Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Going Dairy Free

Guest gfinnebraska

By Guest gfinnebraska
in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications

Recommended Posts

Guest gfinnebraska
Guest gfinnebraska
Posted

I have been gluten-free for a while now, and am considering cutting dairy as well. My symptoms just don't seem to be going away like I thought they would. Does anyone know of a good milk sub. so I can still enjoy cereal? I see soy milk next to the reg. milk ~ would that work? Any brands better than others? Reading through the posts...it just seems like I am having symptoms that would disappear if the dairy disappeared as well! Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks :D

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Guest imsohungry
Guest imsohungry
Posted

Hi!

I am also striving to be dairy/casein free. What kind of regular milk do you drink now? Whole, skim, 2%??? The reason I ask is that I primarily drink skim, and I found soy milk to be very "thick." Nothing like skim or 2%. However, I tried rice milk/beverage and I think it tastes much more like milk. It is a little sweet, and I have also found it in a regular and 2%-like formula (made by Kroger). The store brand tastes just as good, and it is cheaper too! Be careful though, some rice beverages are not gluten-free (just check the label)...also, if you want it to taste like milk, don't get the "flavored" kind. I accidently picked up "original vanilla" flavored...it is NOT what I meant to buy! :rolleyes: In addition, some of them say "enriched," this just means vitamins/minerals have been added that you may be missing by not drinking milk. Good luck as you try to become CF! -Julie B)

Guest gfinnebraska
Guest gfinnebraska
Posted

Thank you for your advice ~ I currently drink skim milk. I will have to try some soy varities and hopefully find one I like! I doubt my small town store carries rice milk. Will have to see on my lunch hour. Thanks again!!

tarnalberry Community Regular
tarnalberry
Posted

I go with soy milk - my preference being unsweetened Silk, but everyone's tastes are different. You can also try rice milk (not Rice Dream, it's not gluten-free), almond milk, or DariFree (based on potatoes).

dbuhl79 Contributor
dbuhl79
Posted

My better half is lactose intolerant, and he LOVEs his Lactaid milk. I think Soy is great though (unfortunately he's allergic to soy). Particularly the chocolate soy, yum. They make great smoothies too with some fruit thrown in!

Good luck with your DF /CF experience!

Guest barbara3675
Guest barbara3675
Posted

The health food store I go to also has almond milk either plain or vanilla. It is really good and gluten-free. I really don't like the flavor of soy and some people don't digest is well. Rice and almond are much milder.

Barbara

gf4life Enthusiast
gf4life
Posted

I've been dairy free for over a year now, and my kids for about 9 months. We have pretty much tried all the above choices. I can't say that I have all the answers, but here is what works for us.

My kids don't like soy milk and I am allergic to soy, but Silk was the best one we tried.

No one at my house really liked the rice milks. They were too watery for our liking and we already eat so much rice based products!

We like the Blue Diamond Almond Breeze drink, the plain and chocolate varieties, NOT the vanilla. The chocolate tastes really good, smooth and creamy like chocolate milk should be, good cold or hot. We tried the Pacific brand almond milk and it was not as good.

Vance's DariFree is the main "milk" we drink. Works for cereal just fine. We buy it by the case directly from Vance's website and we go through about 2 qts every 3-4 days. So a case of six will last us about 2 1/2 months. We are about to try the chocolate flavored, but I find it is just as easy to mix it with chocolate syrup or non-dairy cocoa powder. I'm only trying it because a friend of mine is buying a case and is going to let me try a carton of it.

For baking I have used the DariFree, but I have had better results from Mocha Mix. I take the regular Mocha Mix and water it down to a milk consistency, 1 part MM and 3 parts water. Then I use it just like milk in any recipe that calls for it and have had great results. This also works for creamed soup recipes. I do NOT recommend soy, rice or almond for baking. They either do not come out right or they leave an aftertaste that changes the flavor of your food.

