With approximately 65 - 70% of the worldwide adult population having a reduced ability to digest lactose after infancy, there are times where we ask our clients to go without dairy for a period of time to address a certain health concern. This can helps us as practitioners to determine if someone is reacting negatively to lactose (the sugar component of dairy) or casein (the protein component). 

When lactose is not digested properly, it can be fermented by our gut microbiota leading to gastrointestinal symptoms that include:

• Abdominal pain
• Bloating
• Excess flatulence
• Diarrhoea
• Constipation

Additionally, some skin concerns can be influenced by dairy. You can read more about the role dairy can play in acne here.

If you suspect dairy to be contributing to your digestive concerns, I suggest keeping a food and symptom diary for 7 - 10 days and analysing it with your health care practitioner. This simple and free 'test' can be a fantastic tool for determining what is not working in your current diet.

Going dairy free is not the hardest thing you will do in your life (I promise!), however it does take preparation and commitment. I suggest treating it as a X amount of weeks trial, not a forever way of eating. This usually makes the idea of going dairy free more approachable and manageable and less daunting!

The hardest part of going dairy free is knowing what to eat instead of. Well, lucky I am here to give you my top brand suggestions to replace your current dairy options! All you need to do is have your fridge stocked with these options and you are on your way to the DF lifestyle.

My Top Dairy Free Substitutes:

Milk

• Mandole

• Nutty Bruce

• CocoQuench
• Bonsoy

Yoghurt

• Coyo
• Coco Tribe
• Amphore Coconut Kefir

Cheese

• Botanical Cuisine
• Blue Mountains Creamery

Try savoury dips and snacks in place of cheese. Eg guacamole, hummus, babaganoush, olives, roasted nuts

Butter

Butter is the trickiest to replace! I cannot recommend any of the dairy-free spreads currently on the market as the ingredients do not meet my standards. Instead, I suggest using:

• Extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
• Tahini
• Avocado
• Ghee, if you tolerate this (it is not dairy free, however it is lactose free as all milk solids are removed in the process of creating ghee from butter. It is not casein free)
• Try this recipe for vegan butter

Additional considerations

• Calcium is an important nutrient to consider when taking dairy out of your diet. If you are going to go dairy free, I suggest doing so under the guidance of a practitioner so you are not prone to any nutrient deficiencies
  
  

• If you can consume goats or sheeps milk cheese (check with your practitioner), I suggest the brands Meredith Dairy and Viking Organic

Author

Jaclyn Cave
BHSc (Nat), BComm (Soc)
Masters Womens Health Med (UNSW)

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