Non-dairy options for health freaks
There is a wide range of nut butters, lactose-free yoghurts that are a tad expensive but great for health
It used to be regarded as the ‘white gold’ and a powerhouse of good health once upon a time, for its dense nutrients and its immunity-building properties. Over the years, however, milk began falling out of favour with a healthconscious urban mindset for a variety of reasons such as dairy allergy, lactose intolerance, hormonal imbalances and a fad-driven shift to veganism. And the figure-conscious, of course, ditched it in order to shed a few pounds here and there.
But if no milk, then what? How does one get one’s dose of butter, curds, cottage cheese, ice-creams and a whole lot of other goodies? The answer lies in a host of alternatives such as nut butters, coconut-milk sundaes, and several other dairy-free products that have begun inundating retail stores and cookery books.
Product differentiation: Yet, there is a fine line that divides trend and tolerance, or the lack of it. “Lactose-free, dairy-free and veganism are all different,” says Delhi-based renowned nutritionist Ishi Khosla. “Lactose-free individuals can have yoghurt, buttermilk and some types of cheese, butter and ghee. Dairy-free individuals cannot consume any form of milk, yoghurt, paneer or cheese. They can eat butter and ghee while vegans usually do not consume milk, butter and ghee.” But these terms are often used interchangeably. While lactose-free foods are dairy products stripped of the sugar, dairy-free has no dairy at all— the food is made from plants or nuts instead. Vegans avoid eating foods of animal origin, and therefore the vegan diet is devoid of all animal products, including meat, eggs, dairy and even honey in certain cases.
What is lactose intolerance? Simply put, it is the inability of the body to absorb lactose, a type of sugar found in dairy products. The small intestine produces enzyme lactase that helps break down lactose or milk sugar into smaller sugars, such as glucose and galactose. These finally get broken down into glucose and get absorbed and used as energy. When a lactose-intolerant person takes milk or other dairy products, the lactose remains undigested and ferments in the colon, causing abdominal cramps, bloating and diarrhoea. A simple blood test can detect lactose intolerance, says Dr Nilesh Shah, President and Chief of Science & Innovation, Metropolis Healthcare Ltd. “The lactose tolerance test determines the body’s reaction to a lactose-rich drink. A blood sample is drawn after two hours of consuming to measure the blood glucose levels. If the blood glucose levels do not rise after two hours, the most likely cause is lactose intolerance.”
Dairy-free in the Indian market: For those going dairyfree either out of choice or compulsion, there are many alternatives such as almond milk, soy milk, tofu, rice milk, coconut milk, oat milk, peanut butter, cashew nut butter and such like. Dairy-free milk can be made at home from a variety of nuts or seeds like almond, cashew, pumpkin seeds, etc.
Soak the nuts and blend them with water. Strain the mixture and add any natural sweetener like honey or maple syrup. Refrigerate and consume within a day or two.
With growing demand, there is an increasing supply of such products, with large FMCG companies entering this segment. Says a Nestlé India spokesperson, “As a part of the consumer-centric approach our brands adopt, we are always looking at emerging trends and customising our portfolio accordingly. We have products in the food and beverage space which do not contain lactose.”
Epigamia’s yoghurts and artisanal curds are also finding takers for their range of lactose-and dairy-free yoghurts. For Rohan Mirchandani, CEO, Epigamia, it was important to bring in high-protein, low-fat products containing the goodness of natural fruits.
Drupe Foods India sells almond milk, peanut butter and vegan chocolates on Amazon India. “Our biggest consumer is the millennial mother,” says Meeta Madhok, Founder, Drupe Foods India. “The problem with tetra pack milk is that it is pasteurised at 145 degrees Celsius and everything natural evaporates, so it has to be fortified with nutrients externally. It’s just like having synthetic vitamin and calcium pills. There is nothing natural about the milk left.”
Drupe pasteurises the almond mix at lower temperatures of 60-80 degrees. Such products come at a premium – while a litre of milk in the market costs ~40 in pouches and ~75 in tetra pack, here a 200-ml pack made from pure almond comes for ~100. Reading the ingredients is sacrosanct, advises Madhok. “If you read the ingredients you would know that there are many that you cannot even pronounce. But every consumer must read the ingredients – the golden rule to follow is that if you can read and pronounce them easily, then you should consume the product.”