Dairy Allergy: Here Are The Best Non-Dairy Alternatives

As the name suggests, dairy allergy refers to a condition wherein you become allergic to dairy products. This means, that when you consume dairy products, your body sees these foods are threatening to the body and proceeds to ‘attack' these foreign radicals.

Some suffering from a dairy allergy may experience various symptoms upon eating dairy products. Some of the most common symptoms are nausea, coughing, itching around the mouth, vomiting, diarrhoea, hives, headaches, etc.

Unlike lactose intolerance, dairy allergies may have much more chronic symptoms. Lactose intolerance is when the body is unable to properly digest a component called ‘lactose' present in dairy products. On the other hand, dairy allergy is an autoimmune disease. Consuming dairy products may even cause irreversible damage to the body.

Hence, it is important to cut off dairy products from your diet completely once you have been diagnosed with a dairy allergy. This may sound tough as dairy products are an active item and ingredient in various foods we eat. In this article, we discuss some easy-to-find alternatives for various dairy products.

Here are some alternatives:

1. Non-dairy milk

One of the most commonly and regularly consumed dairy products is milk. Veganism has given birth to various nutritious non-dairy milk. Milk such as soy milk, almond milk, coconut milk, cashew milk, etc. are great alternatives to regular milk. They are also very easily available.

2. Non-dairy cheese

Cheese is another popularly devoured dairy product that is very common. It is especially common as an ingredient for various junk or highly processed foods. Tofu is a great alternative for cottage cheese in particular. Through veganism, there is a rise in the variety of vegan cheese available in the markets. Nutritional yeast is also a great alternative to cheese as an ingredient due to its similarity in flavour.

3. Oil instead of butter

Butter is very commonly used in various baking preparation and as a garnish. However, butter is also full of fat and can be harmful to you if you have a dairy allergy. Trying to incorporate healthy oils such as olive oil or coconut oil is also very healthy for you.

4. Foods with dairy products as ingredients

As discussed in the beginning, various packed foods might use dairy products during the preparation. However, the rise in the vegan diet has given rise to various vegan and non-dairy alternatives for various foods. You can easily find non-dairy ice creams, bread, cakes, and so on.

Other things to keep in mind:

• Various foods have dairy products as active ingredients. This can make eating outside very difficult. To avoid accidentally consuming dairy products.
• We encourage you to always read the ingredients of foods before buying. Along with this, do not shy away from mentioning your dietary restrictions if you are somewhere outside eating.
• The best way to avoid eating dairy products is to cook your own food. Eating homemade food is not only healthy but safe for you as you can eliminate all kinds of dairy products from your food.

In conclusion, with enough research and a variety of alternatives, cutting out dairy foods from your diet may not seem impossible. Although there are certain medications that might lower the severity of symptoms, the best solution is to quit dairy products altogether.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.