Is going dairy-free right for me?


Emma Thornton
@AVogelUK


01 August 2017

The rise of free-from

There’s definitely no doubt about it – more households than ever in the UK are swapping their pints of semi-skimmed for soya, almond or rice milk. In an article published 3 years ago by the Daily Mail, it was estimated that 1 in 5 households were increasing their intake of non-dairy alternatives, with companies such as Alpro seeing a 15% growth within a 12 month period!1

Now 3 years later, this trend shows no signs of dying down, with sales of free-from products increasing by 36% in 2016 compared to a year earlier.2 As a result, supermarkets are being forced to adapt, and the good news is that there’s now more choice than ever available to the public.

While many are praising this shift towards a healthier lifestyle, some are questioning whether such a dramatic change is really necessary?

1http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-2709071/Forget-cows-getting-milk-oats-almonds-Non-dairy-market-grown-155-just-two-years.html

2http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-39488047

Is going dairy-free really necessary?

It’s difficult to get a true estimate of how many people in the UK suffer from a food intolerance that may prohibit them from drinking milk – afterall, some think that as many as 75% of the world’s population has a degree of lactose intolerance.

However, interestingly, countries such as Africa and Asia suffer more from these types of intolerances than North America and Europe.3 This would seem to gel with what other experts are saying, with one consumer researcher stating that "the majority of products are bought by people who do not identify as having an intolerance.”

If this is the case, then why are so many people increasing their intake of non-dairy products such as almond milk etc, if they do not suffer from an allergy? Well in part, it could be to do with the barrage of articles criticising dairy milk. Over the past few years, dairy definitely seems to have fallen from grace, leading many to believe that the substance is inherently bad for you.

Of course this is not necessarily true as milk is naturally rich in protein, calcium and other nutrients. As part of a balanced diet, there’s nothing wrong with having milk with your cereal, provided you’re careful about what brand of milk you choose and you go organic.

Balance though - that's the key word!

Are you out of balance?

One of the real problems with our diets is the lack of balance. In moderation milk is just fine but if you’re consuming too much dairy, then you are definitely going to have problems. In 2016, the Public Health England released new dietary guidelines, stating that the public should cut their dairy consumption down to just 8% of their daily intake.4

Studies have demonstrated that excessive milk consumption can be linked to digestive problems such as bloating, flatulence and diarrhoea. Milk has even been flagged as a major trigger of IBS! It’s important, though, to take note of the word ‘excessive.’ This links back to what I was saying earlier about balance.

This may be easier said than done, though, as people don’t really seem to realise how much dairy they are really consuming each day. The UK, for most part, is a nation of tea lovers and coffee connoisseurs, which in itself is not always a good thing.

We can go through dozens of cups of tea and coffee in a day, which in addition to cereal, cheese, yoghurts and other dairy products like chocolate, can account for an excessive intake of dairy products, which can potentially lead to digestive problems.

4https://www.fginsight.com/news/news/staggering-new-nutritional-guidelines---dairy-should-only-be-8-of-total-daily-food-intake-10820

What hormones are in cow’s milk?

This is where we can come into some murky territory regarding dairy, particularly milk. While an excessive consumption of milk can upset your digestion, milk is not entirely innocent and most of the blame goes to how milk is processed.

Some farmers feed their livestock a cocktail of artificial hormones and antibiotics to help prevent disease and accelerate the growth of their calves. The residue of this hormone cocktail inevitably ends up in your morning bowl of cereal.

The worst offender is a hormone called rBGH, or Bovine Somatotropin, which can have an impact on an insulin-like hormone called IGF-1. IGF-1 can have an inflammatory affect and has been linked to acne, with one study finding that teenagers who drank milk were more affected by acne than those that did not. Worse yet, the American Cancer society has identified that IGF-1 may increase the risk of cancerous cells forming, although there is no concrete evidence to say that drinking milk can produce this risk.5

So what’s the solution to this? How can you find out if your milk contains these hormones? Well the good news is that farmers are getting more reluctant to give their livestock hormones such as BST or rBST, and you may have noticed this stated on your label.

However, if you are still concerned, the best option, in my opinion, would be to switch to buying organic milk. Organic cow’s milk is generally lower in saturated fats than normal cow’s milk and, since the cows will be eating fresh grass, will contain fewer chemicals. Pesticides are also prohibited in organic farming and organic milk is generally free from rBGH.

5https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/recombinant-bovine-growth-hormone.html

When should I go dairy-free?

If one of the main problems with our diet is a lack of variety and an excess of dairy, then I think it makes sense to try and swap out some dairy products for non-dairy alternatives. If dairy is only supposed to account for 8% of our daily intake, then clearly most of us have some adjusting to do.

I think the most important thing is balance and to consider your own circumstances. While most of us should probably spice up our day to day routine with some almond milk or vegan chocolate, going 100% dairy-free can be a difficult transition and one that may be unnecessary if you put some time into gaining a balance between dairy and non-dairy.

However, if you do suffer from a digestive issue or even an allergy like hayfever, then reducing your intake of dairy might be a sensible idea. It’s important, though, that you consider a few crucial things before completely cutting dairy out of your diet.

There’s no denying that milk is both a rich source of calcium and protein, especially if you are vegetarian or work out frequently. You will have to look to other areas of your diet to make sure you are getting enough of these two nutrients.

Green leafy veg, such as spinach, usually contain high levels of protein, as do other non-dairy sources such as tofu, quinoa and most nut butters. It may even be worthwhile to consider adding a protein powder into your day to day routine. A lot of non-dairy milks are also fortified with calcium but you can also boost your intake by snacking on sesame seeds or eating more tofu. You could even consider a calcium supplement if you are especially worried.

