Kara dairy-free – the UK’s first coconut-based dairy-free milk!

EVOLVE! campaigns highly recommend this new dairy-free alternative…

Made with freshly pressed coconut milk and with total fat and calcium levels matched to semi-skimmed milk, it’s not surprising to discover just how much like milk Kara Original + Calcium tastes.Ideal for: breakfast cereals, tea or coffee, sweet or savoury cooking , on its own as a refreshing cold drink – 250ml provides 37.5% of the RDA of calcium.

Available pack size: 1000ml

What they are saying:

A new coconut milk is promising to shake up the dairy-free market by offering a “superior flavour and texture” to other bean and grain-based products.

Launched in January, Kara Dairy Free is the UK’s first coconut based non-dairy milk and is produced using the liquid from pressed coconut flesh with added carotene, fruit extract and calcium. The ambient product has been developed to mimic the natural properties, taste and flavour of semi-skimmed milk, and contains 2% fat.

A new SKU in the ambient milk and well-being aisles, Kara Dairy Free has the same characteristics as semi-skimmed milk in taste, texture and colour.

Like semi-skimmed milk, it contains just 2% fat, but has the added benefits of being cholesterol and lactose free, and contains the richest source of Lauric Acid of any kind of milk. Lauric Acid is a medium chain fatty acid, which is healthier than saturated animal fats and also helps control cholesterol.

Kara Dairy Free also contains no artificial flavourings, colourings or preservatives and is a versatile cooking ingredient. Coming out top in recent taste tests it was the preferred choice to leading soya and rice drinks.

Kara Dairy Free is produced in the UK by First Grade, a UK subsidiary of the Sambu group. Based in Indonesia, the Sambu Group is the world leader in coconut products, supplying to leading confectionery, biscuit, breakfast cereal and ready meal companies.

Graham Lee, Marketing Controller for First Grade comments: “Kara Dairy Free has been specifically created for the British and European consumer palate. We are targeting those who prefer a dairy-free diet and expect it to be popular with lactose intolerants and coeliacs, thanks principally to its superior taste and additional health benefits.”

Lee adds: “The environmental debate around avoiding meat and dairy also adds to the support we expect to see for this product. We have already gained official approval with both the Vegetarian and Vegan Societies.

With a shelf life of 9 months Kara Dairy Free is available in one-litre cartons with an RRP from £1.29. It will be available from Tesco Extra stores, Whole Foods and Planet Organic from January. Further stockists are expected throughout early 2010.

Kara Dairy Free is produced from freshly pressed coconuts harvested from Sambu managed plantations in Sumatra, Indonesia. Its involvement spans from seeding right through to processing with stringent quality control.

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It boosts the immune system and fights off bacteria and germs. Coconut milk is also beneficial to the heart. It contains lauric acid – also found in mother’s milk – that helps to keep the arteries and heart clean and healthy. And although coconut milk contains saturated fats, the presence of lauric acid and other beneficial acids in coconut milk make it perfect against heart disease and atherosclerosis. Because it contains lauric acid it also has anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties. As such, coconut milk can help to strengthen the immune system by getting rid of stomach bacteria, the flu, colds, sore throat and a range of illnesses.

Coconut milk is the perfect food to promote weight loss or the perfect food to add to your weight maintenance diet. The saturated fat in coconut consists of short-chain and medium-chain fatty acids, which the body promptly converts into energy rather than storing it as fat. So, coconut can help in weight loss! Coconut milk can also aid in digestion. It contains beneficial substances that allow the stomach to digest food properly. Coconut milk is anti-bacterial and it kills off bad bacteria in the stomach that can cause you to not digest food properly.

There are several kinds of antioxidants found in coconut milk. Antioxidants help the body to scavenge dangerous free radicals that can degenerate the cells of the body. Therefore, coconut milk can help to prevent cancers of the body and help ward off degenerative diseases such as premature aging; sagging of the skin, wrinkling, vision and bone problems.

If you’ve been struggling to find a dairy-free alternative that you like the taste of, why not give this one a try!

Compiled by EVOLVE! Campaigns – http://www.evolvecampaigns.org.uk