Else Nutrition

What are the regulatory requirements for this product? What are its nutritional values?

The nutrient content regulatory guidelines for formulas and drinks designed for toddlers (12-36 months old) are not clearly established. However, the manufacturer must produce the formula in a facility that strictly follows current FDA good manufacturing principles and procedures and must accurately define the finished product with appropriate labeling to ensure that the nutrients declared on the label are met during the shelf life. Most toddler formulas are powders that are easily mixed with water to provide a nutrient-rich formula to the toddler. While there are many nutritional options for toddler formulas and toddler milk, most include cow’s milk proteins or soy proteins. Until now, this posed a problem for children with cow milk and/or soy allergies. While hydrolyzed/elemental (i.e. broken down), and hypoallergenic medical formula do exist, they’re typically expensive and not very palatable. With respect to the carbohydrate sources, most toddler formulas and toddler milk using extracts derived from corn (corn syrup solids or corn maltodextrin) and lactose (cow’s milk-derived). Some formulas add a prebiotic fiber, galactooligosaccharides (GOS), or fructooligosaccharides (FOS) to support gut health. The oil blends found in toddler formulas and toddler milk are diverse, however, the majority use soy oil (for monounsaturated fat) and sunflower oil (to support essential fatty acid intakes of linoleic acid and linolenic acid), and coconut oil (for saturated fat). Else Nutrition has developed an alternative to standard toddler beverages and toddler formulas. The Plant-based Toddler Nutrition drink delivers protein from a proprietary blend of almonds and buckwheat using a clean, chemical-free process. This plant-based alternative to dairy or soy-based formulas and toddler milks is made from whole food such as almond, buckwheat, tapioca. It is also free of any dairy or soy ingredients, free of any antibiotics, hormone-free, gluten-free, and does not contain genetically modified ingredients.

What are the ingredients in Else Toddler Nutrition Drink?

Else Plant-based toddler nutritional drink contains almond butter, buckwheat flour, tapioca maltodextrin, and vitamins and minerals. The toddler nutritional drink is slightly sweetened with a low amount of sugar, less than 2% - significantly less than traditional offerings. 95% of the product’s composition is made up of 3 plant ingredients: Almond butter is a rich protein source, but also contains biotin, Vitamin E (an antioxidant), copper, and manganese. Almonds also provide good amounts of Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), phosphorus, magnesium, and molybdenum. They are also a great source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. Almonds are a whole food alternative to cow’s milk whey, casein, or processed soy. Highly-digestible, and have been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects. Almonds are prebiotics that favorably alters the microbiome of the intestinal tract. Buckwheat is a high-quality, gluten-free plant with grain-like seeds and a source of protein (full amino acid profile - all 8 essential amino acids, making it a high-quality protein source) and nutritious carbohydrates. Buckwheat is also a very good source of manganese, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, antioxidants, and fiber. It provides the baby with essential macronutrients from whole food. Also a favorable prebiotic for the intestinal tract. Tapioca maltodextrin, derived from the root vegetable cassava (think: yuca) is an easy-to-digest form of carbohydrate and is free of taste, smell, and flavor, made using water and all-natural enzymes. Tapioca maltodextrin is made using water and an all-natural enzyme.

What is the source of protein in Else Toddler Nutrition Drink?

The 2 sources of protein in our formula are almonds and buckwheat. Both sources are gluten-free, high-quality plant-based protein sources that contain all the essential amino acids (protein building blocks) that we must get from our diet.

Can Else Plant-Based Toddler Nutrition be used in addition to other foods, breast milk etc.? How often should we use the product?

Just like a toddler formula, Else Plant-Based Toddler Nutrition drink can be used daily or occasionally; with any combination of breast milk, dairy milk, or solid foods. It provides complete nutrition beyond 12 months+.

What are the benefits of Almonds and Buckwheat?

Almonds are one of the richest food sources of vitamin E, a health-promoting antioxidant. They also contain biotin, Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), copper, manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, and molybdenum. Almonds are well known as a source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. Research has shown that as part of a healthy diet, almonds can help reduce inflammation and cholesterol levels. They're a whole food alternative to cow’s milk whey, casein, or processed soy. Highly-digestible, and have been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects. Almonds are prebiotics that favorably alters the microbiome of the intestinal tract. Buckwheat is a grain-like plant that is 100% gluten-free. Its protein is of high quality since it contains 8 essential amino acids (protein building blocks that the body can’t make and we must get from our diet), including lysine. It is a very good source of manganese as well as copper, magnesium, phosphorus, and fiber. As a whole grain plant, it is also naturally rich in insoluble fiber, which is great for digestion (quickens the movement of food through the GI tract). The flavonoid and magnesium content of buckwheat makes it a heart-healthy food. Studies show that increased intake is associated with lower LDL (bad) and total cholesterol, higher HDL (good) cholesterol, and lower blood pressure. Consumption can help control blood sugar and decrease the risk for as well as manage diabetes.

Are your products Clean Label? What does this mean?

Yes, our products are Clean Label. Clean Label is a consumer-driven movement that focuses on food and ingredient transparency. A food is considered a Clean Label if it contains only natural, familiar, and simple ingredients that are easy to recognize, understand and pronounce. This means there are no artificial ingredients or synthetic chemicals in the food. To learn more about ingredients that are not considered clean label visit Go Clean Label for a list.

Are your products certified organic?

Yes, our Toddler Nutritional Product launching later this year will be USDA Certified Organic. What does that mean? USDA certified organic means that a food is grown and processed in a way that meets the federal guidelines for soil quality, treatment of animals, pest control, and the use of additives. Organic farmers and food producers use natural farming practices as well as no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. For more information about prohibited substances on organic farms visit the USDA Blog “Organic 101: Allowed and Prohibited Substances”. For multi-ingredient foods, like Else, in order to be considered USDA certified organic and bear the USDA organic seal in addition to organic certification of each ingredient, these foods must not contain artificial preservatives, colors, flavors, or GMOs.

Are the heavy metals in your products? What are the levels of heavy metals in your products?

Heavy metals are naturally occurring metals in the environment with high density (hence "heavy"). Plant-based products bear heavy metals in plants that come from the soil. Else products are monitored for heavy metals to ensure the level is within the allowed levels for food. Our product is also certified as Clean Label (check out our certification!), and as part of the certification process, all heavy metals levels were analyzed and confirmed to be below the maximal allowed levels in baby food.

Do your products contain any animal-derived ingredients?

Our products are made with no animal-derived ingredients.

Are Else Nutrition products Non-GMO?

Yes, all Else Nutrition products are, and will always be Non-GMO. This means there are no genetically modified ingredients used in the product.