This is a guest post by Jill Miles our Team Assistant. To learn more about Jill check out “Our Team” page or her first post about gluten allergies.
Did you know that food intolerances affect approximately 10% of Americans, whereas food allergies are thought to affect 4% of teens and adults and 5% of children? Cow’s milk is the most common food allergy in American children, affecting approximately 2.5%, however many will outgrow this allergy by the time they reach school age (about 80%).
FOOD INTOLERANCE OR ALLERGY?
So, what’s the difference between a food intolerance and a food allergy? According to WebMD, a food allergy is an immune system response. It occurs when the body mistakes an ingredient in food — usually a protein — as harmful and creates a defense system (antibodies) to fight it. Food allergy symptoms develop when the antibodies are battling the “invading” food. Milk is one of the eight most common food allergies.
A food intolerance on the other hand is a digestive system response rather than an immune system response. It occurs when something in a food irritates a person’s digestive system or when a person is unable to properly digest or breakdown the food. Intolerance to lactose, which is found in milk and other dairy products, is the most common food intolerance.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF A FOOD INTOLERANCE OR ALLERGY?
Symptoms such as nausea, stomach pain and diarrhea are characteristic of both allergies and intolerances. Additional allergy symptoms may include rash or hives, itchy skin, shortness of breath, chest pain, swelling of the airways to the lungs and anaphylaxis. Intolerances may also cause additional symptoms to those already noted above such as gas, cramps, bloating, vomiting, heartburn, headaches and irritability or nervousness.
Diagnosing milk allergies in adults is not always straightforward since adults can develop them in the absence of any childhood history of allergies. In addition to clinical allergy tests, many doctors are now recommending elimination diets as an effective diagnostic tool for dairy allergies and intolerances. They have found that this method is simple, free, highly effective, and tailored to the individual.
LIVING WITH A DAIRY INTOLERANCE OR ALLERGY
So, you or someone you love is dairy free. Now what? Some individuals who are lactose intolerant may still be able to consume dairy by using a product such as lactaid. This product is said to help break down the lactose found in dairy products such as milk and cheese to allow digestion without stomach discomfort. But for those with a dairy allergy or for whom this type of product is not effective, eliminating dairy may be the only option. That was the case for my husband who, in addition to being gluten free like I mentioned in my last post, is also dairy free. He has personally chosen to simply eliminate dairy from his diet and add very few dairy alternatives in its place. The number one dairy free item we use is almond milk. I have found it to be a great replacement in pancakes, waffles and baking, as well as for smoothies. I always recommend using the plain, unsweetened variety. Or, better yet, you can make it yourself as I have recently started doing after reading several articles about some questionable ingredients used in the name brand products. I have included the recipe below if you’d like to give it a try.
We also use rice milk (again, look for ones made from brown rice and unsweetened), but, much less often. I find rice milk to be better for cooking as opposed to baking, such as for making dairy free mashed potatoes.
And, finally, I’m sure you’re wondering about butter. Luckily, my husband has not had a problem with butter and, as such has not eliminated it from his diet. I couldn’t figure out why that was, but, according to Wikipedia, the butter making process separates the majority of milk’s water components from the fat components and, as such, lactose, being a water soluble component, is largely removed from the butter. Clarified butter (a.k.a. Ghee) has an even lower amount of lactose and may be an even better alternative.
Living with a dairy allergy or intolerance, especially if diagnosed later in life, does require some adjusting. But just like everything else, it can be done and still allow you to enjoy a variety of foods. To help you along the path, I’d like to leave you with a few recipes that are both gluten-free and dairy-free, as well as the recipe for the almond milk. I hope you will enjoy them.
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RECIPES THAT ARE BOTH DAIRY-FREE AND GLUTEN-FREE…
Almond Milk
Ingredients
- 2 cups almonds blanched
- 4 cups water filtered
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Soak almonds overnight.
- Discard soaking water and rinse almonds until water runs clear.
- Place almonds, 4 cups water and vanilla extract in blender.
- Blend for approximately 90 seconds.
- Line fine mesh strainer with a few layers of cheese cloth. Pour blended milk through cheese cloth. Squeeze remaining milk through cheese cloth.
Don’t discard the almond mixture. You can dry it out in a low oven (around 200 degrees) to make almond flour (which is gluten free).
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Buckwheat Pancakes
Ingredients
- ½ cup buckwheat flour
- ½ cup oats rolled, gluten-free
- ½ cup whole-grain cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 banana ripe
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup optional
- 2 cups almond milk
Instructions
- Mix buckwheat flour, oats, cornmeal, baking powder, and baking soda in a bowl.
- Mash the banana in another bowl, and add vinegar, maple syrup, and milk. Stir and add to the dry ingredients.
- Cook over medium heat until bubbles form. Flip, cook another few minutes on the other side.
- Enjoy plain or with fruit and maple syrup.
