Dairy Allergy and Sensitivity
Dairy allergy is in my experience the second most common allergen or food to which people are sensitive. It is in my view also very common for people with gluten intolerance. The reason is quite simple. If you are intolerant to one food then you likely will have an increased risk of sensitivity to others as well. This is indeed what we find when working with gluten sensitive people. These individuals frequently have weakened immune systems and digestive tracts making them susceptible to additional food intolerances.
Milk Sugar and Casein Intolerance
So what is it that makes milk products more difficult for some of us to tolerate? In most cases, it is the lactose or milk sugar to which people are intolerant. For some individuals they may be able to use lactose-free milk (lactaid) or take the enzyme, lactase, and they may then be able to enjoy dairy products at least in moderation. However, this is not the case for all with milk product sensitivity. Some folks are sensitive to the milk protein or casein. Both types are somewhat genetic related and tend to get worse as we age and when we are under stress. Stress can of course, include having a health imbalance such as a digestive health issue.
Dairy Free Alternatives
Blue Diamond(Almond Breeze-Almond Milk) Pacific Foods(Almond, rice, hazelnut, and oat milk) Rice Dream(Rice milk or ice cream) Turtle Mountain(So Delicious-Coconut milk, coconut ice cream, coconut kefir) These substitutes are all excellent foods. Once again companies are making quality products to serve the public who demands them. The consumer is king!
Milk Sugar-Free Products
There are also companies making products that are free of lactose. So now if you are sensitive to milk sugar but tolerate milk protein you have even more delicious options. Breyer's (Lactose free vanilla ice cream) Lactaid (Milk, egg nog, cottage cheese, ice cream)Breyer's ice cream has excellent flavor and all of the Lactaid products are also acceptable. Finally, it should be noted that butter is a milk sugar-free product, so people with this sensitivity can enjoy butter. Of course, it is a saturated fat so make sure that you do so in moderation.
Return from Dairy-Allergy to Gluten-free-Chris
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