SOYA THINK YOU KNOW ALL ABOUT MILK, DOOYOO? (Alpro Soya Original Milk)

Member Name: totalserenity

Product:	Alpro Soya Original Milk
Date:	30/07/09 (259 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A HEALTHY PROTEIN OPTION FOR VEGETARIANS, VEGANS, ALLERGISTS AND DIETERS...

Disadvantages: EXPENSIVE COMPARED TO MANY DAIRY MILKS...

After reading a truly excellent review on Dooyoo about soya milk in general and thus having my curiosity generally aroused, I fortuitously happened upon a lovely Morrisons employee giving out free samples of 'Alpro® soya' milk very shortly afterwards.

On tasting this unusual substance I quickly bought a bright blue 1 litre pack of the Alpro 'Original' variety, although on investigating the different types in the larger supermarket refrigerators I spotted 'Unsweetened' and 'Organic' variations too...

A Little History...
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The most common soya bean to exist is the yellow soya bean - although there are hundreds of varieties that have been used for thousands of years by the Chinese due to the high protein yield, nutritional vitamins and healthy oil contents.

It takes 150-200 days for the plant to reach maturity to yield a harvest of between 1 to 4 seeds per pod, which Alpro, like the Asian population did/do, harvest fully to maintain the whole goodness of the beans.

Health Benefits of soya...
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As a long term Weight Watcher plus sufferer of Osteoarthritis, on reading that review plus standing there perusing the pack, I was fascinated at just how good for you soya derivatives are!

Plus, importantly for me containing no artificial sweeteners, colourings or preservatives - although this version is flavoured with raw cane sugar.

High in vegetable protein, containing the naturally low in saturated fats Omega 3 & 6 oils, and this milk has all 8 of the essential amino acids our bodies need to function healthily. (Some sufferers of OA are firm believers in taking fish oils rich in Omega 3 to help aid freer joint movement.)

On the www.alprosoya.co.uk website it stresses the importance of the fact this innocuous little bean is low in saturated fats - a very pertinent fact for our society as a whole which is facing an overall obesity problem.

Suitable for vegetarian and vegans also, to me the health benefits seem obvious.

The milk is harvested from the okrara (pulp) then milled into microscopic parts and mixed with water as soon as possible after harvest and transportation by the company.

Advertised on the carton as 'Dairy and Lactose Free' and deriving from 'Non-GM soya beans', the benefits to people who are intolerant by ways of allergies are innumerable. No nut contamination as well for anyone prone to problems with nut allergies.

Additionally, in 2002 the 'Joint Health Claims Initiative stated that the inclusion of at least 25g of soya protein a day as part of a diet low in saturated fat can help to reduce cholesterol in the blood', it states on the site too.
This makes interesting reading for anyone interested in maintaining a healthier heart, or who has been medically advised to reduce their cholesterol as another option for their usual daily dairy fat intake.

Calorie Content & Cost...
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On first purchasing my one litre recyclable Tetra Pak container it was £1.59, but I got a voucher from the lovely lady for 50p off. My last container cost £1.29 for the original flavour, which isn't the cheapest out there but in my opinion is the best after trying the supermarket's own version ...

As far as the calories go they are not much different to skimmed milk, but with a lot less sugar and slightly more saturated fat.

Per 250 ml glass is 108 calories, 7 grams of sugar with 4.8 grams fat - of which the saturated percentage is 0.8 gram, along with 0.3 gram salt for you sodium watchers.
M&S Skimmed milk contains 85 calories, 12.5 gram sugar and 0.3 grams of fat (0.15 gram saturates).

I actually buy The One milk at Morrisons which tastes like semi, but has the fat content of skimmed dairy milk.
The price of this is £1.34 for 2 litres, so of course the Alpro soya is more expensive but is definitely coming down in price - plus the benefits for someone who cannot or will not drink dairy milk are extremely advantageous.


Taste and Creamy Texture...
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The ingredients are as follows:

*Water
*Hulled soya beans (6.4%)
*Tri-calcium phosphate
*Maltodextrin
*Sea salt
*Stabiliser
*Gellam Gum
*Vitamins E, Riboflavin D and B12
*Potassium iodine.

Now I'm not one for usually listing all the contents, but I think it's important for this review as the subject is so unusual - milk made from beans I would want to know what the ingredients were before 'I' tasted it!

The first thing I noticed when I poured this milk out to drink a decent slug of at home was how delightfully creamy it looked, almost as rich in colour as a decent fresh single cream! For me I would say it is like a cross between full milk and a thin single cream.

I was quite honestly incredulous at how rich this beverage tasted - rich and full so difficult to believe it was the juice of a plant's seed...