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Fruit Crisp
Ingredients
- 4 cups fruit (I try and use what's in season, but apples and peaches are the ones I use most often)
- 4 tablespoons almond flour
- 4 tablespoons butter if you can not tolerate butter you can use a non-dairy alternative such as coconut oil
- 1/4 cup oats rolled, gluten-free
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 tablespoons muscovado sugar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Peel and cut fruit. Toss with 1 tablespoon almond flour and dot with 1 tablespoon of the butter.
- In a food processor, combine oats, pecans, remaining 3 tablespoons almond flour, salt, muscovado sugar, granulated sugar, remaining 3 tablespoons melted butter and vanilla. Process until crumbs form.
- Sprinkle topping over fruit and bake for 20 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown on top (note: I usually bake the apple crisp a bit longer to get the apples to soften more).
- Serve warm. You can also serve with vanilla ice cream for those that can have dairy.
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Almond Butter Brownies
From www.foodbabe.com
Lisa has been raving about these brownies to me and I have yet to try them (although I plan to). Here is the link to the recipe if you’d like to give them a try: http://foodbabe.com/2012/03/04/almond-butter-brownies/. They are both gluten and dairy free.
Do you have a recommendation for brands of almond milk? Everything I see always has so many extra ingredients in it. Would love some suggestions for my son with allergies!
Hi there. I know that Silk and Whole Foods 365 are carrageenan free but it is tough to find a short ingredient almond milk. Here’s a recipe for one you can make: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/food-allergies-dairy/.
Thank you!
Do you have a recommendation for a dairy free cheese? I have tried a couple dairy free ones and it either tasted like plastic or didn’t was not tasty.
Hi Ericka, It would depend on the recipe but Amy goes with vegan nut cheeses and loves them: http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/10-vegan-cheeses-that-will-knock-your-socks-off/1. :) – Nicole
My husband and I are trying a gluten free diet in order to combat the joint inflammation that we both have. We have limited our food to Real Food for the past three years. Eliminating gluten has made a real food diet much more difficult. One of the biggest challenge is to find a snack cracker. Prior to Gluten Free, we had eaten and enjoyed Ak-Mak crackers. We also occasionally bought Triscuits. Is there a good gluten free cracker that is not full of preservatives and artificial flavors?
Hi there. Lisa sometimes buys the Crunch Master brand of crackers. They are a staple in my home where two of us are gluten free.
We loooove avocados! My children have fallen in love with avocadoes and homemade guacamole since we have tried to cut out dairy.
I need to make a homemade pizza for my son’s Valentine’s Day party at school next Friday. He is allergic to wheat and eggs, so I have to cook it from scratch. Do you think I could just sprinkle nutritional yeast on top or leave the cheese off completely? I have thought about finely grating carrots to give the appearance of cheese on the pizza and add some nutrition (he likes carrots). Any thoughts?
Hi again Leslie. While I do not think I’ve ever had carrots on pizza, I don’t see why they would be a bad idea. ;) I like nutritional yeast on pizza but I go pretty lightly on it.
I have heard a lot of good things about nut cheeses. Unfortunately my son is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts, so it is not an option for us. :(. The only real food substitute that we have for cheese is nutritional yeast.
I was buying my son some of the vegan cheeses but when I read the ingredients, it grossed me out so I guess we are just going to do without cheese for now. Homemade pizza won’t be the same anymore! :(
Yes, nut cheeses make it a little easier but honestly most of the time I just go cheese-less. I’ve looked for “better alternatives”. Example: I’ve found that with Mexican, an avocado is a great replacement for cheese. I also use nutritional yeast where I once would have used Parmesan. It is good on pizza.
What do you use as a substitute for cheese?
Hi Leslie. It would depend on the recipe but I’ve just entered the world of vegan nut cheeses and am loving them: http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/10-vegan-cheeses-that-will-knock-your-socks-off/1. :)
My son is now able to eat almonds! I am going to try the almond Parmesan recipe in the link above. Thanks!
How long can the almond milk keep for? And approximately how much almond milk does the recipe make?
It sounds really easy so I’m eager to try to it but want to make sure I can use it all without it going bad.
Thanks.
Hi Nicole. I can usually squeeze most of the liquid out of the cheese cloth and end up with about 3 3/4 cups of almond milk. We go through that amount pretty quickly but it should be good in the fridge for 3-5 days. ~Amy
I just received Lisa’s book and I love it. My son has egg and dairy allergy. I use earth balance butter and I read in the book why it was bad. My question is what can I use in place of earth balance butter. He loves it on his pasta and toast.
Hi Tracy. I would experiment with olive oil and/or coconut oil and nut butters or fruit spreads are always an option for toast. Pastas are very good tossed in olive oil. It may take some trial and error to find the right combo and a bit of taste bud adjustment, too. If you continue to use Earth Balance, try phasing it out by using less of it less often (maybe combined with other oils) and choose the organic version. ~Amy
Are the almonds in the Milk recipe whole or sliced?
Hi Michele. They are whole but sliced is fine, too. ~Amy
what is the difference between blanched almonds and raw almonds?
