We are a nation that is increasingly cutting certain foods from the diet, dairy being one of the most common.
Whatever your reason for choosing to do so, there remains a lot of debate around whether regular milk is good for us, and what the alternatives are.

Nutritionist Cassandra Barns explained: “As well as being a good source of calcium, protein, and fat-soluble vitamins, consuming milk and other dairy foods has been found to be linked to reduced risk of diabetes and obesity. However, many studies have only found this beneficial effect with full-fat milk, and not skimmed or semi-skimmed milk.

“There are also several good arguments against drinking milk. Many people may have a negative reaction to milk and other dairy products, with symptoms including digestive problems, or excessive mucus production – being prone to earaches or a snotty nose (kids and adults!) can be an indication that you have a problem with dairy. It may also cause particular problems for those with skin conditions such as eczema, and other immune system imbalances, including autoimmune conditions.”

So, what to do?

“For those who do drink milk, I’d advise choosing organic, and going for full-fat milk and not skimmed or semi-skimmed. Even better, go for fermented milk products – organic whole milk kefir or yoghurt – as a good source of beneficial bacteria for your gut too,” Barns added.

You could choose hemp milk, which has high omega 3 content, cashew milk, which are good sources of copper and manganese, or almond milk, similar in many ways to hemp and cashew milk.