Very smooth on the tongue with a delicious aftertaste so reminiscent of a weak cream it was truly amazing!
However, it has to be said it can leave the mouth feeling very dry rather than feeling hydrated the way the palate does after pure cool water. For me this is the only downside of a fabulous alternative to normal milk. Nevertheless it's not a big enough issue to put me off buying it or drinking it neat.

We find the taste lovely and there is no evidence of pulp whatsoever. Definitely thicker than normal milk I would say too. Refreshing and nourishing it feels on the tongue, we have no qualms drinking it with a meal, nicely chilled with ice cubes.

With cereal the Alpro soya is wonderful as again it is so creamy but without the high fat content or the dreaded dairy calories.

Baking/cooking is no problem, it has reacted the way normal milk does, I suppose I expected a degree of curdling but that has never occurred.

My daughter has made Dream topping with it and I've done custard from scratch with no adverse reactions, so no limitations for us thus far in heating it up as far as any effects bar the salient point below.

*Important to note: when making a cup of tea always put the milk in first and pour slightly cooled water in after. This is to prevent any loss of nutrients.


Longevity in the fridge....
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Another huge plus of this fantastic chilled product is how long its shelf life is in the fridge!

If you are canny (and I am) and dig to the back of the fridge fixture in the shop you can find a carton with a date that is at least three to four weeks in advance.

Just imagine the benefits of that? And besides I buy a pack for this very reason for when I run out of my normal dairy-based milk stuff. It is very useful as a backup and does keep very well for its advised refrigerated life, so nothing should get wasted as there is a whole host of versatile uses for it - from making a brew to accompanying cereal - plus it is suitable for use in cooking.

The BBE date is printed just above the sealed small plastic screw on lid, and Alpro soya's advice is to consume within 5 days of opening and before the BBE date shown, although I have finished my off a couple of days after the date to no ill effects.

Alpro Ethos and Ethics...
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Produced in Belgium, France and the UK the Alpro company buy beans direct from sustainable sources direct from their farmers predominantly in China, Canada and Brazil - however they do not buy from plants harvested from the deforested rainforest.

According to Alpo's Soya Bean Sourcing Section: This way of working is a fact that has recently impressed Greenpeace who said of our activity in Brazil, "They have a very small-scale operation but they have more control on the traceability of their products and they are streets ahead of the rest of the trade in working with farmers and funding schools and other projects. It's not "greenwash", they practice what they preach."

Alpro also aim to become completely a CO2 free company by 2020, already managing to cut harmful emissions to our planet by 24% a year ago now.

Charitable works in Africa, Brazil, and Asia are listed on the website also, alongside research information on Antarctica plus 'EcoSocial ®' soil assurances that no unethical child/pregnant women labour is in place for the production of this liquid, etc.

My Overall Opinion...
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Well I'm sure you've gathered by now I'm a total convert!

This Alpro soya milk is one of those products in life that have truly astonished me to be truthful. I would never have envisaged such a delicious rich taste from a seemingly humble bean seed!

The creaminess in particular I love, although I have had to get used to adding my milk in with my teabag first. I haven't seen anything about coffee stated on the box but I would think it would be luscious with it as this milk is so thick and creamy anyway.
From a dieter's viewpoint again it's now a must for me, as it's on a par with skimmed milk in my points plan at one and a half points per 250 ml - and so good in the health stakes generally anyway.

Versatility is a key factor as well as its advantages for allergists, Dairy and Lactose intolerant systems.

The box states that this substance can be introduced into a baby's balanced diet from 6 months old and is 'Suitable as a main milk source from 2 years', which is excellent news for parents of delicate tot's tummies that can't tolerate dairy at all.

The only disadvantage is the price compared to home produced milk, but bear in mind that for over 25 years Alpro have been working with several different countries committed to sustainable development so you are supporting an environmentally worthy cause here too.

As a consumer trying to do her bit for the less fortunate and help encourage overseas self-sufficiency, I am happy to promote a product that seems as ethically altruistic as it is tasty. I purchase a litre every other week as it is now a regular fixture in my fridge, a healthy change from dairy milk that had so much goodness and essential nutrients in it can't be a bad buy can it folks?

For me it would have to be 5 milky-dipped Dooyoo Stars for a super alternative to dairy milk - and check out Alpro's cholesterol-busting soya bean yogurts and chocolate mousses too!


© Written exclusively for Dooyoo.

Summary: AN EXCELLENT ADDITION TO MY FRIDGE, WHICH I SUSPECT WILL BECOME EVER MORE POPULAR OVER TIME.