Thanks
Hi Joann. So, a raw almond can be blanched but a blanched almond is not necessarily raw. :) This will help explain: http://toriavey.com/how-to/2012/10/how-to-blanch-almonds/. ~Amy
(The comment above is in reference to the fruit crisp.)
Also, not sure what size pan the recipe is intended for…guessing an 8×8?
Lastly, I’m using ripe but firm peaches, so guessing I’ll cook longer since apples take longer…
Michelle
Hello,
If I do not have almond flour on hand, may I substitute whole wheat pastry flour instead? And if so, in what amount?
Thanks,
Michelle
Hello Michelle. We haven’t tried, so it would be a bit of an experiment for you. :)
I’m a little confused why there is sugar in most of the desserts? I thought the rules mentioned to cut out refined sugar and only use honey and syrup. Thanks.
Hi Megan. Lisa uses refined sugar in just a handful of recipes. Most of her sweet recipes are made with honey and maple syrup. ~Amy
Loved this recipe! Check out my blog at http://healthyandhappywellness.blogspot.com :)
So… What alternatives other than nutmeg could be used when you are allergic to cinnamon… I notice more and more recipes are using it now days and substituting nutmeg just doesn’t cut it.
My husband has a lactaid allergy that causes him to have serious migraines. For years doctors didn’t believe him, but we eliminated milk and the frequency of the migraines went way down. He has cluster migraines which are horrible. He did finally visit with an allergist that said milk allergies may start mild with tummy problems but can evolve to more serious issues such as the headaches. We love almond milk, lactaid free, and soy, but I am excited to try making our own almond milk. He also has tomato allergies, he can’t eat red ones, but the yellow are fine, and heritage ones seem fine. Happily we like to garden and can, so we just serve yellow spaghetti and pizza!
I came to find this recipe via your email that you sent me. How long does this Almond milk stay good for? Thanks!
bummer … I made the almond butter brownies and was so unbelievably psyched to eat them. I followed the recipe to a “T”. They were such a disappointment and barely edible at first (we got used to them) – and they were totally crumbly (couldn’t cut them into squared, just a bunch of crumbs we had to eat with a spoon) but not because they were dry, they were actually pretty moist. We did choke them down over the course of a couple of weeks because I did not want to simply waste all of those good, expensive ingredients! (on a positive note and to give props, Food Babe’s Kale tacos are-to-die-for!!!).
In my research, I have read that you cannot use too much almond flour/meal in a recipe because it won’t hold together as you experienced. In my experience, if more than HALF of the “flour” in a recipe is almond meal, you will end up with crumbly, but moist results. I find using it half & half with another flour works very well, and yields “normal” results. :) I love it in baked goods & pancakes! I hope you have better luck in the future!
How do you make the almond flour from the milk left overs?
We are dairy-free, too. It’s not just the lactose that bothers myself and my kids, but the casein, which is often found in dairy-free cheeses, etc. We just cook foods that normally wouldn’t require cheese anyway, and we do use butter as that doesn’t bother any of us. For our mashed potatoes, they are really good if you put a good amount (2-3T) of butter in them and then add in some of the cooking water. I prefer that to using any type of milk alternative. Olive oil would be a good substitute for someone who couldn’t do butter/ghee (which is easy to make – just google it!)
Hi I can not find where anyone replied to say the amount of almond milk this makes and how long is it good for? Thanks
How much almond milk does the recipe make? How long does it last?
This sounds awesome! How much does this make? And, how long does it last for?
My son is allergic to Milk so the whole family switched to Almond milk… I noticed that you mentioned butter was different – could yogurt possibly be okay for him to eat as well…?
My mother has a lactose intolerance and eats yogurt just fine! There are also cheeses which are naturally lactose free (usually whiter cheese, and block forms are better. Check the back of the package). However, if it is a dairy allergy instead of a lactose allergy this would be different.
Hello, I was recently DX’d with food protein allergies. Which means I can basically eat nothing but pork, chicken and some vegetables and fruit. How do I go about forming a plan as to meal planning and grocery shopping? Please help!
I would suggest meeting with a dietician.
I just got a bread maker and was wondering if you had any suggestions or recipes to suggest? Also, what is a brand of butter that you can recommend when baking bread? Thanks in advance :)
This question may have already been asked and answered but just wondering how many servings the recipe for almond milk makes? Also, how long will it keep?
Hello,
I am allergic to dairy. I have been doing without it for the past 10 years, in all forms and I honestly don’t miss it at all anymore. Tennessee strawberries make some of the best sorbet around this time of year…just mess them up and a blender and freeze them…nothing else. Anyway, I find when I eat out in a restaurant, the least complicated things on the menu are usually the best things to try. I have a little “conference” with the waiter, advise him of the situation and ask what might be the least trouble. It seems if something sounds good and it impacts the kitchen less, it’s a win/win situation. I think restaurants are becoming more savvy about food allegies so when you mention it, it’s not such a big deal anymore. Just my observation and experience. Hope this helps someone out. It’s all entirely manageable with just a little forethought.
