From the time that you were a child, you were encouraged to drink cow's milk. The theory was that it was important for healthy growth and strong bones. According to the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," accumulating evidence shows that consuming dairy may add to the risk of ovarian and prostate cancers, autoimmune diseases, and some childhood sickness. With this new information, many people are turning to no-dairy diet plans.
Identification
The no-dairy diet is essentially what it implies, a diet free of all dairy products. When eating a no-dairy diet, you eliminate all forms of dairy, both food and beverage. This includes milk, cheese, sour cream, ice cream, butter and whey. According to the California Pacific Medical Center, you must remember to read all food labels when on a no-dairy diet plan. Reading labels helps to prevent ingestion of hidden sources of dairy, such as whey, milk solids or dry milk powder.
Why Go No-Dairy
You may avoid dairy products for several reasons. You may have an allergy to lactose. According to Drugs.com, lactose is a sugar, normally found in dairy products. People allergic to lactose have to avoid ingesting all dairy products. You may also avoid dairy if you lack the enzyme lactase. Without this enzyme, you cannot digest dairy properly, causing lactose intolerance. If you suffer from lactose intolerance, you may choose to eliminate most, if not all, dairy from your diet to prevent symptoms. If you experience irritable bowel syndrome, a no-dairy diet may improve your symptoms as well.
Benefits
In recent years, dairy has been associated with many health risks. According to Wellness.com, these risks include, acne, increased risk of certain cancers, and arthritis pain. Autism and obesity have also been linked to dairy intake, reports Wellness.com. In light of these findings, a no-dairy diet may be a benefit to many.
Dairy is a contributor to food allergies. According to Wellness.com, these allergies can lead to an array of symptoms including, stomach pain, eczema, gas, headache, asthma, runny nose, joint pain, bloating, diabetes and immune dysfunction. If you suffer from any of these ailments, a no-dairy diet may be a benefit to your overall health.
Substitutions
With the exception of dairy products, you can eat anything. In fact, you can still enjoy many of the same foods you do now by using dairy substitutes. For example, you can bake many of your favorite snacks simply by replacing the milk with equal parts water and juice. Other dairy substitutes include almond milk, soy cheese, non-dairy frozen treats, oat milk, rice milk and soy milk, reports Wellness.com.
Risks
Calcium and vitamin D are important nutrients and dairy is a main source of both. Dr. Robert P. Heaney, a researcher from Creighton University, says eliminating dairy from the diet will result in poor nutrition with long-term consequences for health. Due to the importance of calcium and vitamin D, it is important that you eat a well-balanced dairy-free diet, including calcium- and vitamin D-rich foods to reduce your health risks. According to HelpGuide.org, vegetables, almond, tofu, oranges, almonds and sesame seeds are good sources of calcium. Vitamin D, which helps the body absorb calcium, can be found in egg yolks, saltwater fish and liver.
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