God bless,

Mariann

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


dkmb Newbie
dkmb
Posted

I prefer the Silk brand soymilk. They even have a nog they make that is better than most commercial brands because it is thinner and not so loaded with spices.

It is not fortified with calcium though like most of their varieties. I have used it on my morning cereal for a different flavor. I also like the chocolate, which is quite sweet so I save it for once in a while.

DK

cynicaltomorrow Contributor
cynicaltomorrow
Posted

I've tried the Wild Oats brand of rice milk and Silk soymilk.. and really couldn't tell much of a difference. But, maybe that's just me. I think they're both a little too sweet. But, the chocolate Silk is pretty good. I haven't tried the almond milk. Is it any more expensive than the soy or rice milks? Has anyone found a decent cheese? And, one more question. For the bakers, what have you used when you have to substitute for evaporated milk? Thanks!

FreyaUSA Contributor
FreyaUSA
Posted

For cereal and coffee I use the No Sugar Added Silk soymilk. I really like it, though it does take a little getting used to, especially if you're used to the sweetened soymilks (which I can't use at all now. Way too sweet!)

Also, I just found (at Wholefoods) Westsoy Brand makes a No Sugar Added chocolate soymilk. This is sooooo good. Even to drink straight. It is not thick like the sweetened kinds and has a wonderful mild chocolate flavor that I use regularly in coffee and chai. Apparently, it is pretty popular since they run out very quickly.

Mariann (gf4life), where do you find Vance's DariFree? I've been trying to use less dairy (since I know I'm having problems with it, maybe lactose, maybe not...) and really only have it when baking (and with using a little cheese...I feel like it's an evil vice now. Lol!)

Guest gfinnebraska
Guest gfinnebraska
Posted

Thank you!!! All so much for all the information. I tried our local store brand of soy milk... NOT a good first try!! I will try and find the Silk brand next. I am sure this is one more adventure to add to my already exciting eating life!! :) Again, thank you all for your input.

gf4life Enthusiast
gf4life
Posted

FreyaUSA,

Vance's DariFree is available online at a lot of specialty shops, like Gluten Free Pantry, Gluten Solutions, Shop-By-Diet, etc. But I have found it is cheaper to buy directly from Vance's. Here is a link to their site: Open Original Shared Link

They also sell a soy-based drink mix, but as I am allergic to soy I have not tried it.

gfinnebraska,

Silk soy milk is usually found in the dairy case right next to the milk and creamers. At least that is where it has been at every store I have ever been to. And I believe Costco also sells it by a case of half gallons and by the individual serving case.

God bless,

Mariann

lilliexx Contributor
lilliexx
Posted

silk is the one i use!! it has added calcium, tastes good, and foams up good ( for lattes)

kozmik bloo Newbie
kozmik bloo
Posted

I have bad reaction to all brands of soy milk, so I use Chocolate Almond milk on my cereal. Yum! I get it at Whole Foods.

Guest gfinnebraska
Guest gfinnebraska
Posted

ONE more question... what is cocoa butter?? Is that considered a "dairy" product?? Help!! Thanks!!

YankeeDB Contributor
YankeeDB
Posted

I'm soy intolerant too, so I drink Rice Dreams or Better Than Milk Rice Drink. The latter tastes better and is cheaper but it's a powder you have to mix with water (ok I'm lazy). I tried Almond milk and Hazelnut and they are both good but unfortunately they include soy. I was a major milk drinker most of my life but now I don't miss it at all.

tarnalberry Community Regular
tarnalberry
Posted

Rice Dream isn't gluten-free - it's filtered with barley.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,556
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Majesticrb
    Newest Member
    Majesticrb
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • ckeyser88
      Roommate search

      By ckeyser88 · Posted

      I am looking for a roomie in Chicago, Denver or Nashville! 
    • Scott Adams
      Taken Seriously