My granddaughter is allergic to milk, almonds, and soy, so after 1 year of breadfeeding she went on rice milk. But when a study in Consumers Report about toxins in rice suggested that children not drink rice milk, we looked for an alternative….First thing we tried was goat milk. She took a taste of it from her sippy cup, cried “YUCK!” and threw the cup across the room. My daughter said that the milk tasted like a goat smelled. The baby would never even drink from that cup again…We now give her a smoothy of 1/2 banana, hemp mik (just enough to cover the banana) and vanilla extract.
How many servings does that recipe for almond milk make?
Where do you get your almonds from? Does it matter? My son has terrible eczema, and the dr suggested soy milk. Nope, won’t do that to him, but I’m ready to try almond milk! Here is hoping it clears up when we get him off dairy.
Hello,
I am new to this way of eating and I am also trying to eliminate dairy from my diet because of joint pain. When one of your recipes uses cheese can I substitute rice cheese or some other “cheese” product? Are these “cheese” products against the rules of not eating processes foods?
Thanks for your help!
I’m chasing a lab test to a series of doctors- a functional med chiropractor did an anti gliadin IGG test at Labcorp and diagnosed me with “non celiac gluten sensitivity”, then he ordered an independent lab “cross reactive food sensitivities” test which told me to eliminate dairy. I visited a nutritionist who wants to run tests at another independent lab. He told me if I don’t eliminate gluten that I’ll give myself celiac disease. Also both of these doctors used the term “leaky gut” as being a problem.
All of these tests are expensive, and insurance often doesn’t cover these “natural” doctors. Have you ever heard anything about the validity of IGG or food sensitivity testing?. non celiac gluten sensitivity, or leaky gut? Or I tried gluten free dairy (casein) free for a stint, and I’m wondering if those foods are the problem, or if its going GFCF is just forcing me into more real foods and less processed and THAT is what makes me feel better. I womder if i do homemade organic sprouted wheat bread if im still “going to give myself celiac disease”! Im seeing a celiac doc this week to ask him for his thoughts. Anyway, just wondering if there’s any validity to these tests or if I’m wasting time/money, or if anyone has any insight at all.
Thanks!!
Hi – In your Buckwheat Pancakes, is there something that I can replace the cornmeal with? I’m allergic to corn!
To Tracy,
Check silk product for grams of sugar and actual nutrient content. In general Rice Milk type of drinks are mostly a form of sugary water. My son has life threatening food allergies to at least 11 different food categories. He drinks EO28 Splash from Neocate. With out that amino acid based concoction of nutrients he would be malnourished. Good luck in your search for balanced nutrition. We have been at this for 7 1/2 years (since birth)…failure to thrive, 5 anaphylatic reactions, etc…
Thanks PJ,
I tried Neocate and he hated it, but it was two years ago. My son has had food allergies since birth as well. Thankful no anaphylatic reactions. Good luck to you.
My son is allergic to milk, eggs and almonds. He drinks silk coconut milk. Are silk products good or bad?
granulated sugar? I thought that was a no no.
I feel your pain. I never had any luck whatsoever with this kind of stuff,
either. So happy to find out I am not alone!
How much Milk does the recipe produce? We go through a lot and I am trying to figure out how much I will need to make.
Thank you!
I would also like to add that Goat’s milk might be a great alternative for those who are allergic or intollerant to cow’s milk. My son cannot eat anything made with cow’s milk without breaking out into a severe case of eczema. He was tested and we were told that he was not allergic to milk, however, when we eliminated this from his diet, his skin cleared up almost immediately! We switched to almond milk and his skin was still irritated. The dermatologist told us to take him off of the almond milk and try goat’s milk. WOW! What a difference! No more skin or digestive issues AT ALL! Since my daughter is a borderline diabetic and has a low level of Vitamin D (she doesn’t seem to absorb vitamin and essential nutrients from cow’s milk. Problem solved! Goat’s milk is higher in calcium and vitamin D and does not inhibit the absorption of essential nutrients!
Our daughter’s allergist, as well as the FAAN, have indicated otherwise. Goat’s milk (and sheep’s milk too, though I can’t say I’ve seen it) contains the same/similar proteins as cow-based dairy and is not considered to be a safe alternative for anyone with an allergy.
If you have food allergies, be very careful when you are eating out at a restaurant or shopping for groceries. At restaurants, ask about the ingredients used in the dishes to make sure they do not contain any hidden allergens. Carefully read the packaging at the grocery store to check the ingredients for allergens.
