Dairy Free-

[Guest adamssa]

Hi,

For those of you that are dairy free, how religious are you about eliminating it? (If you don't have an allergy.) For example, I feel fine if I eat choclate with milk as an ingredient, but adding half and half to coffee will give me a lasting reaction. Chocolate is the only thing I really want to eat with dairy in it, and its more expensive if its gluten-free and dairy free.

Sara

[Mango04]

I'd completely eliminate all forms of dairy for a month, then slowly add small amounts back in and see if you react. If you do, you should probably avoid it religiously. Just my opinion. That's what I did with soy and it blatantly gave me my answer.

[confused]

I have given up all dairy what so ever. I even bought gluten and dairy free butter. I am not taking any chances what so ever. In an yr i am going to try and add back some dairy and see what happens.

paula

[Jestgar]

I avoid it after lunch, and am dairy light the rest of the time. Although I know it isn't doing me any good to eat it, the only symptom that bothers me is not being able to sleep, so that's the only one I control for.

[HawkFire]

I avoid it completely. I used to use a bit in a cup of coffee, but I have given that up as well. I purchase no processed foods, use coconut oil for "butter", use rice milk or water for "milk", no cheese, no yogurt, no ice cream. I make rice tapioca pudding with rice milk sometimes as a dessert. The only thing you cannot truly replace seems to be cheese. I make bruschetta rather than pizza, now. I use hummus on my pizza crust. It was difficult to adjust. In the beginning, we would backslide for a few favorites. Then we would talk about why we gave up dairy. We would be recommited. It took awhile. It's very easy now. My children will not eat it out with friends, either. My oldest child was on a weekend camping trip with another family, and the mom called me to ask if he was allergic to dairy because he wasn't eating some food items they'd brought. She simply wanted to be a careful person. I told her we do not eat dairy. I was very proud of him. It's not easy when you are a teenager to be so diligent even when it's for the right reasons.

[num1habsfan]

I've almost eliminated everything. I follow the rule that celiac.ca tought me...with very sensitive lactose intollerance you are allowed 1/2 a cup a day, with meals. That rule usually does work. But I stick with lactose-free butter, Lactaid milk, and the most I use is occasionally i bit of sour cream in borscht, or cheese (I will only eat Old, since it has almost no dairy in it) on pizza. I'll never eat anything by itself. If I go to restaurants or something I take Lactaid pills, and those work also.

Hope that helps!

~ Lisa ~

[georgie]

I removed dairy completely from my diet and have felt so much better that I am not tempted to add it back. I did eat a huge chocolate easter bunny and get a reaction - and this has convinced me ! But - since then have had small amounts of hard goats milk cheese without a reaction. My next trial is to try pure Jersey Milk - and see if that is OK. Apart from not being able to find a gluten-free bread that did NOT have milk powder - I find dairy free no hassle. Except for Easter Bunnies

[simplicity66]

I am lactose-intollerant and have been for years...(makes me really wonder how long i have had Celiac Disease before testing positive).....i cant even handle a drop or two in a cup of coffee...i did however find Old lactose-free cheese in my local health food store which for being a past cheese love was a amazing discovery....however i would like to know the brand name of the gluten-free , lactose-free butter and coconut butter that has been mentioned here....maybe i can purchase it here in canada

[tarnalberry]

Depends - are you lactose intolerant or casein intolerant? The answer would be different depending on the two. I'm casein intolerant, and pretty much avoid it all - down to the ingredients. Dark chocolate shouldn't have milk in it anyway. (The better, "expensive", dark chocolates are satisfying in much smaller quantities, as well.)

[ArtGirl]

No dairy at all for me. Sure, I miss cheese, but there is life without dairy. I'm casein intolerant, so that means no dairy for the rest of my life. One doesn't "get over" that like is possible with lactose intolerance.

As with any other food intolerance/allergy - you have to read labels carefully. They put whey in a lot of things, and margarines usually have some dairy in them, although there are a few that are completely dairy-free. I eat dark chocolate only.

[ArtGirl]

Oops - double post!

[num1habsfan]

I am lactose-intollerant and have been for years...(makes me really wonder how long i have had Celiac Disease before testing positive).....i cant even handle a drop or two in a cup of coffee...i did however find Old lactose-free cheese in my local health food store which for being a past cheese love was a amazing discovery....however i would like to know the brand name of the gluten-free , lactose-free butter and coconut butter that has been mentioned here....maybe i can purchase it here in canada

Fleishmanns! Theres salt-free/lactose-free and just lactose-free.

~ lisa~

[Guest adamssa]

thanks guys. i guess if i get such a big reaction from adding it to coffee i need to seriously consider giving it up altogether. it didn't show up as an allergen when i had testing done, but we all know how "accurate" blood tests are. what are some brands of dark chocolate without dairy? are there any that aren't made by allergen free companies? those are usually great, but sometimes more costly... hershey's has dairy, doesn't it?

Sara