Rude Health Almond Drink

I'm not usually one to follow food specific or food eliminated diets. I suffer with Crohn's disease as most of you know and I generally have to check with my doctor before I make any drastic changes to my diet. However, after reading and hearing about the health benefits of cutting back on dairy products, I was keen to do some research and figure out a way to cut back on my intake and improve my general health.

I had heard of Rude Health before, having tried some of their cereals and snacks but they are quite expensive and cost more than what I'd pay for breakfast items in my weekly shop, but it's fine if my mum is paying ;) I only discovered their dairy free drinks range recently, though, when I was doing a Sainsbury's online shop. I had tried Blue Diamond's Almond Breeze almond milk and was not impressed at all (it tasted like chemicals, and that is exactly what was in it). Rude Health's almond drink is different though - all its ingredients are 100% natural, so I was sold instantly. Two cartons later and I'm in love. I can't say I'll give up cow's milk completely, because I love a good hot chocolate when I'm out and most coffee shops only offer soy milk as a dairy alternative (yuck) but for my breakfast I will happily stick with almond milk from now on. 

I love everything about the packaging. It lists the ingredients clearly, has a nice, simple layout and doesn't make a fuss about what it is. It also looks natural, just like its contents.

56kcal per 100ml is pretty impressive. I have about 200ml in a glass so compared with cow's milk I'm getting less calories, fat and just as much calcium per serving.

The drink is very creamy and white - just like regular milk, and this was the main thing I was impressed with when I first drank it. I expected a thin, watery consistency but it pours just like cow's milk and smells no different either. Admittedly, the taste does take some getting used to - it is very sweet (naturally - because of the almonds and rice) but once you have grown used to it, it's absolutely fine. I am sure this is psychological - because almond milk is something completely foreign to most of us, we automatically decide we don't like it straight away, but after a few drinks of it we can grow to like it - that's what happened to me anyway, and with olives too, but that's another story entirely...

I haven't been too strict about my dairy intake since starting drinking Rude Health's almond drink but when I switch back to cow's milk after a week of having this in my porridge and with a couple of cookies before bed I do notice a difference in the way I feel generally and the appearance of my skin. Regardless, I like to drink this for the taste more than anything now - it tastes so much nicer in my porridge than cow's milk, and there's a certain luxury in drinking a glass of this with a cookie - it just tastes creamy and delicious and considering it's packed with health benefits I would encourage you to give it a go too.

Have you tried Rude Health's almond drink? I would recommend it highly over any other milk alternative. You know you're drinking something natural and good, and it's on offer at the moment at Waitrose for £1.59. You can also check out Rude Health's full range of products on their website here.