From time to time, parents of children with allergies, who use our products, ask me if I’ve ever tried the Neocate formulas. We here at Nutricia have certainly tasted them all, but tasting and consuming are two different things. After lots of questions from parents about what their little one is feeling and whether or not it’s normal, and given my indiscriminate palate, I decided it was time to really give Neocate a try.
My plan? To go on a nothing-but-Neocate diet for two days. What, exactly, would be allowed? Neocate: specifically any of the Neocate products, the flavor packets, and the flavors straws. What wasn’t allowed? Anything else. Well, almost anything else. I decided I would still be allowed tea (lack of caffeine could be a real problem!). I also decided that, given my usually high fiber intake, I would also be allowed to supplement my Neocate diet with fiber. I found an inulin fiber supplement: the same type of fiber that’s included in Neocate Junior with Prebiotics. Some folks might say this is cheating, but I took the advice that I (as a Registered Dietitian) would give anyone: to avoid a sudden and drastic change in fiber intake, up or down.
With these rules in mind, I used my approximate calorie needs to design a “meal plan” and dove right in.
Day 1 Menu:
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Morning Snack: Neocate Infant with DHA and ARA
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Breakfast: Neocate Infant with DHA and ARA
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Lunch: Neocate Infant with DHA and ARA + Lemon-Lime Flavor Packet
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Dessert: Neocate Nutra + Neocate Junior Chocolate (“Chocolate Pudding”)
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Afternoon Snack: E028 Splash Orange-Pineapple
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Appetizer: Neocate Junior with Prebiotics + Grapefruit Flavor Packet
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Dinner: E028 Splash Grape + Neocate Junior Chocolate (“Chocolate Covered Raisin”)
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Dessert: Neocate Junior with Prebiotics + Cookies ‘n Cream Flavor Straw
Day 1 Experience:
The day started with Neocate Infant with DHA and ARA. Does this taste like standard infant formula or milk? Nope. Because the Neocate products have amino acids instead of whole protein, Neocate Infant with DHA and ARA has a different taste and a thinner texture. To me it has a grassy undertone, which isn’t so bad, and is something most infants either don’t notice or get used to after a few days. Smaller amounts were fine, but a full 350 calories of plain Neocate Infant was a bit much, even for me: by my last “meal” of Neocate Infant at lunch I decided I could use the help of our Lemon-Lime Flavor Packet. So far, so good. I was surprised that I wasn’t ravenous as the day progressed – I had my doubts that an all-liquid diet would keep me satisfied, but it really did. I managed to go to bed without having any real cravings that day. No stomachaches and nothing out of the ordinary.
Day 2 Menu:
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Morning Snack: E028 Splash Tropical Fruit
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Breakfast: E028 Splash Orange-Pineapple + Neocate Junior + Strawberry & Banana Flavor Straws (“Fruit Salad”)
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Lunch: Neocate Junior Tropical
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Dessert: Neocate Nutra + Neocate Junior with Prebiotics + Cherry Vanilla Flavor Packet (“Chocolate-covered Cherry Pudding”)
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Snack: E028 Splash Tropical Fruit
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Appetizer: Neocate Junior with Prebiotics + Strawberry & Banana Flavor Straws
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Dinner: E028 Splash Orange-Pineapple + Strawberry Flavor Straw + Junior with Prebiotics
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Dessert: Neocate Nutra + Neocate Junior Chocolate + Strawberry Flavor Straw (“Chocolate-covered Strawberry Pudding”)
Day 2 Experience:
This day started with some definite hunger, but the morning snack took care of that. When I arrived at work I found a donut on my desk – so began the cravings for solid food. It was definitely difficult to avoid the snacks around the office that day, but I made it through. The toughest part was probably dinner time. I usually handle food preparation in our house, so having to cook dinner and not partake in enjoying it was difficult.
By the end of the day all of the different flavors began to taste pretty similar to me, probably because I tried to do too many flavor mash-ups. I will say that I definitely found the EO28 Splash an easy option. It seems silly, but it was so much nicer to grab a Splash instead of having to prepare a meal.
All things considered, the Neocate diet wasn’t nearly as difficult as I thought, and actually made life easier. I really appreciated having all of the different flavor options and the simplicity of Splash in a ready-to-go format. That said, a third day might have gotten a little routine, so I have a great deal of respect for the patients who have to stay on an elemental diet for an extended period of time, especially those children who have had “real” food, know what it tastes like, and have to give it up.
And the question many parents would like to ask: How did I feel after two days of Neocate? Pretty normal, actually. My stomach felt a bit more “active” at times, but I never felt queasy, had diarrhea or constipation, or really felt any different than I usually do. I didn’t experience any big swings in hunger or fullness, and it was nice not worrying about whether or not I was getting a balanced meal: Neocate took care of that for me. For parents of children who are going from a more typical diet to Neocate (such as those with EE who are starting an elimination diet) you may want to check with your child’s healthcare team about using Neocate Junior with Prebiotics, which has fiber to help maintain gut health.
How about you: have you ever tried a full serving of Neocate? If so, what did you think? Feel free to share any questions you have about my experience!
- Rob
Great News – Neocate just launched new dairy-free Flavor Straws! Available in Strawberry, Banana and Cookies and Cream the straws are kid-friendly and designed to introduce new flavors to children on Neocate Junior and Neocate One+.