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Vegan Ensure substitutes

Does anyone know of a vegan alternative to ensure? It would need to have comparable vitamin and mineral makeup. Also similar protein content.Below 10 grams.
 
I will look it up. We have really limited shopping here (remote location ). Maybe I can get it online. It's for little H so I can't screw up the nutritional proportions.
 

Maya142

Moderator
Staff member
I've also heard Orgain is good and it was recommended by our nutritionist for M (she wouldn't try it so I have no idea how it tastes!). We were told to order it online.

That said, M is technically an adult, so I don't know if it would be ok for a kiddo as little as H to drink it. I know with other formulas (for example Peptamen and Peptamen Jr) that there is difference between the nutrients in the kids version and the adult version.

I'd definitely check with a nutritionist or her GI.
 
Good idea. Our RD is very accessible but it seems like I email her with weird dietary stuff more often than not! I'm a little bit embarrassed.
 

my little penguin

Moderator
Staff member
Orgain vegan tastes ok but it's a supplemental drink
So it's not nutrional complete to use a meal replacement like ensure .

My oldest non ibd kiddo drinks them .

The only other vegan nutritional complete drinks
Are Eo28 splash , neocate , elecare etc..,
Those are amino acid based ones so the taste is harder to get used to.

Bright beginning makes a soy based drink
 

Maya142

Moderator
Staff member
Neocate is truly nasty - just a warning. We tried every flavor and made it as cold as possible, and M could only drink half a carton in a whole. She drank Peptamen Jr (two cartons a day) for quite a while without an issue, so she's dealt with bad tasting formula before. Neocate was just a whole different level of nasty! Elecare was better according to M. She didn't like EO28 Splash though.

She now gets Neocate through her tube.
 

Maya142

Moderator
Staff member
Wanted to add that if you can get samples, it might be worth trying Neocate/Elecare etc. I know that our GI does have some kids that drink it, though many choose the tube over drinking. She said little kids often drink it without complaining and that older kids were really the ones who hated it!
 
I looked at Vega One but it does have a high protein content 20g if I remember correctly. I'd have to find out if that is bad for little kids.

Bright Beginnings and Orgain are not shipped to Canada.

I have to look at neocate/elecare

She's not 100% right now, she's at 50% EN so it might matter a little less than before if it meets the total meal replacement requirements.
 

my little penguin

Moderator
Staff member
Can I ask why the need to switch ?
Is it the lactose or milk ?
Peptamen jr is broken down more than ensure
But ...,
Tastes better than neocate /elecare etc.,.
 
Hi Pilgrim,
You can get Orgain products at Amazon.ca and you should be able to find them in natural foods shops that carry gluten-free and vegan products. I can get them here in Alberta. Do read the labels, not all of the products are vegan.
 

Maya142

Moderator
Staff member
If your daughter is lactose intolerant, she should be able to drink Peptamen Jr. If her issue is whey protein, then Neocate is probably a better option.

My daughter (who is lactose intolerant) drank Peptamen Jr for a while without any issues. When we increased the amount of Peptamen Jr (from 2 cans to 6 at night), she started having persistent diarrhea. Her GI thinks the issue may have to do with whey protein intolerance or she may just have stopped tolerating Peptamen Jr for whatever reason. We switched to Neocate and she had no more diarrhea.

Peptamen Jr tastes MUCH better than Neocate/Elecare according to my daughter.
 
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