When I was asked if I'd like to review some Alpro Soya products, I said OK but I wasn't really expecting to like them. I thought that soya-based products were things that poor lactose-intolerant people had to eat in place of dairy products because they had no other choice. When the girls spotted the pots of Creamy Vanilla and Chocolate desserts in the fridge and asked if they could try them, I even said that they "weren't normal ones" so if they didn't like them, they didn't have to finish them ! Then looked on in amazement as they wolfed them down, murmuring appreciatively !
I came in armed with a spoon to have a little taste myself and - wow ! - they're absolutely delicious. They're really sweet and tasty and creamy and there is absolutely no strange background taste that I was expecting. In fact, if I hadn't seen the name, I'd never have guessed in a million years that they are soya-based !
Amazed by how good they taste, I decided to investigate a bit further and was again pleasantly surprised by what I discovered. "The UK soya category is valued at £103m and Alpro soya is the UK’s leading soya products producer. Alpro’s products are naturally low in saturated fat and perfect for including as part of a healthy breakfast or whenever you would normally use dairy products." Off to the pack to investigate - each 125g pot contains 100 calories (they are so sweet, I was expecting a lot more - that's less than some yoghurts !), 12.4g of sugar and 2.2g of fat. I presume (without really being sure) that soya products contain less calcium than their dairy counterparts, but I see that these desserts have added calcium and vitamins. Wow - they really have got it all ! Anything else ?!
Well, actually, yes ! They're also more environmentally friendly and aim to help third world countries. "The Alpro story began some 30 years ago, born of the vision of a founder who developed a unique, natural approach to soya milk production with the aim of helping third world nutrition using sustainable local resources. Today, Alpro is still committed to producing its products in a sustainable way. It was the first UK food manufacturer to commit to carbon neutrality. Staying true to its founder’s ethical principles, Alpro is active in 18 third world countries enabling local communities to produce their own soya milk and other foods; promoting sustainable. Alpro has longstanding relationships with its farmers and doesn’t buy commodity beans."
On the packaging, they explain : "We like to do business that benefits you and the world around us. Soya protein products use five times less land and ten times less water and generate less CO2 emissions than products made from animal protein. We only use non-GM whole soya beans that are not harvested in the rainforests. We don't like the thought of leaving messy footprints and continue to reduce our carbon ones, working towards totally carbon-neutral factories. So if you consume our products, you are doing your bit for the planet too !"
So, what more could you ask for ? You get a great-tasting, low-fat dessert that is good for you, the environment and developing countries ? Certainly not to be reserved for those who need a dairy-free diet !
star rating : 5/5
RRP : £1.37 for 4 x 125g
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We buy soya products for our 8 year old...these sound delicious!
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