A Dairy Free Breakie!

Finding out I should not drink cows milk was a bit of a shock for me. Initial thoughts being 'oh jees what on earth am I going to have for breakfast?" My favourite meal of the day! My original breakfast before my intolerance test was religiously: Sultana bran with oats on top and a spoonful of Linwoods q-10 flaxseeds (www.linwoods.co.uk). I thought obviously this will change my cereal options but I knew there were a lot of dairy, egg and yeast free cereals in the free from section of Tesco and in my local health food store (www.elffoods.co.uk). So my first issue became... what will I drink instead of milk? Trust me you are not stuck for choice: statistics show that 51% of people have an intolerance to cows milk! So it didn't surprise me when you have an option of about 5 different things. After trying a couple of them over the past week, I will review and give you my verdict on the taste, nutritional value and how they make your stomach feel.

Almond Milk

Almond milk is a popular milk substitute that is made by mixing finely ground almonds with water. Almond milk has a very high nutritional value and, unlike cow's milk, is safe for those who are lactose intolerant or have gluten and casein allergies.

Almond milk is one of the most nutritionally valuable milk substitutes available today. It is high in a number of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin E, manganese, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, selenium, iron, fibre, zinc and calcium. Almond milk is low in calories, at only 40 calories per eight ounce serving, and low in fat. It contains only three grams of fat per eight ounce serving. Almond milk is lactose, gluten, casein and cholesterol free; it's also free of saturated fats. Overall almond milk is much more nutritionally valuable than cows milk, the only thing being that cows milk contains more calcium and protein. The best thing about almond milk is that there is no cholesterol or saturated fats in the milk.

Almond milk is an acquired taste but once you get used to it, it really doesn't taste that bad.

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Coconut Milk

I had never even heard of drinking coconut milk until last Friday and unsurprisingly if you like coconuts you will like coconut milk, especially the flavoured ones you get in cartons. Not only is coconut milk high in protein but it provides you with many essential nutrients again like almond milk without the cholesterol that cows milk provides. Coconut milk provides:
CALCIUM (38 mg in 240 mg of the product): this mineral is an essential part of any diet. Our bones and teeth need calcium to be healthy and strong.
MAGNESIUM (89 mg in 240 mg). This mineral is required to have healthy blood system. Thus, it keeps blood pressure at normal levels and decreases the risk of heart attacks.
POTASSIUM (631 mg) AND PHOSPHORUS (240 mg). you can see that this tropical white liquid is really high in potassium. This product increases our energy level and keeps blood pressure under control. Phosphorus, in its turn, controls optimal functioning of the kidneys. Our bone health also depends on this element.
IRON (3.93 mg): Coconut milk helps for people suffering from anemia (lack of iron in the body). But is is possible to avoid this problem using coconuts as often as possible.
SELENIUM (14.88 mcg). This mineral stimulates thyroid gland work. The deficiency of selenium leads to autoimmune disorders and prostate cancer
One of the best thing about coconut milk is the fact it tastes really nice and is very good for you.

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