People might choose to follow a dairy-free meal plan for medical reasons or because they do not eat animal products. Following a dairy-free meal plan means avoiding milk and milk products such as yogurt, cheese and ice cream. Although milk products are rich sources of nutrients, you can still meet your requirements with a dairy-free meal plan if you choose your foods carefully.
Reasons
Some medical conditions might make you avoid milk products. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, over half of nonwhite Americans have lactose intolerance and are unable to properly break down lactose, or milk sugar, during digestion. Instead, they experience gas, bloating or cramping. If you are lactose intolerant, you can either limit your dairy intake or you can eat dairy products and take a lactase pill to break down the lactose for you.
Benefits
A dairy-free meal plan could potentially provide some health benefits. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, milk provides preformed vitamin A, which can hurt bones if you have too much. Whole milk and full-fat dairy products also provide saturated fat, which can lead to heart disease. High milk intake may also increase the risk of ovarian or prostate cancer, although it is not clear whether this is due to dairy or to calcium.
Bone Health
If you are on a dairy-free meal plan, you should be careful to get the nutrients you need for bone health. Calcium and vitamin D are both critical in building and maintaining strong bones, and they are nutrients of concern, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Dietary Guidelines. Calcium is naturally in milk, and the law requires producers to fortify cow's milk with vitamin D. Nondairy sources of calcium include leafy green vegetables, soy milk, tofu and fatty fish. Although your body can produce vitamin D when you get radiation from sunlight, the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health states that strict vegetarians who do not eat dairy products may be at risk for vitamin D insufficiency.
Alternatives
You might choose to go on a dairy-free meal plan because you avoid eating all animal products. If you are vegan, you can find soy alternatives to most milk products such as soy milk, soy yogurt or soy cheese. Other substitutes for cow's milk are milk from oats, almond or hemp. Some people who are allergic to cow's milk may be able to drink goat or sheep milk.
Cautions
Some foods are unexpected sources of milk products. To be certain that a food does not contain dairy, read the label. You can check the nutrition label for ingredients such as milk solids or milk protein concentrate. Also, labels must list milk on their allergy statement if the product contains milk proteins. Some products have a dairy-free label on them so that you can be confident that they do not have any milk ingredients.
References
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005
- National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin D
- National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Calcium
- Harvard School of Public Health: The Nutrition Source: Calcium And Milk: What's Best for Your Bones And Health?
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