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Your post demonstrates the profound frustration and isolation that so many in the Celiac community feel, and I want to thank you for channeling that experience into advocacy. The medical gaslighting you endured for decades is an unacceptable and, sadly, a common story, and the fact that you now have to "school" your own GI specialist speaks volumes about the critical lack of consistent and updated education. Your idea to make Celiac Disease a reportable condition to public health authorities is a compelling and strategic one. This single action would force the system to formally acknowledge the prevalence and seriousness of the disease, creating a concrete dataset that could drive better research funding, shape medical school curricula, and validate the patient experience in a way that individual stories alone often cannot. It is an uphill battle, but contacting representatives, as you have done with Adam Gray, is exactly how change begins. By framing it as a public health necessity—a matter of patient safety and protection from misdiagnosis and neglect—you are building a powerful case. Your voice and your perseverance, forged through thirty years of struggle, are exactly what this community needs to ensure that no one else has to fight so hard just to be believed and properly cared for.
    • Scott Adams
      Looking for a gluten-free roomie in Denver CO

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I had no idea there is a "Louisville" in Colorado!😉 I thought it was a typo because I always think of the Kentucky city--but good luck!
    • Scott Adams
      Allergy medication: cetirizine by the HealthA2Z is it gluten free?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Navigating medication safety with Celiac disease can be incredibly stressful, especially when dealing with asthma and severe allergies on top of it. While I don't have personal experience with the HealthA2Z brand of cetirizine, your caution is absolutely warranted. The inactive ingredients in pills, known as excipients, are often where gluten can be hidden, and since the FDA does not require gluten-free labeling for prescription or over-the-counter drugs, the manufacturer's word is essential. The fact that you cannot get a clear answer from Allegiant Health is a significant red flag; a company that is confident its product is gluten-free will typically have a customer service protocol to answer that exact question. In situations like this, the safest course of action is to consider this product "guilty until proven innocent" and avoid it. A better alternative would be to ask your pharmacist or doctor to help you identify a major national brand of cetirizine (like Zyrtec) whose manufacturer has a verified, publicly stated gluten-free policy for that specific medication. It's not worth the risk to your health when reliable, verifiable options are almost certainly available to you. You can search this site for USA prescriptions medications, but will need to know the manufacturer/maker if there is more than one, especially if you use a generic version of the medication: To see the ingredients you will need to click on the correct version of the medication and maker in the results, then scroll down to "Ingredients and Appearance" and click it, and then look at "Inactive Ingredients," as any gluten ingredients would likely appear there, rather than in the Active Ingredients area. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/   
    • Scott Adams
      Protein or fat?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      What you're describing is indeed familiar to many in the Celiac community, especially in the early stages of healing. When the intestinal villi are damaged from Celiac disease, they struggle to properly digest and absorb fats, a condition known as bile acid malabsorption. This can cause exactly the kind of cramping and spasms you're seeing, as undigested fats can irritate the sensitive gut lining. It is highly plausible that her reactions to dairy and eggs are linked to their higher fat content rather than the proteins, especially since she tolerates lean chicken breast. The great news is that for many, this does improve with time. As her gut continues to heal on a strict gluten-free diet, her ability to produce the necessary enzymes and bile to break down fats should gradually return, allowing her to slowly tolerate a wider variety of foods. It's a slow process of healing, but your careful approach of focusing on low-fat, nutrient-dense foods like seeds and avocado is providing her system the best possible environment to recover. Many people with celiac disease, especially those who are in the 0-2 year range of their recovery, have additional food intolerance issues which could be temporary. To figure this out you may need to keep a food diary and do an elimination diet over a few months. Some common food intolerance issues are dairy/casein, eggs, corn, oats, and soy. The good news is that after your gut heals (for most people who are 100% gluten-free this will take several months to two years) you may be able to slowly add some these items back into your diet after the damaged villi heal. This article may be helpful: Thank you for sharing your story—it's a valuable insight for other parents navigating similar challenges.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.