Women In Wellness: Lauren Abelin of Kiki Milk On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing
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Frequently asked questions
- Do you only sell 12 packs? At this time, yes.
But let us explain why: When it came down to packaging Kiki Milk, we had two options: 6 packs wrapped in plastic or 12 packs wrapped in cardboard. Because we are committed to bettering planet earth and lowering our carbon footprint, this decision was a no-brainer. We’ll pick cardboard over plastic any day, especially if that means we can minimize transportation emissions and get you more Kiki Milk. Win Win 🏆
If you are hesitant about purchasing a 12-pack of Kiki Milk, we get it. That is a lot of milk, especially for first time buyers who have never tried it. The good news is we offer a 30-day 100% risk-free guarantee!
We are sure you’ll love Kiki Milk, but if for any reason you aren’t satisfied, please contact us within 30 days* of your order and we will provide you with a 100% refund, no questions asked!
Read more about our refund policy here. - What makes Kiki Milk great for kids? Kiki Milk is great for kids because...
⭐ We use none of these things: (no gums, seed oils, refined sugars, preservatives, GMOs, glyphosate, gluten, or soy)
⭐ We do not add any ’natural’ or artificial sweeteners, flavors or colors
⭐ We only source organic whole food ingredients
⭐ Kiki Milk Original and Chocolate are nut free* (we do use coconut)
⭐ Although we are totally organic, we go above and beyond to 3rd party lab-test all our sourced ingredients in an effort to be extra safe because we want to make sure our products do not contain any glyphosate (a common pesticide that is pervasive in US foods) or other harmful substances
⭐ We work closely with leading pediatricians and nutritionists to deliver clean, plant-based milks that support the nutritional needs of growing kiddos
Read our full blog post on why Kiki Milk is great for kids here. - FOR WHAT CHILD AGE RANGE IS KIKI MILK RECOMMENDED? Generally, doctors and pediatricians recommend mainly breastmilk or formula for children until the age of one. *After one, they can begin to transition to regular milk or other milk alternatives.
According to our nutritionist, Vicki Kobliner, MS RDN, CD-N, organic whole food sources are especially important for young kids since they are still developing. Kiki Milk is made with only organic whole food ingredients and contains no gums, seed oils, refined sugars, preservatives, GMOs, glyphosate, gluten, nuts (except coconuts), or soy. To learn more about why Kiki Milk's is great for kids, read our blog post here. For practical advice, talk to your child's pediatrician.
*Kiki Milk is not meant to replace breast milk or infant formula. - What is Aquamin™ and how much calcium is in Kiki Milk? Aquaman is a superhero that possesses superhuman strength, the ability to breathe underwater, and the capacity to communicate telepathically with creatures of the sea, among other powers. Drink Kiki Milk, and you just might be able to do the same!
But, actually:
Aquamin™ is a unique marine multi-mineral complex, providing bioactive calcium, magnesium and approximately 72 other trace marine minerals*. It supports bone health, reduces inflammation, and makes for a happier and healthier gut. It's a seaweed superfood.
Where does it come from?
⭐ Aquamin™ is extracted from the cell wall of the red marine algae, Lithathamnion calcareum, which is harvested from the cold Atlantic waters off the northwest and southwest coast of Ireland. Over the course of its 5-year lifespan, the algae absorb trace minerals from the sea, giving Aquamin™ its unique multi-mineral content. The algae are then naturally broken down and settled into the sea beds forming calcified skeletal remains, which are harvested with international standards for sustainable marine aquaculture.
Why do we use Aquamin™ in Kiki Milk?
⭐ For plant-based calcium! Thanks to some mighty seaweed, Kiki Milk Original has 228 mg of calcium per serving and Kiki Milk Chocolate has 229 mg of calcium per serving. That makes a pretty good dent in your daily calcium targets and gives you real food fuel to get you through the day.
*Aquamin™ contains a wide spectrum of trace minerals assimilated from sea water. Aquamin™ is a natural ingredient and trace mineral levels may vary over time. - WHY IS THERE NO VITAMIN D IN KIKI MILK? Vitamin D is critical for health and development, and we want every child that drinks Kiki Milk to have robust amounts in their body from the sun and clean supplementation. The problem is that the milk and milk alternatives can only be fortified with D2, and this form is not as well absorbed or metabolized as the more functional D3. These synthetic and isolated forms of the vitamin, D2, also include hidden sub-ingredients like maltodextrin we aren’t so keen on. Although companies aren’t required to put this on the label, we have ‘a no hidden sub-ingredients policy”. We choose integrity and transparency, and although most companies do it, we don’t agree with this practice.
Additionally, our bodies can naturally make D3 in the summer from sun exposure- 15 to 20 minutes before applying non-toxic sunscreen can do the trick. In fall and winter, one or two drops of a good quality D3 liquid supplement can provide the daily 600IU a toddler needs. It can even be added to your Kiki Milk before drinking.
You want the best for your kids and so do we. That's why we prefer not to add the inferior Vitamin D2, when we know D3 is a simple and better choice.
