ProNourish Low FODMAP Nutritional Drink, French Vanilla, 8 Fluid Ounce (pack of 24)

~ ~ ~Short Review:Contains Milk & Soy; NOT labelled lactose-free; highly processed (potentially with the neurotoxin hexane); made me vomit; questionable claims to being low-FODMAP if it does not specifically state it is free of lactose.Long and/or Longer Review:~ ~ ~What is FODMAP and who cares whether ProNourish Low FODMAP Nutritional Drink Vanilla is “low-FODMAP-friendly” or not?~ ~ ~FODMAP is an acronym for Fermentable Oligo-, Di-, and Mono-saccharides And Polyols. They are large carbohydrate molecules and are also in certain types of fiber. Their effect on digestion has been studied primarily by Monash University in Australia, where low-FODMAP restaurants have become popular.All people, ill or not, have some level of difficulty digesting foods with FODMAPS beyond a level specific to their own gut motility and gut bacterial flora.Some people (listed below) are so ill that FODMAPS literally ferment because they do not get passed along the digestive tract normally. For them, no-FODMAP and low-FODMAP foods are vitally important. They must consult a gastroenterologist to get a clinical diagnosis. And they should get tested for blockage(s), additional conditions, and SIBO or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.STOP HERE IF:You are not experiencing gastrointestinal distress of any type, can tolerate milk and soy, do not have galactosemia, do have your blood sugar under control, and don’t care about FODMAPS or the ingredients in ProNourish Low FODMAP Nutritional Drink Vanilla. Go ahead and try it out. I did find it tasted quite good. I could have given it 4 or 5 stars had it not made me nauseous to the point of vomiting.KEEP READING IF:You have a long attention span, want to know more about why I cannot rate this product higher than 1 out of 5 stars, want to know more about how Monash’s allowed versus disallowed low-FODMAP tested food lists relate to this product, and care about overly processed food and misleading labels that just don’t sound quite right.Low-FODMAP is not a “diet” in a weight-loss sense. It is intended to manage symptoms such as severe bloating, gas, pain, vomiting, and cycles of diarrhea and constipation, all at a level that makes your life unmanageable. It is not something you should diagnose and manage yourself.A dietician or nutritionist educated in FODMAPS is indispensable, as the diet is complicated and not at all intuitive. For instance, tofu and soy lecithin are allowed during the elimination phase, but soybeans, soy sauce, and soy milk are prohibited. Tomato and acorn squash are allowed, but tomato paste and butternut squash are not. Whey protein isolate is allowed, but whey protein concentrate is not. Dairy products must be lactose-free, in general, yet regular heavy cream, cream cheese, butter, sour cream, ricotta, and half-and-half are allowed in specific quantities. But if a product is labelled as having milk in it, as this one does, it must also state it is lactose-free in order to be allowable.Don’t take from the FODMAP acronym that all sugars and artificial sweeteners are disallowed. White cane sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, evaporated cane juice, sucrose-sweetened soft drinks, and pure maple syrup ARE allowed in the elimination phase in specific amounts.Even more surprising are that these sugars are on the allowed list of ingredients: aspartame, confectioner’s sugar, demerara sugar, dextrose, glucose, high-maltose corn syrup, maltodextrin, maltose, saccharine, Stevia, sucrose, and sucralose.~ ~ ~So is ProNourish Low FODMAP Nutritional Drink Vanilla a guaranteed FODMAP-friendly product as advertised?~ ~ ~In my _opinion_, which is based on the exhaustive research and respected publications from Monash University (the groundbreaking Australian food scientists who test and rate specific foods), nearly a year of my own FODMAP experience under a dietician’s care, my understanding thereof despite conflicting and confusing information, and the fact that ProNourish Low FODMAP Nutritional Drink made me sick during a 2-week trial period:ProNourish Low FODMAP Nutritional Drink Vanilla is NOT a guaranteed FODMAP-friendly product as advertised for the people who are:1. in the entry-level elimination phase of a low-FODMAP program (which can be weeks or more than a year),2. vegans,3. allergic to or highly intolerant of soy and/or milk and their constituent parts and by-products (including lactose aka milk sugar and/or milk proteins, ingredients ending in “caseinate”, the curiously non-specific ingredient but ultra-processed “soy isolate” for reasons described later),4. diabetics disallowed certain sweeteners (cane sugar, sucralose aka Splenda, maltodextrin),5. reactive to fillers and Acacia tree sap gum (which is itself a polysaccharide manufactured with lactose),6. known to have the potentially lethal genetic disorder galactosemia,7. restricting their calcium intake (such as people with certain manifestations of the auto-immune disorder sarcoidosis, since this product contains a hefty 35% RDA),8. averse to highly processed foods, especially those which might contain residual amounts of the neurotoxin hexane, and/or9. actively experiencing and unable to control these gastrointestinal disorders: IBS-C, IBS-D, gastroparesis, SIBO, and/or malabsorption disorders such as intestinal hyper-permeability known as the very real “leaky gut”.~ ~ ~But doesn’t the label let the consumer know all this?~ ~ ~Nestle DOES provide certain wording (which I choose to interpret as warnings) on the label for ProNourish Low FODMAP Nutritional Drink: “contains: milk and soy ingredients”, “not for individuals with Galactosemia”, and “suitable for lactose intolerance”.~ ~ ~Shouldn’t those warnings be sufficient?~ ~ ~No, not for the aforementioned people in my list above.The fact is this: ProNourish Low FODMAP Nutritional Drink is not labelled “lactose free”. To state it is “suitable for lactose intolerance” is NOT equal to it being lactose-free. The difference to an ill person is similar to those with severe nut allergies, where trace amounts – even airborne nut and nutshell dust– can trigger symptoms. Safe nut-free processed foods must be labelled nut-free. Being lactose-free is a fundamental requirement during the elimination period of a low-FODMAP program.If Nestle wants to associate this product with FODMAP by calling this product both low-FODMAP and FODMAP-friendly, it should specifically state it is appropriate for people who have made it through the elimination phase and have successfully been able to add lactose-containing products back into their regular diet. Many individuals are NEVER able to reincorporate lactose-containing products back into their diets.~ ~ ~So there’s lactose-containing milk in this product marketed to the lactose-intolerant?~ ~ ~Yes, enough so that Nestle cannot state “lactose fee” on its label for ProNourish Low FODMAP Nutritional Drink Vanilla. In fact, it has multiple milk sources: milk protein concentrate, sodium caseinate, calcium caseinate, and possibly even maltodextrin. However, only maltodextrin IS listed on Monash’s “allowed” list of label ingredients. “Milk protein concentrate” is also known as “whey protein concentrate”, which is NOT on the allowed list unless specifically identified as lactose-free. Caseinates are derived from milk proteins and cannot be guaranteed to be lactose-free.Of course, all of these are issues if you have an allergy to milk protein and/or milk sugar.~ ~ ~But what about that soy?~ ~ ~It depends on the form of the soy. Soy in general is not the problem, unless, of course, you have an allergy to soy. As mentioned earlier, tofu (3 ounces) is allowed during the elimination stage, as are soybean oil and soy lecithin. But soy sauce and soybeans are not.There are 2 sources of soy in ProNourish Low FODMAP Nutritional Drink. Soy lecithin is on the “allowed list”. Soy protein isolate is not on the allowed AND it is not on the illegal list. My dietician told me in such cases to consider it untested and therefore not allowed during both elimination and re-introduction phases.Both are highly processed and most likely done so using the neurotoxin hexane. Soy isolate is an ultra-highly processed food with a non-specific end state and constitution. Sometimes it’s a solid, sometimes it’s a powder, and who knows what processing agents it retains and in what quantities. If you are trying to avoid chemicals and processed foods, soy lecithin and soy isolate are worth avoiding on ANY diet.~ ~ ~Could there possibly be even more to make this “low-FODMAP friendly” drink less friendly?~ ~ ~I wouldn’t be doing my due diligence to end here. I cannot verify gum acacia aka gum Arabic as being allowable. Same with “cellulose gel and gum” and partially hydrolyzed guar gum, although guar gum is expressly allowed, as are xanthum gum and carageenan. And no consumer ever really knows what is in “natural and artificial flavor”.~ ~ ~Verdict?~ ~ ~If a product’s label states “Contains: Milk and Soy” AND you are in the elimination phase of a low-FODMAP diet,Then pass on by ProNourish Low FODMAP Nutritional Drink Vanilla.If a product’s label states “Contains: Milk and Soy” AND you can safely tolerate milk and soy in amounts tested carefully with a dietician’s assistance,Then pass on by ProNourish Low FODMAP Nutritional Drink Vanilla. The content is overly processed and on principle, the label is disingenuous.

