Once upon a time, it was commonly fed to children, that in order to grow up big and strong, your bones need milk and cheese and all things dairy.
However, this is no longer the common belief amongst many doctors. Due to the galactose present in milk, the consumption of the white stuff is actually now associated with cancer, hip fractures, and premature death. So, it seems that dairy is not actually bone or kid or anyone friendly after all. These findings are reflected in the supermarkets with a notable absence of probiotic dairy products aimed at children.
Parents just aren’t buying into the dairy market for their offspring anymore, as the global marketing manager for Food Cultures and Enzymes at Chr Hansen, Dorte Eskesen has observed ‘innovation for dairy products has been at a low and steady level in the past five years globally. It hardly exists when it comes to functional dairy products with probiotics, particularly products for children aged 5-12.’
Big players in the game such as Nestle, Dupont, and Danone are now turning their attention to probiotic chewables and infant formulas. All three companies are no strangers to the benefits of veganism for business, with the latter in particular seeing a dramatic increase in profits after buying out WhiteWave, the parent company of many popular plant-based brands.
Another company championing the vegan approach are Kite Hill, who are also keeping yogurt in the mix in terms of nutritional products for kids. The brand recently announced the launch of squeezy vegan yogurt tubes for children. The tubes are fortified with all the good stuff, i.e., calcium, B12 probiotics and vitamins A and D.
That’s what you need to grow up big, strong and healthy, no dairy required.
Image credit: Kite Hill
