As a parent of a child or children with milk allergies or lactose intolerance, it is crucial to find alternative products to maintain a healthy and balanced diet that doesn’t leave your child feeling restricted. Whilst options like almond, oat and soya milk make excellent substitutes, it’s important to ensure that your child’s nutritional requirements are met. Many of these alternatives are fortified with vitamins and minerals, however products can vary with their nutritional content.
This blog will help give an idea of what products are out there and which are fortified with iodine to support the growth and development of your little one.
Why is iodine important?
Iodine is a trace element that plays a crucial role in many bodily functions. A key role of iodine is in thyroid function which for example regulates metabolism and plays a key role in growth and development and is involved in heart and muscle function. In children when iodine levels are low it can result in delayed or impaired development. Dairy foods are a great source of iodine but definingly not the only source. Other sources include eggs, tuna and grains.
Daily Iodine requirements for children:
Birth to 6 months – 51 mcg
4-12 months – 64 mcg
1-3 years – 76 mcg
4-6 years – 102 mcg
7-10 years – 114 mcg
11-14 years -127
14- 18 years – 140 mcg
(Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, 2022)
Dairy free milks
Dairy free milk alternatives are a great way to help ensure your child is getting their daily dose of iodine. If your child doesn’t enjoy drinking them on their own you can add them to cereal, make a hot chocolate, or use them to make smoothies.
There are a variety of different plant milks out there to choose from. However not all of these are fortified and the ones that aren’t necessarily fortified with the same nutrients and the same amounts.
The oat-based drinks produced by Oatly® are a great source of iodine for little ones. 100g of Oatly® oat milk contains 22.5 mcg of iodine which will significantly help boost your child’s intake and help meet their requirements.
Alpro® Soya milk is fortified with 22.5 mcg of calcium per 100ml. However, their almond, oat, rice milks aren’t fortified with calcium but are with other nutrients such as calcium and vitamin D depending on the product. This highlights the fact that loads of differences can be found in products produced by the same brand and you should always make sure you are checking the label.
Some brands such as Lidl’s brand Vemondo® don’t fortify their products and therefor these products cannot be relied upon as a source of iodine.
Plenish is a brand that has a wide range of different plant milks all of which are organic. Whilst organic products may have their benefits, they aren’t fortified with any nutrients, so to maximise your child’s nutritional intake it would be recommended to opt for non-organic and fortified products when you can.
Dairy free yoghurts
Yoghurt is a common favourite snack amongst children. The options for dairy-free yoghurt alternatives have increased over the years leading to a greater variety of flavours to choose from which will help find options your child will enjoy. These can be had alongside breakfast, popped into the lunchbox or be had as an afternoon snack or dessert after the evening meal.
When it comes to dairy alternative yogurts fortified with iodine, Oatly® yoghurts are your best bet. As many of their products are fortified with 22.5 mcg of iodine per 100g. Other brands such as Alpro®, Coconut Collab and Vemondo® unfortunately don’t fortify their products with iodine. However, products such as Alpro® are easy to find in most supermarkets and are often fortified with other nutrients such as vitamins which are a great way to boost your child’s intake in these nutrients.
Dairy free cheeses
Most dairy-free cheese alternatives aren’t fortified with iodine. Whilst these are a great addition to your child’s diet to add variety and nutrients as they often are fortified with other nutrients such as calcium and vitamin B12 they should not be relied on for iodine. Therefore, it’s best to opt for other dairy alternative foods such as eggs or prawns which will help boost your little one’s iodine stores.
The same goes for other dairy alternative products such as cream and ice cream etc. as these aren’t typically fortified.
Summary:
- Iodine fortification varies massively not only between brands but between products under the same brand.
- When it comes to iodine fortification the brand Oatly typically has the most fortified products and therefore may be the best choice.
- Make sure to always check the label as companies can sometimes change the ingredients within a product without announcement.
- Dairy free alternatives aren’t the only source of iodine and there is a great variety of foods you and your child can find to optimize their iodine intake.
Reference:
Great Ormond Street for Children (2022), Nutritional requirements in health and Disease. Eighth Edition (December 2022).