If you have a dairy intolerance and so can't eat milk, cheese or cream, you have to follow a dairy-free diet. Here we explain the implications of this and offer some useful sources of recipes and information.
Lactose intolerance is the most common form of milk intolerance, and is the result of the body producing insufficient amounts of the lactase enzyme needed to digest lactose, the sugar in milk. Common symptoms include bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhoea or constipation. Avoidance of milk products can lead to a low calcium intake, so it is important to look for good non-dairy sources of calcium or soya milk products that have been fortified with extra calcium.
When Milk isn't called milk
The following items are made from milk and will, therefore, contain milk proteins
*Casein
*Caseinate
*Whey
*Whey Powder
*Sodium Caseinate
*Calcium Caseinate
*"Beverage Whitener" (generally)
*Caramel (sometimes okay if pure colour and not adulterated)
We have looked at all the recipes on the site and put together a list of the ones that are suitable for those following a dairy-free diet. However, you could also try substituting milk in other recipes with soya products, but please bear in mind that we have not tested these, so cannot guarantee that you will get the same results. In addition, you can omit cheese from some recipes and use another ingredient.
These titles, and others, are available at discounted prices in our online Book Shop from Amazon.
Easy Wheat, Egg and Milk Free Cooking by Rita Greer (HarperCollins)
Dairy-Free and Delicious by Brenda Davis, Bryanna Clark Grogan and Joanne Stepaniak
Dairy-Free Cookbook: Over 250 Recipes for people with Lactose Intolerance or Milk Allergy by Jane Zukin, a US publication (Prima)
The Milk-Free Kitchen: Living Well without Dairy Products by Beth Kidder, a US publication
Useful websites:
Sainsbury’s Freefrom range: (follow the signposts to healthy eating and food intolerances), endorsed by Allergy UK (see below), is the first specially produced supermarket range of gluten-, wheat- or dairy-free products. The Sainsbury’s website also features about 100 recipes suitable for allergy/intolerance sufferers. Sainsbury’s can also supply a product list of own-label foods that do not contain milk or milk products. www.sainsburys.co.uk
PK Foods: Supplies dairy-free foods by mail order. Contact PK Foods, Unit 270, Centennial Park, Centennial Avenue, Elstree, Borehamwood, Herts WD6 3SS (020 8953 4444; fax: 020 8953 8285)
<A CLASS="btn-link" HREF="mailto:ellis@glutenfree-foods.co.uk">e-mail: ellis@glutenfree-foods.co.uk </a>www.pkfoods.co.uk
Allergy UK (020 8303 8525), a medical charity for people with allergies, provides advice and support via its helpline on 020 8303 8583 (9am-9pm, Mon-Fri, 10am-1pm, Sat and Sun) and will send advice booklets to its members on all aspects of allergy
<A CLASS="btn-link" HREF="mailto:info@allergyuk.org">e-mail: info@allergyuk.org </a>
Allergy UK
www.lactoseintolerance.co.uk gives information about foods and supermarkets, has magazine articles, information about support groups and helplines and tells you about helpful books.
www.lactoseintolerance.co.uk
Food Standards Agency: www.food.gov.uk
Allergic Reaction Central: www.allergic-reactions.com
NB Recipes on the above sites and in the recommended books have not been tested by Delia Online.