Milk Intolerance

When cutting milk from your diet you must remember that it may be present in many foods, so you must become a detective when doing your shopping.  Milk proteins can be found in:

• Milk powders
• Milk drinks such as milk shakes and smoothies
• All types of cheese
• Butter
• Margarine
• Yogurt
• Cream
• Ice Cream

Milk derivatives are to be found in many foods, the following ingredients should also be avoided:

There are many foods that contain milk or its derivatives and it is not always the foods that you would imagine.  Be vigilant when buying breakfast cereals, soups, processed meats and sausages, pasta and pizza, instant mashed potato, sauces and gravies, bread and baked goods, readymade meals and desserts even crisps sometimes contain milk. (Think cheese and onion)

Cow’s milk is of course an excellent source of calcium and is essential for the growth and repair of bones, when removing all milk and milk product from your diet it is important that you make sure that you are getting your calcium from another source.  Alternative sources of calcium are green vegetables, such as broccoli and kale, fish with soft, edible bones, such as salmon and sardines, are also excellent sources of calcium with nuts such as almonds and brazils and sesame seeds, tofu, and dried fruit  all being good sources of calcium for vegetarians.

Fortunately there are many milk substitutes on the market, and although they may take a little getting used to most of them are quite palatable.  The most common milk substitute and the one most people immediately think of is soya milk, this can now be found quite easily in supermarkets both in fresh chilled and long life form.  Soya yogurts and desserts are also available and are a delicious alternative to the usual cow’s milk variety.  Other types of milk include rice, oat, potato, even pea milks can now be found in supermarkets and health food shops.

These milks do taste quite different to cow’s milk and it is worth trying several to find one that you enjoy.  They are very good substitutes in cooking and on cereals but may take a bit more getting used to when taken in tea or on their own. It is worth persevering with them as many are also fortified with calcium so helping to replace some of that lost from cow’s milk. 

Goats milk and sheep’s milk are found to be good substitutes by some people however as the proteins in these milks are physically similar to those found in cow’s milk not everyone is able to tolerate them. However they must not be used as a replacement for those allergic to cow’s milk as the body will recognise them as cow’s milk because of the similarity in the protein make up and may cause an allergic reaction.

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