A guide to avoiding milk – what are the alternatives?

If your goal is to improve your health, fertility and overall wellbeing, you may want to consider cutting out cow’s milk from your diet. More and more people are choosing to do this, particularly those who are embracing a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. But so many food products contain milk that cutting it out can be tricky.

I want to show you that if you do want to live a life without cow’s milk, it really can be done! Here we take a look at some of the very good reasons to cut out cow’s milk from your diet, as well as explore some of the alternatives, so you can still enjoy a healthy, nutritious diet.

Do we need cow’s milk in our diet?

Humans may have been drinking cow’s milk for centuries, but this doesn’t mean we actually need it in our diets. Lactose, a type of sugar found in cow’s milk, is one of the most common food allergens, along with wheat. Many people’s bodies naturally do not produce enough lactase, an enzyme that helps to break down the sugars in cow’s milk. This means there are a lot of people who may be experiencing detrimental symptoms from drinking cow’s milk. But, they don’t realise it because they haven’t been tested to find out what allergies and intolerances they may have.

However, lactose intolerant individuals are not the only ones who can benefit from giving up cow’s milk. After all, cow’s milk is naturally made for calves, who grow much more quickly than human babies. Humans do not need or benefit from the growth hormones found in cow’s milk. As such, finding an alternative can help us to stay more in tune with the natural needs of our bodies.

Cow’s milk does have some benefits for humans, though. It is an excellent source of calcium, protein and vitamins A, D and B complex. If you are giving up cow’s milk, it is important to find other sources of these nutrients to keep your diet balanced and healthy.

What are the benefits of giving up cow’s milk?

Adopting a milk-free diet can have a number of highly beneficial effects for your body. Here are just a few of them.

You can improve your gut health

A healthy gut is key to your body functioning correctly and keeping you well. Many people frequently feel bloated, sluggish and fatigued, suffer with sinus, have hormonal imbalances, skin conditions as well as suffer from stomach cramps. These symptoms can all be the result of not eating the correct diet for a healthy gut.

As one of the most common allergens, dairy products are often associated with inflammation of the gut lining. The constant irritation of the gut lining by foods that the body is intolerant to weakens the mucous membranes allowing large protein molecules to leach into the bloodstream which then causes unwanted immune issues and inflammation throughout the body.

Giving up cow’s milk can play an important part in improving your gut health, helping your body to function properly and making you feel much healthier.

You can increase your fertility

Dairy produce can have a negative impact on women’s fertility in particular. Milk has been linked to hormonal imbalances. It can also cause you to produce too little cervical mucus. Both of these things will affect your fertility.

In addition, cow’s milk contains high levels of oestrogen, as well as pesticides. These have been linked to conditions such as polycystic ovarian syndrome and endometriosis, both of which are known to make it much more difficult for you to conceive and carry a child.

If you’re hoping to start a family and you want to give yourself the best possible chance of increasing your fertility, giving up cow’s milk can be a good place to start.

You can look and feel better

Eating the right foods is essential if you want to look and feel your best. Food allergies/intolerances can cause a huge variety of problems, from stress and anxiety through to weight gain and trouble sleeping. As dairy is such a common allergen, many people experience a greater feeling of wellness and happiness by cutting out dairy from their diet.

Reducing the amount of dairy in your diet is commonly associated with weight loss. It can also result in clearer skin. Many skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema are frequently linked to food intolerances. Giving up cow’s milk can help you to feel happier with your complexion as well as improve the way you feel on the inside. This gives you more confidence and boosts your quality of life in a whole variety of ways.

How to give up cow’s milk

Giving up cow’s milk can be confusing as it is used in the production of many more foods than you might expect. It is important to read the ingredients labels of all the food products you buy to make sure they do not contain cow’s milk.

There are also plenty of recipes online, which don’t contain dairy products at all. Trying out some of these each week will ensure you can still enjoy your food without cow’s milk being a part of your diet.

What are the alternatives to cow’s milk?

Some people find they can substitute cow’s milk for different animal milk, such as sheep’s milk or goat’s milk. However, in some cases, people who are intolerant to cow’s milk can also develop an intolerance to milk from other animals. For this reason, it is important to be aware of the other substitutes that are out there.

The main alternatives to cow’s milk are:

• Soya milk
• Rice milk
• Oat milk
• Quinoa milk
• Pea milk
• Coconut milk

Nut milks such as almond and macadamia milk can also be considered if you have no adverse reaction to nuts.

What about alternatives to other dairy products?

With the increase of people choosing a vegan lifestyle, there are now many dairy substitutes on the market, which are delicious as well as healthy.

Soya, for example, is particularly versatile. It is frequently used for making substitute cheese, yoghurt and even ice cream. Coconut oil is often used in non-dairy cheese and cream.

When it comes to butter, try a vegan spread – these are more readily available and tastier than ever before! Cold pressed olive oil is also an option, as are nut spreads if you don’t have a nut allergy.

How can you still get a healthy diet without cow’s milk?

The most important thing is to source your calcium, protein and vitamins from other sources. Nature has a great way of providing these nutrients in a wide variety of different foods.

Calcium

If you’re looking to supplement your calcium after giving up cow’s milk, there are plenty of foods that will help you. These include:

• Leafy green vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and spinach
• Beans
• Nuts
• Figs
• Buckwheat
• Kelp
• Dandelion leaves

As some of these foods are more unusual, they can really help you create interest and variety in your diet that you might not have discovered otherwise!

Protein and Vitamins

There are numerous sources of dairy free foods to choose from to meet your protein and vitamin needs, such as:

• Fish – Fish is a great source of protein. It also contains healthy fats as well as Vitamins A and D. However, if you are vegetarian or vegan, you will need to look to some of these other sources below.
• Nuts – Almonds, in particular, are a great source of protein for anyone wanting to cut out cow’s milk.
• Soy – Soy beans are packed with protein. They can be cooked in many different ways and served with lots of other types of food. Soy is an excellent, versatile way of adding protein to a milk-free diet. As soy is highly sprayed please always choose organic soy.
• Seeds – Seeds are the ideal snack for those wanting to improve their protein intake. You can get a lot of protein from a small serving of seeds, particularly sunflower or pumpkin seeds. In addition, seeds are a great source of vitamins and minerals, helping you to transition smoothly to a diet without cow’s milk.