Dairy-Free Living

Millions of Americans suffer from dairy-related intolerance or allergy. The National Institute of Health's clearinghouse on digestive diseases reports that: "Between 30 and 50 million Americans are lactose intolerant. Certain ethnic and racial populations are more widely affected than others. As many as 75 percent of all African Americans and American Indians and 90 percent of Asian Americans are lactose intolerant. The condition is least common among persons of northern European descent."

Dairy-Free Shopping at Whole Foods Market

Some people who avoid dairy are allergic to the dairy proteins themselves and must avoid all dairy products, including milk, cheese, butter, cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, ice cream, whey, or casein. Others avoid dairy because they lack the enzyme lactase, which digests milk sugar, lactose. People who are lactose-intolerant may choose to eliminate or reduce lactose-containing dairy products from their diet. There are many dairy substitutes available for those who need to avoid dairy products. Please note that dairy-free is not the same as egg-free.

Check for Hidden Sources

Dairy ingredients come in many different forms, several with names more difficult to pronounce than "milk." The important thing is to be able to recognize them when they appear on a label. Look for: curds, whey, ghee, casein, rennet, casein, lactose, lactulose, whey and casein hydrolysates, lactalbumin, and lactoglobulin.