What Drinking Too Much Dairy-Free Milk Does To Your Body
Switch4Good reported that around 6.1 million people suffer from a dairy allergy; if you are like this writer, you are one of those people. A milk allergy happens when milk is introduced to your system, and your body has an adverse side effect such as anaphylactic shock. Most allergy sufferers learn that they are allergic to milk products as a child. For me, it was when I was chowing down on some frozen yogurt as a nine-month-old. If you have a dairy allergy, it means that you react to the milk proteins, which are whey and casein.
Living with a dairy allergy is not so uncommon nowadays, but sometimes it can feel like you are alone while you navigate the food labels' ins and outs, not to mention missing out on some desserts. While back in the 1980s, parents were told that their child would outgrow the allergy before puberty (via Verywell Health), today it's estimated that around 20 percent of sufferers never outgrow it (via Healthline).
What are my dairy-free options?
If you suffer from a milk allergy, you already know that you are the only one in control of making sure you do not accidentally ingest any form of dairy product since dairy seems to be hidden in everything. Most of us have to learn all the alternate names for lactose (per Insider). Many have found it frustrating that other allergies, such as peanuts or gluten intolerance, have been taken more seriously than theirs. Avoiding milk has been the go-to for doctors who are trying to treat their patients. Those with milk allergies often turn to dairy-free milk options such as soy, rice, almond, and oat milks.
But do the alternate choices to cow's milk harm us? There's no argument that there's a high demand today for milk alternatives but let's take a deeper dive into the information. According to the BBC News, soy milk is the best pound for pound replacement for cow's milk since it provides a high concentration of protein. While soy has a lot going for it, such as being linked to better heart health, you just need to be careful you aren't eating processed soy since it can cause severe gas and bloating (ew!) (via TIME).
Make dairy-free work for you
By not consuming cow's milk and choosing an alternative, Fresh Lean feels that you are living a healthier life. Americans have been drinking less milk for years, and the outlet argues that the FDA food pyramid is way out of date. You know, the triangle we were shown as kids that said our main source of food should be bread, pasta, and rice. Even though the government may have gotten it a bit wrong, a dairy-free lifestyle won't hurt your body.
Also according to the outlet, consuming less dairy will help with your complexion and help you shed a few pounds. While we admit that living a dairy-free lifestyle, either by choice or circumstance, can be disheartening at times, there is a lot you can do to make sure you are not missing out. Milk alternatives have come a long way according to the Academy of Culinary Nutrition and taste pretty great. You can use any in your cereal or coffee, and none would be the wiser.
Further , all hope is not lost when it comes to satisfying your sweet tooth since the alternatives can make one heck of a cake! If you are looking to make the switch to non-dairy milk, you should do some research and compare what you find with your way of life, making sure it is the right decision for you and your body.