Dairy Free Diet

smedlund
smedlund Posts: 117 Member
edited September 22 in Food and Nutrition
Hi All!

Well, I am contemplating going dairy free for the new year. I have some severe sinus health issues that can be be attributed to my dairy intake. While I don't do dairy very much, I am still looking for great ways to cut the dairy completely out.

Does anyone have any suggestions, recipes, hints, tips for how to cut out the dairy?

Thanks a million!

Replies

  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    I wouldn't ever go dairy free myself, but I do try to keep dairy at reasonable levels in my diet. I highly recommend almond milk as a milk replacement - it's delicious. I personally like it much better than the other milk alternatives I've tried (soy/rice/hemp/oat "milk"). You can even make your own very easily to get almond milk without any of the preservatives/etc, if that's something you're interested in!
  • absie107
    absie107 Posts: 290
    be careful... i'm not dairy free at all and i somehow have a vitamin D3 inefficiency, which, if i don't do anything about it, could lead to a deficiency, which could lead to rickets. i'd rather ingest the food than take tons of supplements. just be careful!
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    be careful... i'm not dairy free at all and i somehow have a vitamin D3 inefficiency, which, if i don't do anything about it, could lead to a deficiency, which could lead to rickets. i'd rather ingest the food than take tons of supplements. just be careful!

    This thought occured to me as well - if you're seriously going to try going dairy free, you should definitely work with a licensed/certified nutritionist to make sure you're getting all your dietary/vitamin/mineral/etc. needs met.
  • Alleghany
    Alleghany Posts: 200
    be careful... i'm not dairy free at all and i somehow have a vitamin D3 inefficiency, which, if i don't do anything about it, could lead to a deficiency, which could lead to rickets. i'd rather ingest the food than take tons of supplements. just be careful!

    Getting enough D is definitely a concern but a bit of education goes a long way. I'm meat/dairy free and my D levels were checked a few mos back and I'm A-OK. I don't take D supplements and don't even go out in the sun much. Here's a link regarding D-rich food that you may find helpful.

    http://nutritiondata.self.com/foods-000102000000000000000.html

    Whether you go dairy-free or not, GL! :flowerforyou:
  • smedlund
    smedlund Posts: 117 Member
    I've actually been told my doctors that dairy free is highly recommended for me. My allergist said it would help with my sinus issues and the headaches I get. My regular doctor said that as long as I am eating enough foods to make up for the nutrients in the dairy, I shouldn't have a problem.

    I've actually never been a dairy person. I have a problem with mucus from another animal....and it just always smells and tastes spoiled to me. I can't stand the taste of milk or any product that is of a "milky" texture. I don't like most cheeses and actually eat Whole Soy yoghurt because I can't stand the taste of dairy yoghurt. I've been drinking soy milk for years (truly and acquired taste). My downfall is chocolate and hard/aged cheeses. I rarely eat ice cream and when I do, it's usually made with coconut milk. I also know that there are products on the market that are made with milk, so it's going to be hard to completely cut it out but I would like to try. I did go vegan for a few months about a year and a half ago and I saw a huge difference. I don't think I would be able to go completely vegan but am looking for tips.
  • smedlund
    smedlund Posts: 117 Member


    http://nutritiondata.self.com/foods-000102000000000000000.html

    Whether you go dairy-free or not, GL! :flowerforyou:

    This is a great website! I actually eat quite a bit of fish, so this is a list that's super beneficial to me! :love:
  • fitness63
    fitness63 Posts: 42 Member
    I ate a vegan diet for a while and you will see a difference. (I stopped because it was difficult on my husband). This may sound weird but I never had bad breath (even morning breath) when I took out products made with animal products. I had my blood taken and levels checked and they were fine. I don't see the sun all winter as I live in NY. It should be easier to make sure you have enough vitamin D with the phone app if you click on home, then click on Nutrients. This is my favorite part of MFP. I am more worried about getting enough minerals and vitamins than being under calorie targets. You can eat nothing but that doesn't mean your are getting what your body needs. One of my favorite book for preparing food is Gary Null's Power Foods. Its has the 15 best foods for you and over 300 recipes and they are all vegan and rich in raw foods. P.S There are color pictures too. I hope this helps. :)
  • TheMaidOfAstolat
    TheMaidOfAstolat Posts: 3,222 Member
    There are tons of vegan options! I was a vegan for 5 years and you can find everything from milk, yogurt, ice cream, and even chocolate that are dairy free.
  • blondie1238
    blondie1238 Posts: 182
    I have dairy and egg allergies... it's a very tough diet to be on, but if you really want to do it for health reasons, there is tons of alternative options out there, like other people have said! I really looooove Almond Breeze almond milk. They even make a chocolate flavor that rivals any kind of chocolate milk. Soy milks take getting used to, but they're not bad, but soy cheeses and yogurts are pretty awful! They do make coconut yogurt and kefir that is to die for. The one thing you're going to find is that this is a pretty expensive diet. Another thing worth mentioning, that other people have too, is to watch the calcium and vitamin D intake. It may be worth talking to your doctor. When I found out I had dairy and egg allergies, I knew I would have a very difficult time getting all the nutrients just from my diet, and my doctor put me on supplements.
  • anovasjo
    anovasjo Posts: 382 Member
    Hi Smedlund!