Let's start off with taste. If you ever had Vanilla Ensure, Orgain or most vanilla protein powder beverages it tastes very similar to those.Beverage is very high in fiber or at least very concentrated. Even though lactose free (I'm lactose intolerant) there is bloating involved, but only for a short while. When the sensation occurs, it's like a signal to go to the restroom. But instead of sitting there hugging your stomach in pain for minutes at a time, it only lasts 15-20secs before you make a massive #2 (with no diarrhea), giving you a huge sigh of relief . After several bottles your stomach gets used to it and there's less stomach/intestinal discomfort overtime till it dissipates. As they say no-pain-no-gain (or at least in the beginning). Some people may have different sensitivities, but that's what I got from personal experience.If it's your first time drinking a concentrated high fiber beverage I recommend you start consuming it when you have a free day or before/during an important task; As one bottle will make you go within 15-30mins after you empty out the bottle. Also some flatulance may occurGreat for a Low FODMAP diet as if you use this product for several weeks it's like giving your digestive system a factory reset. Great for those who have high constipation from eating high protein, high fat foods long term with little to no vegetables or fiber in their diet. Better than detox or drinking jugs of prune juice in my opinion.Like Ensure or Orgain, good for those who had medical issues, have trouble digesting or chewing solid food and/or have trouble/limited in what they can consume from a regular diet. If you have a serious medical condition you should consult your doctor or dietitian before using and/or look through the ingredients list if you're knowledgeable on what you can or cannot consumeAside from some growing pains, this product is worth it for the long run

This was a great low-sugar, gut-friendly meal/creamer/breakfast-milk replacement. However, I received this email after inquiring about the cancellation of one of my orders:-------------------------------------------------------------Thank you for contacting Nestlé Health Science. Unfortunately, all flavors of ProNourish® have been discontinued. The following BOOST® and Carnation® Nutritional Drinks (retail) do not contain high FODMAP ingredients, and therefore they may be appropriate for a Low FODMAP diet:BOOST® High Protein Nutritional Drink (8 fl oz)BOOST Optimum™ Nutritional Drink (8 fl oz)Carnation Breakfast Essentials® Original Ready-to-Drink (8 fl oz)We are sorry for any inconvenience this has caused.-------------------------------------------------------------It is worth noting that the lowest-sugar option, BOOST Optimum, is still TWICE the amount of sugar as the same serving size of ProNourish. I will be going back to coconut milk and watering down Soylent 2.0 - the latter however is not an option for people with fructose intolerance since it contains a significant amount of isomaltulose.