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

[LucyBMumsnet]

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

We've reduced diary by having oat milk in coffee and warm drinks at home. I still have yoghurt and very rarely milk when I eat cereal - we have full fat milk as my eldest likes this on her cereal.

I have noticed that when I forget to ask for oat milk when having a Starbucks (don't judge!) or something, with a big cup of milk I get bloated and a very bad stomach after. Is this just from removing a lot of milk from my diet then having a large mugfull with a load of sugar? Or would it be worth cutting out all diary for a couple of weeks to see if the bloating I often suffer with reduces?

I have a severe dairy allergy (anaphylaxis) but as I approach my 40s, I’m worried about the impact of avoiding dairy and brining on an early menopause. I’ve read that lack of dairy can mean problems with bone density which can bring on peri menopause. Is this true? Are there any steps I can take in place of eating dairy to avoid this?

I am lactose intolerant so have tried to avoid dairy for many years, but miss the sweet taste of Cadbury's Dairy Milk. Can you recommend a good dairy-free milk chocolate alternative?

What nutrients would I miss out if I went dairy free and what could I do to prevent side effects of this?
(I am already vegetarian).

Can eliminating dairy from birth (for non allergy reasons) increase chance of dairy allergy at later stage?

Are non-dairy milks more calorific?

I'm strongly considering going dairy free for myself and my 2 year old. I'm unsure where to start really! Is there anywhere I can compare the nutritional info of all the non-dairy "milk" options? As he's only 2 and still growing and developing I want to go for the best option nutrition wise.

@Cheekyandfreaky I saw a dietitian last year and when she noticed I often use Allpro almond milk she said I should either include half a pint of milk a few times a week (3 minimum I think) or take a calcium tablet. The almond milk includes some calcium, which has been added.

I think it also depends why you're dairy free, and whether you use other dairy eg cheese and yogurt, as other sources. See here, which is the definitive guidance from the British Dietetic Association, used by the NHS

www.bda.uk.com/resource/calcium.html

Not a question but I think it's very irresponsible to encourage people or their children to give up an entire food group without actual allergies/ intolerances being diagnosed. My GP agrees.

@lemonjam I didnt see if your question was already answered but thought I'd respond anyway. dairy inhibits uptake of iron so if you want to increase your iron absorption then avoid dairy around the time you're taking in iron.

[quote Duckrace]@Cheekyandfreaky I saw a dietitian last year and when she noticed I often use Allpro almond milk she said I should either include half a pint of milk a few times a week (3 minimum I think) or take a calcium tablet. The almond milk includes some calcium, which has been added.

I think it also depends why you're dairy free, and whether you use other dairy eg cheese and yogurt, as other sources. See here, which is the definitive guidance from the British Dietetic Association, used by the NHS

www.bda.uk.com/resource/calcium.html

[/quote]
Hi @Duckrace I’m dairy free as I have a cows milk allergy, so not cheese or yogurt etc either. Added complication is a bit allergy too so no almond milk. It is true that other mills are fortified but oat milk is still fairly low.

I guess my question to the expert would still be is there a peri menopause risk due to milk avoidance?

*nut allergy not bit allergy

@Cheekyandfreaky It might be worth also asking a private dietitian to calculate your needs. I know there is some calcium in plant milk. However , the expert here will a) not have seen your diet and b) represents the plant milk company.

Yeah that’s true. Thanks!

Can you cook with dairy free milk?

You can. I sometimes make almond milk rice pudding, which is great, but I find cheese sauce taste odd.

@Cheekyandfreaky if you scroll right down that link you'll see two charts. One for your calcium needs by age and sex, and one for calcium in food. That should tell you whether you'll be able to get enough of it without tablets.

Thanks to everyone who has posted a question on this thread. Kate will be answering a selection of the questions next week. In the meantime, I can announce that the winner of the prize draw is @Dizzywizz - congratulations!

@LucyBMumsnet

Thanks to everyone who has posted a question on this thread. Kate will be answering a selection of the questions next week. In the meantime, I can announce that the winner of the prize draw is *@Dizzywizz* - congratulations!

Yay!!! Thank you @LucyBMumsnet!!!!!

