Dairy free

[Kim Mild]

I've been dairy free for over 20 years now as I gave it up due to suffering bad migraines and digestive issues ( it helped) . It is second nature now.

Check labels on everything as there is a lot of hidden milk products in things . Normal products that happen to not have dairy in the ingredients are much cheaper than the free from range.

I like vitalite for cooking , and aldi have a brilliant range of alternatives to milk that are less than £1.

 

[Melian]

I cut it out because I was sure that milk was causing (sorry for TMI!) me to produce a lot of mucus which in turn affected my breathing. And not long after, I discovered that I couldn't have cheese. (unrelated)

The yoghurts are quite nice. I've had Alpro, Koko (coconut) and a lot of own brand stuff. Vegan cheese spread is just rgoss as are most cheeses. Sheeshe isn't too bad.

Eating out is so hard. Can't believe the amount of things that contain cheese.

I don't like soya milk; but will drink Alpro strawberry milk isn't too bad. A lot of supermarkets are now doing their own brand vegan milks. And you can get a lot of the milks as alternatives in coffee shops.

 

[Eureka]

I went dairy free a few years ago. I feel better in myself, my IBS and indigestion is gone and I sleep better - probably due to no indigestion.

Best thing of all my sweet tooth is gone and I no longer crave sugar.

Oat milk is the best plant milk, it’s very creamy and the closest you’ll get to dairy.

 

[no-no]

What particular health benefits are you hoping to gain? I’m vegan and found dairy is in the most innocuous things like sweeteners so you need to really check labels. Lactose is used in most unless you get Stevia. You’ll likely never be 100% dairy free (which you probably don’t mind) as many medications are coated in lactose etc.

Vegan Philadelphia is absolutely delicious but try and get it when it’s on offer if you like cream cheese or make creamy sauces because £2.50 a tub is a joke. Nush brand is nice, but less readily available. Vegan Greek aka feta cheese is spot on everywhere from Lidl to M&S. Violife extra mature is like mild cheddar. Vegan Babybel is like little chunks of butter. A nice snack. Alpro custard I can drink from the carton and margarine is margarine and the vegan mayo’s these days are unreal.

A lot of “alternative” products contain junk so be mindful of that e.g. majority of oat milks contain canola oil so I’m trying to buy those without, but it’s more expensive.

I may be biased but I think going dairy free is very achievable these days with all the options, including own brand alternatives. Good luck!

 

[rainbowz and unicornz]

My husband has done it and it's made a huge difference to him- my friend has also done it and it's also helped her massively both had bowel issues and bloating when on dairy. The hardest thing is cheese vegan cheese isn't the same at all I recommend cutting cheese out for 2 months before you try vegan cheese so you don't remember how nice normal cheese is.

 

[dinosaursideways]

I cut down on lactose rather than going dairy free due to my IBS. I get the UHT lactose free milk from Aldi and use the FODMAP app to find low lactose cheeses etc. It surprised me what cheeses are low lactose (brie, cheddar, feta) and what aren't (tragically, halloumi). Its worked well for me and helped mu digestion. I'm not a fan of how processed in general the vegan cheeses are, though I have made some lovely homemade vegan cheese sauces (tofu based and cashew based). I'm sensitive to oligos so my digestion can't handle coconut or oat milk, I'm cautious of the hormone/cancer related risk factors of high soy milk consumption so I only buy occasionally, almond milk is so watery and bitterly tangy I find it hard to substitute like for like with milk. I loooooove pea milk but my favourite brand disappeared, and its expensive anyway. Never tried tiger nut milk but again expensive.

 

[Milehammer]

My son was allergic to dairy when he was younger so it was just easier for me to cut it out too. Yoghurts are fine and there's not really a difference in taste. I found Oatly Barista was the nicest milk for coffee (I now can't go back to cows milk as it tastes weird). I didn't manage to find a good cheese but this was a few years ago so there's new ones out there, apparently Applewood is good.

 

[xcupcakex]

I gave up dairy a few years ago because it flared up my Crohns and endometriosis.

Then I went vegan in 2020 after realising how cruel the dairy industry is.

There are so many dairy free alternatives now, which is great - especially for people who have allergies or intolerances.

 

[soymilk]

I'm predominantly dairy free (I make exceptions now and again). For me, it was choice rather than allergies etc. I just don't believe dairy to be that good for you and I'm quite health conscious. I have noticed I am a lot less bloated than before and I can second the person that said they no longer crave sugar, as I'm the same.
I think even if you don't go dairy free completely, I do believe it's better to have a lot less!

 

[Ems55]

Considering trialling cutting out dairy to see if it helps with a number of different things. Not vegan; still eating meat, eggs, etc. Has anyone else tried and been successful? What health benefits (if any) did you notice? Any tips? Must have food items?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Alexasstop]

I’ve been dairy free for 18 months due to a child with allergies. I find it really easy at home now as I cook a lot and can just replace but I often have to be fully vegan when out.
Koko Greek yoghurt is great, most milk alternatives are ok (I don’t like soy so much), Applewood is the only main stream cheddar type cheese that’s worth having. Vegan Boursin is also decent if you like that kind of thing. If you like pizza then mozarisella (can’t spell - it’s rice based) is pretty tasty as a topping. The best vegan cheese is cashew based and genuinely delicious, I like I Am Nut Ok but it is pricey - it’s a cheeseboard treat not an everyday thing.

 

[JustHereForTheAgriculture]

I was dairy free for two years. In terms of benefits, I’ve always suffered from mouth ulcers and went from having 5-6 at a time every time and getting a new lot only 3-4 weeks after the last had clear to only having about 3 ulcers in the two years of dairy free.
And as someone above said, it really got rid of excess mucus.
I found eating in the house was fine, eating out was fairly difficult, though I am kind of fussy so that might have just been a me thing

 

[Melian]

If you go to some restaraunts, (I know Papa John's do this) they can substitute real cheese for vegan cheese.

 

[Ems55]

Thanks everyone, lots of great tips in here and things to try. Main things I want to see if it makes a difference to:
Heartburn and indigestion
Headaches
Mucus and nasal congestion.

I was lactose intolerant for a few years following illness as a child so I'm wondering if there's a link.