17th November 2016

The lowdown on dairy-free milks

If you have a lactose intolerance or cows’ milk protein allergy or you’re vegan, then dairy (or maybe lactose) free milks are undoubtedly for you. However, many people choose to avoid cows’ milk for other reasons.  What are the alternatives and how do they compare nutritionally?   First things first: cows’ milk is great!  It provides protein and calcium which help support bone and muscle health and it’s also a valuable source of iodine, which contributes to the growth of young children as well as supporting thyroid function.  Given that there are few sources of iodine in the diet, if you can consume milk products, it would be advisable to do so regularly, particularly for young children.  There is no […]
27th October 2016

The Truth About Almond Milk

I recently worked on a recipe book that included a homemade almond milk recipe.  I decided to try it out and was shocked at how much of the almonds I actually wasted, as most were left over as dried up meal.  Thinking that shop-bought almond milks must be able to ensure that more of the nutritious almonds make their way into the final product, I took out my calculator and looked at some labels.  Prepare to be shocked at the results!   Making almond milk is pretty easy, if a little messy and time consuming.  You take some almonds (100g in this case) and soak them in water overnight.  You then stick them in a blender with some water (400ml) […]