If my daughter is raised vegan, does that increase her risk of developing a dairy allergy or lactose intolerance if she chooses to have milk when she's older?

Hi everyone,

Thanks for posting so many great questions on this thread. Over the next few hours, I'll be answering a selection of these. I hope that you find the responses insightful and informative!

• Kate

@Bloatstoat

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

Hi @Bloatstoat,

Thanks for your question about whether or not it is ok to mix and match plant based products with dairy. It is perfectly ok to mix and match if there are no allergies in the family. Many people like to have a mixture of both in their fridge. Unsweetened, calcium-fortified plant-based drinks (with the exception of rice drink) can be introduced as an alternative to cow’s milk from age 1, in the diets of healthy toddlers, consistent with advice from Public Health England.

Plant-based drinks are generally lower in energy and fat than cow’s milk, thus, for toddlers consuming plant-based drinks as a main drink, consideration should be given to ensuring adequate intakes of these nutrients from other dietary sources. Alpro Growing up drinks are nutritionally tailored for children aged 1-3 years and will provide more fat and energy to meet their growing needs. From 3 years the standard unsweetened fortified plant based drinks are suitable for the whole family to enjoy.

• Kate

@Beurre

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.

Hi @Beurre,

Thanks for your question about tests for food intolerance. I would always recommend if you suspect a food intolerance to seek advice from a Registered Dietitian who will be able to do a fully dietary assessment and be able to recommend the best way to go about investigating your symptoms. Speak with your GP who may be able to refer you to a Dietitian.

• Kate

@LadyLothbrook

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.

Hi @LadyLothbrook,

Many of you have asked this question about if there are any deficiencies if you choose to eliminate dairy from your child's diet, so I hope this answer will address the points you have raised. Even though the period of childhood through to adolescence presents unique challenges from a nutritional perspective, well-planned plant-based diets can meet dietary needs, even when animal source foods are completely absent.

If excluding dairy from a child's diet it is important to ensure alternative sources of calcium are consumed. If switching your dairy milk and yogurts to plant based, make sure to buy plant-based alternatives that have been fortified with calcium, and vitamins B2, B12 & D. Other non-dairy calcium containing foods include tinned sardines, tofu, almonds, fortified breakfast cereals and bread, leafy green vegetables such as kale and broccoli, nut spreads, sesame seeds and tahini paste. It is also really important to ensure you get enough Vitamin D to support your bone health and it is now recommended by government that everyone takes a daily supplement of 10 micrograms vitamin D through the autumn and winter months.

• Kate

@lemonjam

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

Hi @lemonjam,

Thank you for your question about iron intake and what are the best plant based drinks for young children. Toddlers need less milk than in their first year of life and it is important that they do not fill up on milk before their meals; as doing so can reduce appetite and displace other foods, particularly those that are iron-rich from the protein food group. Unsweetened, calcium-fortified plant-based drinks can be introduced as an alternative to cow’s milk from age 1 (with the exception of rice drinks), in the diets of healthy toddlers.

Fortified Soya drinks are higher in protein than other plant-based drinks and have a nutritional profile more comparable to dairy milk. Iron intakes can be optimised through the inclusion of iron-rich plant foods at all meals eg. tofu, beans and pulses, kale, nuts and seeds, including some animal source foods (if not vegetarian) and including plenty of vitamin C in the diet through fruit and vegetables to aid iron absorption.

• Kate

@MumDad1958

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.

Hi @MumDad1958,

Many of you have asked this question about suitable dairy free substitutes when going dairy free, so I hope this answer will address the points you have raised. If you are going to try going dairy free there are now a huge choice of dairy free products available in the supermarkets made from plant based ingredients such as oat, soya, almonds, coconut and cashew. You will normally find a replacement for most dairy foods ie. milk and yogurt alternatives, desserts, custards, cream, ice cream, cheese and spreads.

When making the switch it is important to make sure you are replacing the nutrients you would normally get from dairy, therefore make sure you choose fortified plant based alternatives to milk and yogurts that have added calcium and vitamins B2, B12 and D. For advice about how to manage your IBS I would recommend seeking advice from a Registered Dietitian who can do a full dietary assessment and recommend a diet that would best suit your individual needs.

• Kate