Casein Free?

[everything-free]

I have a lot of different food intolerances including gluten, lactose, potatoes and sugar. This obviously limits my diet, but because of the pain associated with eating these foods I do not find it too difficult to stick to it. I am always hesitant to try new foods because even when I stick to my diet, I have never felt 100% better (always tired even after sleeping ten plus hours a night and abdominal discomfort). I rarely eat dairy products that are labelled lactose free because I have heard about Casein and how a lot of people with gluten intolerances are also casein intolerant. Is there casein in all dairy products? And are there any other foods that may contain it that you would not expect?

[Juliebove]

I'm no expert but I think there is casein in all dairy products. I was told I could have goat's milk products but those made me just as ill.

[mushroom]

There are two components of dairy products: lactose, which is the sugar part of milk, and casein, which is the protein fraction. These are each digested by different enzymes. Lactose is digested by lactase which is produced at the tips of the villi in the small intestine -- the part that is damaged by gluten and has to heal before lactase can be produced again. This is why some people can eat some dairy products which are low in lactose, such as yogurt and hard cheeses, because these products contain very little lactose (It has already been digested by cultures and enzymes, and butter is almost entirely fat with the lactose churced out of it as buttermilk.

So it is easy to test if your are casein intolerant - eat some really aged cheddar cheese. Chances are if you react to it you are reacting to the casein, not the lactose. If you are okay with the cheese, drink a glass of milk which is almost pure lactose (especially low fat milk). That will test the lactose for you. There is no casein in anything which does not contain dairy products. There will be casein in baked goods which use butter or milk or milk solids. You can make your own baked goods using rice, almond, hemp or coconut milks.

[tom]

. . . ..There is no casein in anything which does not contain dairy products. ...

With the insane exception of powdered "non-dairy" creamer.

Or it's not an exception since it has dairy.

I've been able to have goat cheeses & was thrilled to find goat cheddar, mozzarella & others besides the classic soft ones.

The difference, as I've heard, is that smaller mammals' casein molecules are smaller & I suppose just not recognized on a molecular level.

I've had goat cheese for yrs but just last night tried a sheep's milk feta as an experiment. Tasty & I think I just found another safe ingredient.

[everything-free]

Ok thanks a lot! I had an endoscopy and was told that I was lactose intolerance, but I will definitely try the old cheddar cheese idea to see if I react to the casein. It is also nice to hear that goat's cheese is still an option in small quantities.

[mushroom]

With the insane exception of powdered "non-dairy" creamer.

Or it's not an exception since it has dairy.

I've been able to have goat cheeses & was thrilled to find goat cheddar, mozzarella & others besides the classic soft ones.

The difference, as I've heard, is that smaller mammals' casein molecules are smaller & I suppose just not recognized on a molecular level.

I've had goat cheese for yrs but just last night tried a sheep's milk feta as an experiment. Tasty & I think I just found another safe ingredient.

That term "non-dairy" creamer drives me insane too. I always used to think it was just that!! What exactly is the point of calling it non-dairy when there is dairy ?? To confuse the heck out of peeps??? To make them sick?

I discovered the sheep's cheeses in Italy and fell in love with them totally The fresh pecorino especially, yum yum. Also love the heck out of goat cheese but iti s so expensive, but I do like the soft ones.

[everything-free]

Are all goat's cheeses gluten and lactose free? I saw one at the grocery store that was "smoked goat cheese", do you think that would still be safe, or would you stick with the plain stuff?

[Skylark]

Ok thanks a lot! I had an endoscopy and was told that I was lactose intolerance, but I will definitely try the old cheddar cheese idea to see if I react to the casein. It is also nice to hear that goat's cheese is still an option in small quantities.

Maybe. I'm casein-sensitive and can't tolerate it. Buy a little goat cheese and test first before you go whole hog.

Smoked cheese should be OK. Obviously beer washed cheeses are not.

[tom]

Are all goat's cheeses gluten and lactose free? I saw one at the grocery store that was "smoked goat cheese", do you think that would still be safe, or would you stick with the plain stuff?

Ohhhh that's right, lactose too. I've really only heard of goat casein sometimes or often being ok for ppl w/ a cow casein problem, but I don't recall anyone talking about lactose in that sense.

Shoot

[stanleymonkey]

if you have caesin issues double check the ingredients on all soy cheeses, I Know in Canada lots of soy cheeses have Cardin in them, we gave a daughter who has an anaphylactic reaction to Caesin