Making this change can be daunting but worthwhile. Knowing where to start and what dairy-free products you will enjoy can involve some trial and error. Fortunately, there are plenty of dairy-free recipes on our website to satisfy your needs, not to mention you can also check out my dairy-free guide to milk to learn more about different dairy-free milks and what they can offer in terms of affordability, taste and nutrition!

29 Comments

Add your comments

Your email address will not be published. All fields are required.


Check input OK
Check input OK

  • Amanda Turner's photo avatar
    Amanda Turner — 22.08.2017 17:11
    As I strict vegetarian for 30 yrs, I have always been concerned about " milk" favouring soya milk, and only consuming small about of dairy milk, my weakness is chocolate, my son whom is 19 yrs has been raised totally as a vegetarian, but I do give him dairy as I was somewhat concerned being male not to give him too much soya, saying that, I did not introduce diary into his diet until over 2 yrs of age. My late husband, we were together 15 yrs, always consumed a lot of dairy milk, 4 pints in 2 days, saying he got indigestion and milk is supposed to be good, he wouldn't listen to my argument ( I'm a alternative therapist, with diplomas in nutrition and nutritional therapy) As I mentioned my LATE husband! He died at 44 yrs old from pancreatic and liver cancer, Did drinking excessive amounts of milk play a part in his disease? I have always believed that it didn't help! Don't wish to scare anyone reading this, just bear it in mind! Thanks

    Reply

    • Emma's photo avatar
      Emma — 23.08.2017 07:37
      Hi Amanda, I'm sorry for your loss although it does sound as though other factors may have been at play.

      Reply

  • Melissa Baker's photo avatar
    Melissa Baker — 22.08.2017 09:21
    I am aiming to go dairy free for animal welfare reasons. All in all dairy cows and their calves get a rough deal and all factory farming is cruel.

    Reply

    • Emma's photo avatar
      Emma — 22.08.2017 10:22
      Hi Melissa, thank you for your feedback. I think it's important to consider your nutritional needs if you are going to go vegan. It's a difficult transition to make and a lot of people initially forget that they will need to find alternative forms of protein in their diet.

      Reply

  • Sarah Relph 's photo avatar
    Sarah Relph — 21.08.2017 09:01
    After reading an online article about a year ago about how going Vegan can greatly improve the symptoms of the menopause, I was very interested to read this article. After much deliberation, I finally decided to try going Vegan to see if it would elevate menopause symptoms as a natural remedy, rather than resorting to HRT or any other medication. I have to say that I can't believe how different I feel in a very positive way. I haven't had any night sweats or hot flushes, and the other annoying symptoms of fatigue, aches & pain etc, etc have all gone. So there is definitely something positive in giving up dairy and animal products. It was daunting at first, but with some research on food replacements, and what I needed to eat to compensate for what I was cutting out of my diet, nearly a year on, I am totally re-educated and there's no looking back. Even more amazingly, I read an article about how cutting out animal products can cure hayfeaver, and my husband has suffered terribly with this all summer for years. He decided to go Vegan too to see if it would make any difference, as all modern medicine made no difference to him, and he hasn't sneezed once this year!!! There's obviously something beneficial in giving up dairy, but I would advise, getting nutritional advice alongside giving it up to make sure you don't miss out on essential nutrients, and it is so important to re-educate yourself on the whole Vegan thing. It is hard work at first because you just think, well what the hell can I eat, if I give up all animal products, but once you look into it, you will be surprised just how much you can eat, and along with things like soya yogurts and dairy free cheese, it does make the transition more bearable. A final added bonus, is, I have lost over one and a half stone in the last 12 months, and I had tried all sorts of diets prior to turning Vegan and I didn't loose as much as a pound. From my personal experience, I couldn't praise a Vegan diet highly enough, and would advise anyone to give it a go before knocking it! In answer to some other comments I have seen on this article, I class myself as a health Vegan as opposed to a moral Vegan. You don't have to go Vegan just because you want to "save" animals, its also about saving yourself!

    Reply

    • Emma's photo avatar
      Emma — 21.08.2017 10:04
      Thank you for sharing your story Sarah. It's always important to get nutritional advice if you're considering a vegan diet.

      Reply

    • Sarah's photo avatar
      Sarah — 07.09.2017 14:27
      I found your post really interesting.I am veggie but have had trouble with dairy since starting the menopause.I use soya milk but haven't managed to find a good vegan cheese which one do you use please. My family love pizza so I would really like to find one! Thank you.

      Reply

    • Emma's photo avatar
      Emma — 11.09.2017 07:31
      Hi Sarah, Sheese are one of my preferred brands and they offer a range of soft and hard vegan cheeses, including mozzarella style which might be good for pizzas.

      Reply

    • Sarah Relph 's photo avatar
      Sarah Relph — 15.09.2017 09:47
      Hi I find the Tesco (Free From)own cheese is really nice. They do a spicy one with Jalapenos, a smoked cheddar and a normal cheddar. Sainsbury's also do a good dairy free Greek cheese. I do struggle to find dairy free mozzarella though. Having said that, if you like pizza, ASK Italian do a great vegan pizza with dairy free mozzarella.

      Reply

Our customers love us!

We are proud of the products we offer and the high standard of customer service we deliver. Our customers love us so much they give us a customer rating of 4.8 out of 5!

Read some of our customer ratings

Kick it up a notch!

Our Herbamare combines herbs and vegetables with a little sea salt to create a delicious, healthy seasoning for any dish!

Find out more

Improve your flexibility!

Join Hetty and Martin in the A.Vogel gardens to improve your flexibility.

View flexibility videos

Healthy & nutritious dinner ideas

Get new recipes in your inbox every week. Sign up now

Trying to call us? Our number has changed, please call 0818 930 070 - or click here for other ways to contact us.