Dairy Free Eating

Many people have allergies or food sensitivities to dairy, and would feel a lot better eating dairy free. Problems people often have with dairy include:

• Weight gain without knowing why. The diet is reasonable healthy.
• Elevated insulin levels
• Acne
• Signs of lactose intolerance: gas, bloating, cramping, and diarrhea
• Excess mucous in the system, which manifests as running nose, congested sinuses, wheezing sounds in the breath

People often don’t know what to substitute for dairy. Here are some options.

Dairy Free Milk

There are many dairy free milks on the market today. Some options include: oat milk, hemp milk, almond milk, cashew milk, coconut milk. Soy milk is also available, but there are other problems with soy so I wouldn’t recommend it. You can buy them in almost any store, or make your own.

To make your own nut milk, soak 1/4c nuts overnight. In the morning drain off the water. If using almonds, peel off the skins. Blend the nuts in 1c water. You can add extras if you like, such as cinnamon, vanilla extract, or a little coconut sugar or honey.

Dairy Free Yogurt

These are also readily available in health food stores and some supermarkets. Or you can buy a yogurt culture and make your own.

Good Oils Instead of Butter

Choose olive oil, avocado oil, sesame oil, coconut oil, or palm oil that is sustainably sourced. It’s best to use cold-pressed oils.

You can also use ghee, which is clarified butter. Because the milk solids have been removed, it is basically an oil. Use organic butter to make your own, or look for an organic product in a health food store.

Goat’s Milk — Easier On The Body

Goat’s milk is lighter than cow’s milk. For this reason, it does not have the same congestive effect as cow’s milk. Some folks who can’t tolerate cow’s milk and cow’s milk products do fine with goat’s mil and goat cheese. If you buy feta cheese, be careful. Some of them are made with goat’s milk, some with cow’s milk, and some with a combination of both.

How To Get Started

Choose one intervention at a time, such as using dairy free milk in your morning cereal. Study the results. If you feel better, you will most likely be motivated to do more.

When making a recipe that calls for dairy, you can easily substitute a dairy free option using the same amount.

Check out some vegan websites. There are lots of good ones out there.

Learn more: 2/9/22 post.