benecol dairy-free drink

[Linxie]

I caught an advert for this on tv yesterday - does anyone know anything about it or whether it is vegan?

[Marrers]

I was wondering too. Haven't remembered to look for it anywhere yet.

ETA I've emailed to ask.

[Linxie]

According to the website:

"Ingredients: Water, Plant stanol ester (plant stanol 3%), Soya flour (3.8%), Passionfruit (from concentrate) (2%), Mango (2%), Pineapple juice (from concentrate) (2%), Orange juice (from concentrate) (2%), Lemon juice (from concentrate), Fructose, Stabiliser (pectin), Flavourings, Colour (beta-carotene), Glucose syrup, Sweetener (sucralose), Cultures, Vitamin B6, Folic acid."

Is that ok for vegans? I'm still not sure about all the ingredients and what is ok and whats not. I have some problems with my stomach and have been told that a pre-biotic type of drink might help

:confused:

[snaffler]

I just tried to email them but I keep getting errors on contact page, the only areas of slip up I can see are knowing the sources of the following Cultures, Vitamin B6, Folic acid.

[Linxie]

Reply to my email:

"Benecol® Dairy Free Drinks are suitable for vegetarians and are labelled as such on the pack. However, they are not suitable for vegans."

I've asked them to tell me which ingredients specifically are not vegan and to explain why on earth they would produce a dairy-free drink and not make it suitable for the half a million plus vegans in the UK!? Seems like they have shot themselves in the foot there!?

:confused::rolleyes:

[Linxie]

Think I will have to start making my own pro-biotic drinks!

[Pob]

beta carotene is often non-vegan - they sometimes use gelatin as a carrier.

[twinkle]

...explain why on earth they would produce a dairy-free drink and not make it suitable for the half a million plus vegans in the UK!?...

Valid in itself, if gelatine is used as a carrier it won't be suitable for people following religious dietary restrictions.

Viva! says there are more like one million vegans now in the UK, and six million vegetarians. If gelatine is being used somewhere in the process surely it won't be suitable for them either?

[Linxie]

If it contained gelatine, they wouldn't be able to label it as vegetarian would they!? Hopefully they will reply to my email with an explanation but I am not holding my breath :rolleyes:

[Pob]

Oops, yeah, forgot it was veggie.:o

[twinkle]

Well, you would hope not, but people have funny ideas about what is suitable for vegetarians - witness Mars recently with its belief that only "strict" vegetarians would mind them switching to using whey with animal rennet in.

Co-op label some of their fruit juices vegetarian not vegan because of the risk of shellac on the skins of some of the fruit, but shellac production kills thousands of insects and I would argue it wasn't vegetarian either.

It's a minefield :(

[Pob]

Mind you, sucralose is animal tested....

[absentmindedfan]

Probiotics don't work anyway. Prebiotics - foods that encourage the heathy bacteria already present to grow - are much better. Plenty of raw fruit and veg and they'll be very happy.

[Marrers]

I got the same response:-


From: "Aitken, Naomi [MEDGB]" <NAitken@medgb.JNJ.com>
Date: 23 August 2007 10:08:59 BDT
Subject: In response to your query

Thank you for contacting the Benecol Information Service.

Benecol&#174; Dairy Free Drinks are suitable for vegetarians and are labelled as such on the pack. However, they are not suitable for vegans.

If you require further information, please do not hesitate to contact us
again, or you can log onto our website - www.benecol.co.uk

Yours Sincerely

Naomi Aitken
Specialist Advisor
McNeil Nutritionals Information Service

[Linxie]

Probiotics don't work anyway. Prebiotics - foods that encourage the heathy bacteria already present to grow - are much better. Plenty of raw fruit and veg and they'll be very happy.

Unfortunately too much fruit actually makes my tummy worse sometimes. Once when it was really bad I had to go on a really strict detox and could hardly eat fruit at all ... it was torture. I think I will have to make my own soya-milkshakes instead :D

[Linxie]

They still haven't replied to my second email. If they know its not vegan then they must know why. I am wondering if they don't know for sure and can't be bothered to find out. Just to be on the safe side, lets say its not vegan!

Not that my world will end if I can't drink them, I just get a bee in my bonnet about things like this :D

[Linxie]

A response at last!

"Dear Lynsey,
Ref: 000354154C
Thank you for contacting the Benecol Information Service.
I apologize for the delay in responding to you.
All the ingredients of the Dairy Free drink are suitable for a vegan diet as none of the ingredients used in the recipe are derived from animal or dairy produce. We are currently reviewing the best way to communicate this to our consumers.
The policy at Benecol is currently under review, and all claims regarding vegan status are also being reviewed.
If you require further information, please do not hesitate to contact us
again, or you can log onto our website - www.benecol.co.uk (http://www.benecol.co.uk/)


Yours Sincerely
Naomi Aitken
Specialist Advisor
McNeil Nutritionals Information Service"

[Linxie]

We are currently reviewing the best way to communicate this to our consumers

Ermmm.... write it on the packaging maybe? Next to the suitable for vegetarians sign!? Just an idea
:rolleyes:

[Marrers]

To stop emailng customers who ask telling them that is ISN"T vegan would be a good start! :rolleyes:

[harpy]

To stop emailng customers who ask telling them that is ISN"T vegan would be a good start! :rolleyes:


LOL!

For those that are after a prebiotic/probiotic drink, though, I'm not sure that this is one? I thought it was meant to lower your cholesterol levels, like their margarines etc?

FWIW I sometimes take acidophilus/bifidophilus capsules (marked vegan) which are meant to help you maintain the right balance of bugs in your guts. I have the impression that they have a calming effect, but who knows.

[Marrers]

For those that are after a prebiotic/probiotic drink, though, I'm not sure that this is one? I thought it was meant to lower your cholesterol levels, like their margarines etc?

Good point Harpy, I'm not sure either now you say that.

[Cumin]

What the blithering fridges is that supposed to mean?!?!?!??!

Talk about non-committal fence-walking. That takes the biscuit!!:eek::eek::eek:

Grrr.


A response at last!

"Dear Lynsey,
Ref: 000354154C
Thank you for contacting the Benecol Information Service.
I apologize for the delay in responding to you.
All the ingredients of the Dairy Free drink are suitable for a vegan diet as none of the ingredients used in the recipe are derived from animal or dairy produce. We are currently reviewing the best way to communicate this to our consumers.
The policy at Benecol is currently under review, and all claims regarding vegan status are also being reviewed.
If you require further information, please do not hesitate to contact us
again, or you can log onto our website - www.benecol.co.uk (http://www.benecol.co.uk/)


Yours Sincerely
Naomi Aitken
Specialist Advisor
McNeil Nutritionals Information Service"

[Linxie]

I get the impression that they just didn't bother to consider vegans when producing and labelling their product. But now they have had some emails about it I guess they are realising that they have made a mistake!

Think I will stick to my alpro probiotic yoghurts for now!

[Sueflower]

Just logged into this site because i was searching to see if Benecol is Vegan as i bought some yesterday because they said dairy free and then read that they were only suitable for vegetarians. Just phoned the free phone number0800 01840101 and she said they were not vegan and would get someone to phone me to tell me why it isn't. I then read the email that says it is vegan.....still puzzled:mad:

[Linxie]

Let us know if they do phone you with an explanation! I never bought any in the end as they clearly do not know what they are talking about!