    If you're looking for a dairy-free cheese, I would highly suggest reading all the ingredients carefully before purchasing any substitute products. Many "vegetarian" rice or soy cheeses include casein (a milk protein), lactose, or whey. Don't ask me why!

    As a vegan of four years and counting, I have always missed cheese a teeny bit. My favourite replacements are Sheese http://www.buteisland.com/ (they have an incredible hard cheddar with chives in it), Daiya, and Follow Your Heart http://www.followyourheart.com/product-family.php?id=2

    If you love chocolate that has milk products in it, I would suggest a rice-milk chocolate as a dairy free alternative. The Terra Nostra brand is my favourite. http://store.veganessentials.com/terra-nostra-organic-rice-milk-chocolate-bar-p1066.aspx

    Good luck!!! :wink:
  • anovasjo
    anovasjo Posts: 382 Member
    I guess I should have specified also that I live in Toronto, Canada. All of the products I've listed above are available to me at my local health food store and a couple of good brands are at the chain grocery store, too. I'm not sure about availability where you live, but I'm sure with a bit of trial and error you could find similar brands? Hmmm!
  • meaghanls
    meaghanls Posts: 29
    Don't forget about dark chocolate! Most organic dark chocolate is dairy-free. Just make sure to read those silly little labels. That dairy industry can be sneaky!

    Also - you can absolutely be healthy without dairy - in fact, you will absolutely be healthier! And that no morning breath comment - WELL SAID! I never thought about it until I read that and I was like, wow, bang on! That's so true.

    Peta may be a little crazy sometimes, but they always have tons of links to sites that would help you in your plight. =)
  • smedlund
    smedlund Posts: 117 Member

    As a vegan of four years and counting, I have always missed cheese a teeny bit. My favourite replacements are Sheese http://www.buteisland.com/ (they have an incredible hard cheddar with chives in it), Daiya, and Follow Your Heart http://www.followyourheart.com/product-family.php?id=2


    I tried the Daiya last night on quesadillas, yummy! My biggest complaint about cheddar cheese and the soft cheeses is that it tastes too much like milk (I HATE, LOATH, DESPISE milk!!). The Daiya has a nice taste to it. I really see myself switching completely. Same with Trader Joe's Cherry Chocolate Chip ice cream. All soy, no dairy. Pretty much better than Cherry Garcia. :love:

    All in all, I think that I will have a much better time with the switch because I have found many more options.

    Thanks everyone!
  • shreddingit
    shreddingit Posts: 1,133 Member
    I recently bought me "so delicious" vanilla coconut milk its dairy free..I take a calcium chew from GNC to help in case I dont get enough calcium in my diet or vit.D....:)
  • Jaedynmoon
    Jaedynmoon Posts: 280 Member
    I've recently gone dairy free as well due to my lactose intolerance getting really bad over the last year and I got sick of being sick! So dairy is completely out! I highly recommend checking out the site godairyfree.org and ordering their book. Amazing! Friend me if you'd like...then we can help each other in our dairy free lifestyles. I have to say it's been a little over a week now and I feel better then I have in the last year +!
  • anovasjo
    anovasjo Posts: 382 Member
    I tried the Daiya last night on quesadillas, yummy! My biggest complaint about cheddar cheese and the soft cheeses is that it tastes too much like milk (I HATE, LOATH, DESPISE milk!!). The Daiya has a nice taste to it. I really see myself switching completely. Same with Trader Joe's Cherry Chocolate Chip ice cream. All soy, no dairy. Pretty much better than Cherry Garcia. :love:

    All in all, I think that I will have a much better time with the switch because I have found many more options.

    Thanks everyone!

    You are so welcome! I am actually just having a quesadilla with daiya RIGHT NOW. I'm so glad you like it, too. :flowerforyou:
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    Yes, the unsweetened almond milk is a great replacement for milk!! I try to only eat a cup of dairy a day as well (plus egg whites) so I am always looking for replacements. The coconut milk is a little sour by itself but probably good in cereal and stuff like that.
  • cheyenne_sun
    cheyenne_sun Posts: 5
    So Delicious Coconut Milk, Coffee Creamer, Ice Cream, and Yogurt are amazing!
    Soyatoo Whipped Cream is delicious!
    Earth Balance Buttery Spread is just like butter!

    http://godairyfree.org has great information about all things dairy free!
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