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So Delicious Almond Vanilla Yoghurt (Dairy Free) | Chewsday Review
As a source of good bacteria for your gut, yoghurt truly is yummy for your child’s tummy. But, making your yoghurt selection can be a challenging task, especially when your child’s allergy or intolerance leads you into the confusing dairy-free world. To make things simpler, let’s take a look at the dairy free Almond Vanilla Yoghurt by So Delicious to see which options are really best for your little one.
Ingredients
- Almond Milk (Water, Almonds (14%), Water, Sugar, Starch (Tapioca, Rice), Natural Flavours, Vanilla Bean (0.02%), Vegan Cultures, Lemon Juice Concentrate.
- As ingredients are listed in order of amount added, water makes up most of this product (just like most almond milks).
- The flavours added here are natural, but the company doesn’t have to disclose which flavours are actually used.
- Sugar is almost always added to dairy free yoghurt (even plain flavours) to add sweetness due to the lack of lactose; a natural sugar found in dairy products.
Positives
- This yoghurt is allergy-friendly, especially as it is also soy free (another common allergen).
- It has a decent texture and is quite creamy, which is a positive considering many almond milk yoghurts seem to split.
- Sodium is lower than other yoghurts, at just 1mg/100g. This is good for kids, as their little kidneys can’t handle as much salt. but, remember that the average 50mg/100g contained in dairy yoghurts is also not a concern, as it still well within guidelines.
- It is also not too heavy on the sugar, at 7.7g/100g. This is actually less than dairy-containing competitors, which average around 10-15g/100g.
Negatives
- It obviously contains almonds, so is not an option if your child has a nut allergy. In this case, soy or coconut yoghurt would be a better option.
- It is low in protein compared to dairy or soy options at just 2.6g/100g, which is half that of dairy yoghurts.
- Unfortunately, it has no added calcium; an important nutrient for growing kiddos (bones and teeth). Yet, I noticed that the brand has corrected this in their new coconut yoghurt, so it always pays to check the label!
- This yoghurt has quite a distinct almond flavour, especially in the plain variety. I can see this being challenging for kids, who may prefer more neutral-tasting alternatives such as coconut or soy.
- It is also far more expensive than dairy yoghurt, as are all dairy free products. For comparison, a 550g family tub will set you back a whopping $8, while Brownes vanilla yoghurt is less than $5 for 1 kg!
Marketing
- ‘Certified Gluten Free’: This is a bit of a cheeky name drop, as most yoghurts are naturally gluten free anyway, so not a selling point!
- ‘Soy free’ is a good marketing point, as many early yoghurt alternatives contain soy, which is also a common allergy that may occur in conjunction with dairy.
- ‘6 active and live cultures’: It helps to include a variety of good bacterial strains, as each has different functions, and this diversity has been associated with gut health.
Alternatives
- Although relatively harmless, this product is not particularly nutritious either.
- Consider the reason you’re opting for a dairy free yoghurt. In the case of lactose intolerance, lactose free yoghurts are a fantastic alternative as they are almost identical in taste and nutrition.
- Overall, if your child has a cow’s milk allergy, there are many dairy free alternatives that will meet their nutritional needs (stay tuned for another review next week). If your child can handle soy, it may be a better choice due to higher protein and often calcium content. Otherwise, keep an eye out for any other calcium-fortified varieties.
- PS The cross next to the cow in the ‘rating’ refers to there being no cow’s milk in the product. This was a HARD one to come up with emojis for. Remember, the emoji rating is open to interpretation I don’t like to label foods as ‘good’ or ‘bad’, nor rate them, because there’s room for all foods in a nutritious diet. What I do like to do is explain what’s actually in the food, and compare it to guidelines, so that you can work out if it’s a good you want to buy for your kids. The emojis depict certain elements of the review.
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