*This is a collaborative post
What is a dairy-free diet? Essentially, it’s a diet that avoids all milk – not just milk and its by-products (cheese, cream, butter etc) but also a whole host of foods that contain milk products where you least suspect. As such, going on a dairy free diet can be a big change, as so many foods contain dairy.
The main reason why people want to cut dairy from their diets is an allergy to milk protein and lactose. These groups of people stick to the dairy-free diet for medical reasons. They just have no other choice. The only alternative to “regular” milk for them is its soy, coconut or rice equivalent.
Intolerance to dairy products among adults is expressed in various dyspeptic disorders which are rarely severe. Solution to the problem is obvious: milk rejection or switching to dairy products with low content of lactose.
A completely different picture is with allergy to milk. Allergic reactions usually occur to the protein found in milk – casein. Symptoms of such allergies can be a pain in the stomach, diarrhea, hives and other skin reactions, breathing difficulties. Often allergy occurs only to one type of milk, more often to the cow’s milk. In this case, a person can use other types of milk, such as goat’s or sheep’s, without any unpleasant consequences for health.
In cases of lactose intolerance symptoms can manifest in the form of abdominal pain, bloating and osmotic diarrhea when consuming usual dairy products containing lactose. But even people with individual lactose intolerance need animal proteins and, more importantly, calcium. Fragility of hair, nails, condition of skin and bones – it is this element that is responsible for all this. You can find out more information on lactose intolerance across the web, and make sure to consult your doctor if you’re feeling the symptoms.
Focusing on people with individual intolerance to lactose, many manufacturers offer lactose free milk. It is suitable for everybody but is primarily for people who have problems because of the consumption of dairy products.
It is particularly important that from the lactose-free milk is removed only one component – the lactose. All the other valuable components of this natural elixir of health – easily assimilated proteins, fat, calcium, phosphorus and other vitamins and minerals – are still there. In other words, lactose-free milk is still milk, and it is invaluable benefit for the modern person, for whom milk and dairy products are often the only natural source of calcium and minerals. And people suffering from lactase deficiency can receive these benefits in full. Also, the use of this product facilitates digestion and allows to avoid discomfort.
Whatever the reason, if you constantly feel discomfort because of consuming milk then rejection of it will immediately have a positive impact on your health! The main thing is to know how to replace some of its components to continue to have a happy healthy life.
Rebecca P. says
Dairy-free for life!