairy products. I have ibs - had this for a number of years. I have been diagnosed with diverticulitis. I also have a gluten Intolerance. I would be so grateful for any advice. Thank you.

NellieEllie · 11/10/2021 14:20

Calcium is obviously a vital mineral, especially for children.
Calcium carbonate is the calcium source added to many plant milks. I read different stuff about how it can be absorbed. Is this source OK, or is calcium phosphate/tri calcium phosphate - or any other source better?

SnowyMouse · 11/10/2021 15:03

Are there any good dairy free ready meals around, my mum is dairy free but can't cook for herself any more.

itsonlysubterfuge · 11/10/2021 16:00

I switched to Oat milk and plant based butters to reduce saturated fats in our diet, but the trade off was an increase in sugar, is it really better?

Jensonfromtheblock · 11/10/2021 16:07

I struggle with lactose so am dairy free except for real butter, which doesn’t seem to be an issue. I generally drink lactose free milk instead of dairy free. My main struggle with plant alternatives is the ingredients. Added sugar, salt or random sounding chemicals. Can you advise on if these are actually a healthy alternative?

lisaandalan · 11/10/2021 17:10

Hi I have ibs, going to be tested for crohn's
When I eat dairy I get a bad stomach and I get a lot of phlegm.
Is there dairy free products that taste really nice, I have yet to find a good cheese.
Also:
Where can I get tested
For intolerance's please, my doctors won't do it they say they haven't got the Budget.
Thank you.

NerrSnerr · 11/10/2021 17:14

I have recently been diagnosed with asthma and have been trying to find triggers. When I'm having a relapse I find that diary makes it worse but the research I have done is inconclusive as to whether dairy actually does exacerbate asthma or whether it would actually be down to an undetected allergy?

Chalatte · 11/10/2021 17:46

The science is out there already: dairy milk is associated with calcium malabsorption, poorer bone density, has a massive carbon footprint, and is poorly tolerated/digested by nearly all of the world's population.

My younger children who are in nursery are not offered vegan milk alternatives while other children are given dairy milk. When will there be vegan milk alternatives in school? And when do you see these alternatives not "alternative" ; rather, the "norm"?

Joysutty · 11/10/2021 17:52

A lot of children + adults also have allergies to cows milk, as a friend 8 years ago now told us of her allergy and that she only buys soya or almond milk, so my husband started with these on his cereals and his cholesteral levels came down so that was an interesting fact to find out, but I myself am not a fan prefering semi-skimmed milk. There are lots of different ones out now, Alpro, and some supermarkets are doing their own brand ones. Cashew milk is more new to the market but I did read somewhere the other week that too much Coconut can upset your stomach as there is Coconut milk out now also - so that is my question - is this true as coconut does have good benefits to your skin/hair but wondered why it would then upset your stomach/bodily system ? Or are they talking of lots and lots that you would have to consume for it to have this or any drastic effect.

PeacefulDreams · 11/10/2021 18:01

Is it healthy to change to a dairy free diet during pregnancy or is it best to wait till post pregnancy?

BristolMum96 · 11/10/2021 18:53

Why is the growing up drink not suitable as a main milk drink for under 3s?

Swifey40 · 11/10/2021 19:47

Would going dairy free help my terrible migraines please? I am 43 and they are gradually getting worse, and are now so bad that I cannot work.

ButterMyMuffin · 11/10/2021 19:56

Would going dairy free or significantly reducing dairy be suitable for kids aged 1-8? Would you reccomend taking vitamin supplements or making other changes to diet?

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vincettenoir · 11/10/2021 20:00

I’m anaemia and I don’t eat dairy. Can you give me some tips for increasing iron in my diet?

fishnships · 11/10/2021 20:51

I have in the past had IBS but finding that I have a gluten intolerance has made masses of difference, and cutting out dairy (because it is harder to digest lactose as we get older - generally) has helped a lot too. I am using plant based milks but they come in cartons that have plastic openers and can't be recycled. I am concious that many years of getting milk delivered in reusable plastic bottles was a better environmental option - it seems a backward step! Do you know of a more eco-friendly way of obtaining plant milk - other than making it?

poppymaewrite · 11/10/2021 21:25

Whilst calcium is the most obvious mineral, people also get most of their vitamin D from milk and milk products. How does Alpro ensure that people can get vitamin D from plant based milks?

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