It does not matter if you are lactose intolerant or simply allergic to milk, there are so many alternatives available in the market today that can allow you to continue having milk, “World’s first energy drink”. Here are just a few of those options that you can try out and decide based on taste and intolerance levels.
Zero Lactose Milk
This kind of milk is great for folks suffering from lactose intolerance but it is not useful for people with milk allergy. This milk is equally allergenic to folks with milk allergy as regular milk. However, people who are intolerant to lactose can feast merrily on this since an enzyme called lactase is pre-added to the mixture so as to breakdown lactose into sugar compounds. Hence, this milk would taste sweeter than normal dairy milk. Lactose free substitutes come in organic and conventional variations.
Goat’s Milk and the Likes
Any ruminant milk such as that of sheep, goats is a good substitute. However, before happily switching over know that these too contain many of the proteins commonly found in cow’s milk hence these ruminant milks are just as reactive. In case you do decide to give this class of milk a try do ask your doctor or allergist beforehand. Moreover, they have high lactose content and should not be taken by lactose intolerant folks without adding in a suitable lactase supplement first.
Soy Milk
Among all dairy free milk alternatives, soy milk is the most commonly found type. It is not just seen on shelves in supermarkets but is also sold beside milk in dairy outlets. Moreover, in recent years, the price of soy milk has drastically reduced allowing it to become a cost effective alternative.
While soy milk is packed with proteins and hence serves as an excellent mix for baking and cooking, its strong taste does not make it suitable for all taste palates.
Nut Milk
Nut milk is jam packed with a lot of proteins and is perfect for baking but it is very costly. While it definitely tastes better than soy milk and blends well in coffee, cereals and other items, try it cautiously before changing over to it. Another advantage of nut milk is that they are excellent sources for Vitamin E and good fat. Unfortunately, nuts are themselves a reactive allergen which makes nut milk highly allergenic by nature.
Rice Milk
This is one alternative that is not highly reactive. Hence, it is considered the best choice for parents who are nursing an infant with milk allergy. When rice milk is available in vanilla flavor, it tastes best because it is sweet and watery in texture. Unfortunately, this milk is poor substitute for cow’s milk in cooking and since it lacks much protein, it is not the best nutritional item. Fortified rice milk is something that offers higher protein content.
Hemp Milk
To combat the lack of proteins in rice milk and yet match the texture offered by it, a new variant called hemp milk was discovered. Its protein content makes it suitable for cooking while it is watery enough to be drunk straight or used with cereals.
Oat Milk
Oat milk too offers moderate protein quantity and is great for cooking. However, those suffering from celiac disease should refrain from using it. Its natural taste is mild and nutty making it a superb breakfast milk.
Sandra James enjoys sharing her useful tips about coping with milk allergy (interesting to know is that the Danish term is mælkeallergi) in multiple blogs online.