I like reading your blog as we are also trying to avoid processed food. This post seemed particularly interesting to me as my 3-year-old son has multiple life threatening food allergies. He is allergic to dairy, eggs, peanuts, and tree nuts. He had an anaphylactic reaction to dairy yogurt when he was only 10 months old. I have to agree with Cheri who said this post talks mostly about lactose intolerance and does not draw a good picture of how dangerous dairy allergy (or any other food allergy) in fact is. Also, I noticed you wrote there are top 7 allergens – hate to be the person pointing out details but like I said this topic is very close to me – there are in fact top 8 allergens. The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network’s (FAAN) website specifically says: “Eight foods account for 90 percent of all food-allergic reactions. They are milk, egg, peanut, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, and wheat.” Please view FAAN’s website for more information: http://www.foodallergy.org/
Hi Eva. Thanks for your feedback. As I shared with Cheri, I do feel that the distinction between an intolerance and an allergy is made clear in the article, including highlighting the fact that an allergy can result in anaphylaxis as well as other differences in symptoms. Thanks for your catch on the 7 allergens, you are correct it should be 8, but, I don’t think that changes the substance of the article. Thanks again for your feedback. Jill
I’m just going to reiterate what only one other person said. A dairy allergy is an allergy to the protein in milk called casein, the original article alluded to that fact, but did not make that clear. The article is helpful only to those who are intolerant to the sugar found in milk, lactose.
PLEASE DON’T EVER FEED A DAIRY ALLERGIC PERSON BUTTER! It still contains casein. Some allergic people can tolerate Ghee, because it’s been heated, but you cannot make that assumption. You need to know that some people are so allergic to dairy that it can cause anaphylactic shock which could result in death if an epi-pen, benadryl, and asthma inhaler is not given immediately.
I would feel much, much safer if this article could be edited to describe more accurately the important distinction between an intolerance and an allergy.
Hi Cheri. Thank you for sharing your feedback. I do, however, feel that the distinction between an intolerance and an allergy is made clear in the article, including highlighting the fact that an allergy can result in anaphylaxis (as you state as well). The discussion on butter only referenced my family’s personal habits and did not suggest that it was safe to eat for a person with a dairy allergy. I hope that helps to clarify things a bit. And, again, thank you for your feedback. Jill
Hi Jill and Cheri,
I am a mom with a newly discovered dairy allergy in my baby. Reading Jill’s initial article, I, too, was mislead about the butter and ghee with allergy vs. intolerance. I appreciate Cheri’s clarification and think the article should be edited, as well. This is such a dangerous topic to have an article that is not 100% clear.
Thanks!
This is where the confusion is:
“But for those with a dairy allergy or for whom this type of product is not effective, eliminating dairy may be the only option. That was the case for my husband who, in addition to being gluten free like I mentioned in my last post, is also dairy free.”
It reads as though your husband has a dairy article, and then you go on to write later that he can eat butter. You sight info from wiki. That’s where the dangerous part is.
Thanks again.
Thank you for the almond milk recipe! Love that it’s additive free AND it’s so easy. Who would have thought?
Thanks for the almond milk recipe. I was just looking for one to try this week. I have my son on an organic whole milk, but we both use almond milk as well. Now I am learning about carrageenan… and I am ready to go it on my own. I would love it if you could get Food Babe to do a post on almond, soy and coconut milks with this horrible additive. Her post from early this year was an eye opener!
http://foodbabe.com/2012/05/22/watch-out-for-this-carcinogen-in-your-organic-food/
Thank you for the recipe, I normally use hemp seeds because I heard something about almond having cyanide, but I do not know if this is valid or not…
I am curious. My little guy (now 11 months old) seems, to me, to have an allergy to milk; he breaks out in a hivey sort of rash and his eyes water and his nose runs. He was, for a while, able to eat some yogurt and cheese, but now he can’t, unless it’s cooked. We gave him a smoothie his daddy made that had a touch, and I mean a TOUCH of whey protein powder in it and it was the worst skin reaction I’d -ever- seen him have. He was 6 months old when we first discovered the allergy; my mother tried to give him some ice cream (I know, naughty grandma) from DQ, and gave him less than a taste and he began to break out in hives all over his face and had the same symptoms as I listed above.
Anyway, I guess my question is in regards to this: Lately, I’ve noticed that he can consume dairy if it’s in small amounts and cooked; he still gets gassy, but his skin does not break out. Where he used to be able to eat yogurt (Greek) and cheese, he no longer can cold. However, where he once was unable to eat ice cream, he can now have bits of frozen sherbet and a bit of frozen yogurt -and- ice cream sandwiches (again, my mother – I forgot, when you become a grandma, you’re allowed to feed your grandchild absolute crap then send them home >_>). Anyway – I was wondering how or why that might be. His doctor says nothing about it when I take him to her; I really dislike his pediatrician, but she’s the only one around here in my network.
Anyway. Verbal diarrhea. Thank you for these suggestions. As a family hit really hard by the economy right now, it’s been really tough having to adjust. Now that my son is getting toward his 1 year mark, I’m really going to have to start considering dairy-free options, despite the added expense.
