Almond, soya and other milks are more popular than ever, but why are so many people switching away from cow's milk? Senior Dietitian Victoria Taylor explains the pros and cons. If you think you’re lactose intolerant, talk to a doctor or dietitian who can discuss your symptoms with you, give you advice, and monitor the effects of any changes. Lactose intolerance is an inability to digest the sugar found in milk, and can cause diarrhoea and stomach cramps. It’s not the same as a cow’s milk protein allergy, caused by an immune response to milk proteins, which can lead to wheezing or an itchy rash.

Morrisons Unsweetened Soya Milk | Morrisons

The good news is that it’s easy to switch to lower-fat milk. If you’re used to whole milk, switch to semi-skimmed first, which has about half as much fat as whole. The taste and texture are similar. If you are using semi-skimmed, but skimmed is a bridge too far, try one per cent milk. Most people can’t tell the difference from semi-skimmed, but it has half the fat. Always choose unsweetened versions and ideally one that is fortified with calcium, especially if you’re using it as a replacement for milk. They’re usually 1–2 per cent fat – similar to one per cent or semi-skimmed cow’s milk, although lower in saturated fat, protein and calories. Soya milkSome people avoid cow’s milk for environmental or ethical reasons. These are personal choices, although it’s worth being aware that non-dairy milks may also have an environmental impact. Lactose-free milk There are different types of lactose intolerance and for some people, it may be temporary, especially after gastroenteritis. When it came to milk, the choices used to be skimmed, semi-skimmed or whole. Now there’s a bewildering range, both dairy and non-dairy. For drinking or with cereal, healthier options are coconut drinks labelled as a ‘milk alternative’. These can be rice milk flavoured with coconut flesh, or coconut milk mixed with water or coconut water. They taste of coconut but contain much less saturated fat, and are nutritionally similar to low-fat milk in fat and calorie content, but lower in protein. Oat (and rice) milk

Alpro growing up - Soya Milk Alternative for toddlers 1-3 Alpro growing up - Soya Milk Alternative for toddlers 1-3

Lactose-free milk is cow’s milk that has been filtered to reduce the lactose and has lactase (the enzyme used to digest lactose) added, making it less likely lactose-intolerant people will experience symptoms. If you’re allergic to cow’s milk protein, this isn’t suitable for you. Goat’s milk Standard cow’s milk tends to be cheaper than alternatives and is a good source of calcium. The downside is the saturated fat it contains, which many of us are eating too much of. While milk isn’t high in fat (even whole milk is four per cent fat, putting it in the ‘medium’ category), if you have it frequently, it adds up.Top 10 Chocolates Top 15 Chewing Gums Kinder’s Product Range Nutella’s Product Range Ferrero’s Product Range Kit Kat Range Cadbury Range