Read more about our ingredients and nutrition facts here. - Why does Kiki Milk separate? We don’t use emulsifiers, AKA chemical additives that bind ingredients together to make them artificially smooth, creamy, and pretty. If you see clumps, that’s actually a good sign. They indicate whole food ingredients which naturally separate. Just give your Kiki Milk a good shake before enjoying and you’ll experience the true taste of nature!
- How long does Kiki Milk stay fresh? Thanks to our shelf-stable packaging, unopened Kiki Milk will keep safe and flavorful for at least 12 months (or by the “Best if Used By” date) without refrigeration or preservatives! This means you can store it in your pantry or even take it with you when traveling.
However, once you are ready to enjoy Kiki Milk, we highly recommend drinking it cold for the best experience. Simply add a few cartons (or the entire case 😉) of Kiki Milk into your fridge for at least 2 hours before consuming. Pro tip: The more you add to the fridge at once, the more you have on hand to enjoy later without waiting.
If you don’t finish a carton in a single sitting, no problem! Opened Kiki Milk stays fresh for up to seven days as long as you refrigerate it.
Just remember: Real food spoils. - What's the deal with shelf-stable milk? Thanks to some seriously awesome packaging and ultra-high temperature pasteurization (AKA UHT pasteurization), perishable foods are made shelf stable, meaning they do not need to be refrigerated unless opened. Pretty neat, huh?
🤯Tell me more.
Okay so, conventional dairy milk is heated up to at least 161 degrees for 15 seconds to kill harmful bacteria in the milk. With UHT, it is heated up to 280 to 300 degrees for two to six seconds. Both methods of pasteurization ensure safety and freshness.
In addition to this pasteurization process, sterile packaging and a sterile environment in which the packaging happens are key. First, the bottles are produced on site; they are then sterilized so that they are absolutely clean. Secondly, the milk packaged in those bottles is in a sterile environment so that no bacteria or pathogens can contaminate the product.
The combination of UHT pasteurization and bottling sterilization ensures that the milk lasts up to six months on the shelf without refrigeration.*
In case you are wondering, “Does shelf stability affect taste or nutrition? The answer is nope!
While it might seem more traditional to purchase cold oat milk, shelf-stable oat milk is just as delicious and nutritious as its refrigerated counterpart, and even has added benefits. It is easier to store, has a longer shelf life, often costs less to produce and ultimately is the more sustainable choice.
Learn more about our packaging supplier here. - Can I recycle Kiki Milk cartons? The short answer is yes. But, it may require a few extra steps.
Kiki Milk is currently packaged in Tetra Pak containers, which are made of paperboard, with thin layers of aluminum and plastic. Although these materials are sustainably sourced, the layered material is more difficult to recycle, requiring specialized facilities and additional energy use. At this time, roughly 60% of the US population has access to recycling programs that accept TetraPak cartons. While this is a fantastic rate, the goal is 100%.
Realizing that they are not yet perfect, Tetra continues to explore new packaging technology that is even more sustainable — and we are excited to improve further together. - What is glyphosate and how can I avoid it? Glyphosate is the world’s most commonly used herbicide. Since being patented in 1974, billions of pounds have been applied globally to agricultural crops, especially high value crops (e.g., tree nuts, grapes, vegetables) and large acreage field crops (e.g., soybean, cotton, corn). In the U.S. specifically, although we make up only 4% of the world’s population, we use 20% of the world’s glyphosate supply annually.* Then, we wonder why our rates of chronic disease are so much higher than other countries.
Although research is still being vastly conducted, recent studies have linked glyphosate to cancer, endocrine disruption, infertility, immune dysfunction, liver and kidney damage, and disruption of the microbiome. And not only is glyphosate harming human health and the health of our future generations, it’s also destroying our ecosystems.
So, how do we avoid glyphosate?
Purchasing USDA Organic or Non-GMO Project certified food helps, but, unfortunately these labels do not ensure the absence of glyphosate due to poor supply chain testing standards. The only way to guarantee that a product is glyphosate residue free is to third party test it, which we do with Kiki Milk.
Kiki Milk is proud to work with Farmer’s Footprint who is committed to restoring harmony in our food and agricultural systems. - Can you tell me about how you’re testing for glyphosate and heavy metals? Using the LC-MS/MS method, we test all our ingredients annually to ensure they are free from glyphosate residue. Because oats, one of our key Kiki Milk ingredients, are most at risk for containing glyphosate, we triple check them by ensuring that each batch is tested to confirm it is free from glyphosate.
Currently we are working towards receiving our glyphosate free certification, which will consist of testing our product 3 times a year and verifying that it is not present. Our goal is to have glyphosate free labels on our products so you can feel 100% confident you are purchasing a clean-label product.
Heavy metals are tested on all our ingredients. While we test our final product annually to confirm that heavy metal levels are staying below specific limits, we focus more on testing each individual ingredient before it’s mixed with other ingredients. That way we can easily pinpoint sources of heavy metals before they contaminate our final product.
*All tests are performed by a 3rd party laboratory.