Hi Brianne. I’m not exactly sure why this would be. It might be worth keeping log of what foods seem to be his biggest triggers and then avoiding them. As you saw in the article as well, it may be (hopefully) something he will also grow out of. Good luck. Jill
Brianne-
I too was the same way when I was little. I’ve grown up with sinus issues and upset tummy issues all my life. I mainly avoided dairy when I was younger, but then added it in when I entered into my teens. Now, at 34, I was just diagnosed with a dairy allergy. I’ve been getting sick a lot the past few years, my blood test were showing immune issues, and then all of a sudden I broke out into horrible hives. I found a wonderful food allergist and he discovered, that all along, I’ve been extremely allergic to milk (and any derivative of milk.) My body just finally couldn’t take it any longer. I’ve had little signs along the way for many years and always told my Primary Care, Dermatologist, ENT, etc. the symptoms I had been having but no one could put it together. The food allergist determined it after 45 minutes with me – craziness and life changing! Now, I’m just trying to figure out what to eat (dairy is in everything it seems!)
Good luck to you and your son – I would most definitely take him to a food allergy expert.
Hi Brianne! My 2 year old has a very serious dairy allergy. Going dairy free isn’t easy but totally possible. We use a lot of Silk & Enjoy Life products. Have you taken him to an allergist? I have to carry an Epi-pen for my daughter & her symptoms sound a lot like your child’s. She breaks out in hives & her eyes swell- it’s scary! Best of luck figuring it out. It is overwhelming at first (I cried) but you’ll do fine! (P.S. our allergist told me the high heat in baked goods can sometimes break down the milk protein, enabling an allergic child to eat it & be okay but I don’t take any chances! I’m too paranoid!) I hope this helps!! (Oh, and her pediatrician never seemed worried about it but I followed my intuition & took her to an allergist. )
Thank you so much for this post! I just went dairy free this week for breastfeeding reasons. It’s only Wednesday, but my little guy seems waaaaay less gassy and I’m feeling pretty good too! The only downfall is trying to figure out what to eat, which I’m sure in time will become easier. Thank you again!
Thank you for the informative article and differentiating between allergy and sensitivity.
The first symptom that clued me on to a milk sensitivity that my 3 month old daughter was experiencing was a sudden onset of bloody/mucus stools. Scared me to death at first too! She is breastfed, so it was what I was eating. Cow’s milk was the first item we tried eliminating and noticed quick improvement.
Adding infant probiotics to her diet made the biggest difference though. She was hospitalized the first 20 days of life for a heart defect and I found out later that antibiotics and TPN feedings had set her gut up for problems. I wish I had the presence of mind to start her on probiotics those first days home and we probably could have avoided the problem and the trip to the ER! From what I’ve read, healthy gut flora will prevent food molecules from being absorbed into the intestinal lining where they can cause sensitivities and allergies.
I can have butter and cheese, but things like ice cream or drinking milk cause her much trouble. I have heard that goat milk may be better tolerated than cow’s milk, so when she is weaned we plan to try that first.
I just tried the almond milk and it’s coming out with a really watery, not so pleasant taste. Is anyone else having this problem or does anyone know what I could be doing wrong? Thanks!
Hi Heather – what kind of blender are you using? You really need one that will chop the almonds to a very fine consistency. Jill
We went out and bought a Vitamix just for this because I read about the carcinogens in store bought almond milk. I have no idea what I am doing wrong but my kids won’t touch it and they are typically garbage disposals. It just doesn’t taste good.
Also, what would you recommend if someone is allergic to almonds (peanuts too) in place of almond milk?
Hi Tricia. Coconut milk, rice milk and soy milk are all dairy free, so, you could always use one of those. I always recommend the unsweetened plain variety of anything you choose. Jill
I’m have really bad allergies. I have since I was a kid (I’m 35 now). I was diagnosed with a milk allergy as a kid but have never had any immediate reactions to milk or any dairy products. When I was pregnant with my son I became very intolerant of milk for several months. I couldn’t eat a bowl of cereal without vomiting. My OB suggested I stay away from milk for a couple months and then try it again. I did and had no problems and haven’t since then. Recently, I’ve been trying to increase my protein intake. I’m not a big meat eater so I tried some whey protein drink mixes. I get terribly nauseated after drinking them…to the point I must take some ginger and go lay down. I do mix the powders with milk. Is it possible that I’m allergic to the whey protein? Or is the whey protein and the proteins in the milk too much for my body? Thanks in advance for any help or information anyone can provide.
Hi Tricia. I’m not familiar with the whey protein powders. I would take a look at the ingredients to see if there might be a trigger. Good luck. Jill
Hi Tricia,
I have a dairy intolerance and always had stomach aches growing up not realizing I was intolerant at the time (could only drink skim in cereal, but could handle cheeses to a degree). It wasn’t until I had my two children (who are allergic to dairy, nuts and soy) that I got tested. Sure enough. Our allergist tested all three of us with a breakdown of the components in milk (whey, casein, and lactose), we cannot have any foods with either of these ingredients, so that may be why you still feel ill. You could be more allergic to one or the other as well.
From there we eliminated dairy and nuts completely. We don’t drink soy but use it in our cooking every once in a while. We drink Kirkland’s (Costco brand) organic rice milk. And use it in our cooking and baking.
