Well, it’s official. I am going to Mummy Hell. On a mission to get the girls home at top speed during last week’s gale force wind-a-thon, I fabricated a totally outlandish excuse to avoid detouring at the ponies. The wind was so strong I explained, that we were in danger of being hit by flying horse poo. Chloe thought it was hysterically funny for a fraction of a second, before becoming genuinely alarmed. A natural born worrier, she now has to add low-flying manure to her list.In turn, I began to worry that the little fabrications we construct as mummies, the ones that help our days run a little more smoothly, were adding up. It’s not just Santa, the Elf, the Tooth Fairy and the Easter bunny, but hidden veggies and horse poo stories too. Like all lies white or not they make life easier in the short-term. The problem is, the pressure of keeping the secret or maintaining the pretence, can all get a bit much. Not to mention the loss of integrity when your little ones realise they have been duped.So this week, I continued to teach the girls more about the food they were eating. We’d already covered the chick peas in the cupcakes and the beetroot in the icing, but this time we took a tour of all the different milks in the fridge. My two have always been better off dairy, so we have a wide range of alternatives. I find some are better on cereals, some are better in baking and some are great in smoothies so we end up with an eclectic combination of hemp, almond and coconut!It’s funny, many people get alarmed when I say my children don’t eat much dairy. They inevitably ask, ‘But what about their calcium?’ Milk and calcium are inexorably linked in the world of nutrition, but having a milk sensitivity really doesn’t have to be much of a problem.Obviously for infants, breast milk or formula is the order of the day. But for toddlers and up, milk itself isn’t essential. However, as the nutrients it provides ARE essential, milk is a convenient source of protein, fat, calcium and vitamin D. It’s just not the end of the world if you have a cow’s milk sensitivity in the family.Avoiding any food group usually (and essentially in young children) requires the guidance of a registered dietitian or other reputable nutrition professional. You’d want to be sure that your child was getting the right balance of protein, carbs and fats, and that their micronutrient intake was okay too. Avoiding dairy isn’t as simple as just finding another milk, but includes finding a good supplement and other dietary sources of dietary fat and protein too.But when it comes to the milk, the good news is that whether you are avoiding cow’s milk out of necessity or through choice, you have lots of options. The flip side is that there’s almost too much choice. You might be able to try goat’s milk. You could certainly try rice milk. How about coconut milk? Almond, oat, hemp, hazelnut or flax? If you’re confused, let me talk you through your options!Goat milkGoat’s milk shares many proteins with cow’s milk, and also contains lactose (although less). So if you are allergic to cow’s milk protein, or have a lactose intolerance, you are also likely to react to goat’s milk. However, some people simply find it easier to digest as, unlike cow’s milk, goat’s milk does not contain agglutinin. This means that the fat globules in goat’s milk do not cluster together, making them easier to digest. The proteins are more easily digested too. Although goat’s milk contains approximately 13 percent more calcium than cow’s milk, it contains much less B12 and folic acid. Therefore, a child especially would benefit from either a fortified brand or a multivitamin and mineral supplement. The good news is that if goat’s milk works for you, you also have the option of goat cheese and yoghurt.Plant-based “milks”All these are dairy- and lactose-free. They aren’t technically “milks” as milk comes from mammals, so these are really alternative beverages and cooking resources. Remember that for children, it’s especially important to address their calcium and wider nutritional requirements with a professional, but these milks will give you versatility when meeting their needs.As an aside, any plant-based milk is cholesterol-free. Cholesterol is made in the liver, so anything that comes from something that HAD a liver, contains cholesterol. As plants don’t have livers, plant milks don’t have cholesterol. Cholesterol has been demonised in the past for being the dietary cause of heart disease, but we know now that it’s not necessarily the case. Still, if for any medical reason you have been told you have to avoid cholesterol, plant milks will be useful for you.Plant milks are usually also low in protein and fat, and high in sugars. It’s this that makes them unsuitable as milk or formula replacements for infants. They are often fortified with calcium and vitamin D though, which helps to increase the calcium intake of the dairy-sensitive toddler, child or adult. Here’s a breakdown of your options:* Rice milk — probably the most hypoallergenic of the bunch but of little nutritional value. This means it’s usually heavily fortified. It’s high in natural sugars and the flavoured versions are especially high. This is fine on cereals and in smoothies, but not great in cooking where you want a “creamy” consistency.* Soy milk — one of the most divisive topics in nutrition right now. Soy is rich in plant-based protein but often heavily processed. It contains cancer-fighting isoflavones but some studies raise the issue of whether the phytoestrogen content is suitable for growing children or those with oestrogen-sensitive cancers. As a rule, my suggestion would be that some whole soy foods are okay in moderation, but to mix your soy intake up with other sources. Eg you might want to eat organic soy yoghurt (which is the tastiest dairy alternative), but choose a different milk.* Hemp milk — new on the market and one of my favourites as it is rich in the omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. Usually fortified with calcium, vitamin D and B 12 too. I love the Tempt brand (Down to Earth, Supermart, Lindo’s). It’s creamy and absolutely fantastic in smoothies. We use this on cereal too.* Nut milks — almond is probably the most popular of the nut milks but you can get hazelnut milk too. Both taste nutty, especially hazelnut. Almond milk is however easily disguised in a smoothie and is a really tasty option for cereal. Again, always pick a fortified version. Works well in baking.* Coconut milk — there are two varieties, the coconut milk used for cooking, and the coconut milk marketed as a dairy milk “cereal” equivalent. The former is fantastic in curries and Thai sauces but is fairly high in total fats. These fats are arguably on the healthy side though, given that they contain medium- rather than long-chain fatty acids. They are easier to digest than animal fats and some studies report antimicrobial (and other) benefits too. The coconut milk in the dairy milk section is another tasty option, but less nutritionally dense. Again, it’s usually fortified to help boost the calcium intake of dairy-sensitive individuals. This is another good option for baking and smoothies but we find even the ”milk aisle” version a bit too thick for cereal.* Oat milk — oh enough already! Just eat some oats!The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns BA Hons, Dip ION is the managing director of Natural Ltd and a fully qualified nutritional therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in the UK. Please note that she is not a registered dietitian. For details, visit www.natural.bm or call 236-7511. Join Catherine on Facebook: www.facebook.com/nutrifitandnaturalnutritionbermuda