Good luck.
Great post! My sister has been gluten free for almost a year and it has dramatically helped her with her IBS issues. Sometime in the near future I plan on trying to go gluten free for a month to find out if I am allergic too.
First, let me start by saying my husband and I absolutely love your blog. You have helped us make this transition to all real food. You have opened our eyes to so many things and given us tons of other websites for more answers. We are currently trying to eliminate dairy and wondered if there was an almond milk brand that you recommend? I wish I could say that I could make almond milk every time I need it. Thanks for all your help.
Hi Karin. When I can’t make it, I use the Blue Diamond original unsweetened one. Jill
I am glad to have come across your blog! We have had minor lifestyle changes for the past 8 years in regards to food, but after my third child was born 7 months ago, we have made major adjustments. One of those changes included becoming dairy, soy, and egg free. He had gastrointestinal symptoms when I consumed dairy, soy or eggs (I am breast feeding). I cannot believe how much healthier we began eating because we realized that all of the processed foods had so many of these ingredients. Thanks for this blog!
I have found that taking a probiotic daily helps and I can have ice cream occasionally without issues. Would like to know where to get raw milk.
Hi Janice. Raw milk varies state to state and is not legal in every state. You will need to check the specifics for your state. Jill
So how do I make the flour with the remaining almonds from the almond milk? After I dry it out in the oven do I just food process it? I hate to let all those almonds go to waste so I thought I’d give it a try.
Hi Heather. The nuts should already be chopped up after going through the blender. But, if they’re not fine enough, you could always run them through the processor after baking. I agree on not letting them go to waste…if you use them, you will actually come out ahead on the money front (in terms of what you would spend on the almond milk and almond flour). Good luck. Jill
Thanks for bringing awareness to food allergies, especially as so many kids are heading back to school. So many people confuse food allergy with tolerance and then unfortunately place true food allergic folks in dangerous positions. Although, your stat on outgrowing might need to re-checked. Usually those with nut allergies do not outgrow their allergies.
Thanks again for raising awareness–this helps support folks with food allergies!
Caroine–www.gratefulfoodie.com
Food Allergies, Asthma, Baking and Life
Hi Caroline. The statistic was on dairy allergies, not nut allergies. Sorry if that was not clear. Jill
Thanks for the clarification—clearly we know where my focus is! Again, great article–keep up the good work. I love your site!
Thanks for posting! I have been allergic to milk protein since 2006 and have slowly learned to deal with my dairy-free life. I have been buying almond milk at the store and i love it, but I am interested in trying to make my own. Can you please tell me how long it will keep once made, and where I can find blanched almonds?
Hi Leah. I get the blanched almonds at Trader Joe’s. I think it will keep for maybe 5-7 days, although, mine doesn’t really ever last more than 2. Jill
I have seasons where dairy seems to aggrivate my skin, and other times when it’s fine. Whenever I’m off dairy, I mix coconut water and coconut milk (both are cheap and available fresh here where I live) and it makes a delicious milk substitute. Straight coconut milk is a little to rich for me.
This is awesome!
I am just in the process of writing a series on kids with intolerances. I will link to you as a resource. Thanks!
I got a 5 year old who has dairy allergies. We like to use Fleischmann’s unsalted margarine, it’s dairy free and I love to bake with it.
Thanks for posting these recipes. My daughter and grandson are allergic to dairy. Do you know how much protein is in almond milk? Is there any in rice milk?
The Blue Diamond brand of almond milk (original, unsweetened) has 1 gram of protein per 1 cup serving. I’m not exactly sure of the content on the rice milk.
This is a wonderful post. Thanks for calling attention to food allergies. My daughter is allergic to peanuts (and was previously allergic to milk and eggs – which we are slowly introducing into her diet) so I know how hard it can be to cook while taking into account food allergies. We still choose to use almond milk instead of cows milk though. So much healthier – in my opinion. Anyway… thanks for the recipes!
If a person has an allergy to milk proteins (whey or casien) then butter is still off limits regardless of the amoumts of lactose(a sugar in the milk). Thank you, though for finally having dairy free alternatives and recipes on your blog. Gluten free often gets the spotlight. My son is one of very few kids who didn’t out grow his dairy allergy by school age and life has gotten even more difficult having to deal with issues at school.
I know well the joys of dairy-free living! My family has been on a healing diet that eliminates grains and starches (though we’re back on starches now) since April 2011 to heal my daughter’s food allergies.
During the process, I have uncovered allergies in my husband and I and it’s been a blessing and a curse. I do still miss pastries and brownies, but it’s worth the trade off!
I’m able to share what I have learned to help others and am grateful every day for the opportunity to pay forward what I have learned. If you haven’t heard of them yet, check out gut healing protocols. We started on GAPS and are somewhere between there and Primal eating now, since my daughter is able to eat so many more foods than she used to.
thanks, great post. wanted to do the fruit crisp recipe as I am limiting all potential food allergens. What do you recommend in the absence of sugar? Trying to avoid for a few weeks.
Thanks
coconut sugar (unrefined) and Stevia are two natural sugar substitutes that are great :) Just make sure you get real Stevia and not the brands that are mostly sugar (Truvia, Stevia in the Raw, etc.)
Hi Becky. I’ve actually been wanting to try it with honey and/or maple syrup but just haven’t done it yet. My fear is that it will affect how “crumbly” the crumbs are. I will say I try and use “less processed” sugar. I use muscovado sugar instead of brown sugar. Muscovado is considered the least processed of all cane sugars. If you try any substitutions let us know how it goes. Good luck. Jill
I LOVE your website. It’s nice to find reinforcement. I feel like we were doing really well for a while, and then fall off a little and then cycle again. Going to do a September “school lunch” challenge with my girls and see how it goes. It’s easier for me when I make baby steps.
Anyway…about allergies…our family is almost completely allergy free. We used a Natural technique called N.A.E.T. The general website is here: http://www.naet.com/default.aspx and you can find a doctor in your area. I live in Utah and there were plenty for me to choose from. I wish I would have known about this years ago. I was so sick for so long! After almost 2 years of treatments (for the whole family): No more grain and dairy allergies, no more hormone imbalances (for me), no more pet allergies and almost all environmental allergies…gone!
If anyone has more questions, let me know. It was one more step towards wellness for our family!
I have recently gone gluten free to give my body a rest for a bit. We own goat’s and milk them for fresh, raw, easy to digest milk.
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Wondering if you could please share more info about substituting coconut oil for butter. I know there are different varieties and have seen virgin coconut oil and coconut oil. Just wondering what is best to use in various dishes (baking vs. on the stove vs. what you would try on a baked potato). Also, is it a one to one substitute? My husband has a severe dairy allergy (in addition to poultry and various beans and peas), and does NOT like the taste of coconut! Your help is greatly appreciated! Thanks! :-)
Christy, I use it as one to one. I use organic extra virgin because we are about 95% organic at our house. Recently, Costco started carrying Nutiva. In most cases of baking (cookies, pancakes, etc.) you can’t taste the coconut. I recommend just trying it out (without telling him because most kids and husbands can be hoodwinked ;))and then discard any recipes that he says no to. I would not use it as a condiment at all. For pasta I would use olive oil (which can also be subbed in some recipes for butter)but for potatoes you’re just out of luck. One thing I’ve done is to skip baked potatoes and make seasoned home fries instead. Good luck!
Hi Christy. I like the Spectrum organic brand. I do find some have a coconut taste, but, this one does not. You may be interested in this post on coconut oil to answer some of your questions…https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/02/07/how-to-cook-with-coconut-oil/. I do substitute 1:1 in recipes. I hope that helps. Best of luck. Jill
My son is allergic to eggs and peanuts; he had a dairy intolerance as a baby. As a result, we went dairy free for 2 years. I knew I was considered lactose intolerant before I was dairy free but I didn’t realize how much it was affecting me. I didn’t know the bloating, cramping, and gas I felt all the time was not normal. I felt much better and experienced relief with my seasonal allergies. My husband had found that the back acne he had battled for 15 years suddenly cleared at the removal of dairy from his life.
We are no longer totally dairy free, we are very dairy limited. The kids eat butter and cheese and drink local milk. My husband and I stick to almond milk. When cooking, that is what I use too. Most of our meals are dairy free. I never really cooked before I had my son so most of my cooking knowledge developed while we were dairy free.
Awesome! Thanks for this. My five year old son has an anaphylactic milk allergy. Thank you for promoting awareness.
Great post! Thanks, Jill! We have a 4 yr old with a dairy allergy and have successfully cut out almost all dairy products from our house. Almond milk, coconut milk (which you can make yourself, too), and rice milk have all work fabulously in all our recipes. My kids LOVE coconut milk ice cream!! And in all of Lisa’s recipes I have successfully used coconut oil to replace butter. It is especially yummy in the granola!
My husband does or I should say did have an introllerace to milk and heavy dairy products – cheesecake (his favorite) ice cream, a creamy soup. He was ok with cheese though. Now that we have switched to raw milk he is just fine with it. He can now enjoy a glass a raw milk and he does not have any issues with it.
Where do you purchase raw milk? My son can’t take dairy, but I would be interested trying him on raw milk. Thanks!
Hi Carrie. Raw milk varies state to state and is not legal in every state. You will need to check the specifics for your state. Jill
Carrie…. search for your state’s laws on cow shares. In TN (where I live) it is illegal to sell raw milk, but you can enter into a contract with a farmer to puchase a share of one of his cows. You then pay him a monthly boarding fee (he’s boarding & feeding your cow) and in exchange you get the benefits of your cow’s milk. This is perfectly legal, at least in my state. :)
This is pretty common for those with just an intolerance. Pasturization actually kills part of the milk that helps our systems digest it, so often folks that switch to raw milk don’t have the same issues.