Going Dairy-Free: The Top Swaps
Are you stuffy, puffy, congested and allergic? Suffering from joint pain, arthritis or inflammation? Bloated, crampy and constipated? Awful pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) or menstrual cycles? Battling hypothyroidism, Hashimoto’s or adrenal fatigue? Have acne, eczema, psoriasis or itchy skin?
Good News: cutting back on, or completely eliminating, dairy can help!
Dairy is one of the top inflammatory foods, alongside gluten and conventional corn and soy. Traditionally-raised cows are pumped with hormones and antibiotics, eating GMO grains (rather than their natural diet of grasses), and living a stressful, sedentary, sheltered life. As if that wasn’t enough, animals aren’t designed to have milk past childhood - nearly half the population cannot digest lactose after childhood. Babies have lactase, an enzyme that helps them digest momma’s milk (which contains the PERFECT ratio of fat, carbs and protein to support a growing baby) but not adults, which is one of the reasons we’re intended to wean. We’re also the only mammal that drinks milk from outside our species! A calf drinks momma cow’s milk, a ewe drinks from the sheep and baby goats (called “kid”) feed on momma goat. Never would you see these mammals drinking human milk!
Whether you’re struggling with the aforementioned symptoms, are turned off by the cow-sheep-goat crossover or are simply up to try a dairy-light or dairy-free diet, here are some of my go-to alternatives:
Milk - my first recommendation is to make your own as it’s incredibly easy, tasty, fresh and (most importantly) clean. Here is a cashew milk recipe that I make on a weekly basis to include in smoothies and matcha lattes. If you’re not there yet, check out MALK - they have almond, cashew, oat and pecan milk that’s 100% organic and made with 6 (real food) ingredients or less, including sprouted (aka easily-digested, higher in nutrients) nuts!
When purchasing alternative milks (i.e. almond, hemp, cashew, coconut, pecan and oat), always look for unsweetened, carrageenan-free and organic, if possible.
Yogurt - although you can easily make your own coconut yogurt at home, I do realize that most people are outsourcing. I’m loving this yogurt - it’s almond-based, clean, protein-packed and low in sugar.
When shopping for dairy-free yogurt, it’s important to look for live and active cultures, minimal ingredients, low sugar content, and plain (if possible). I recommend adding your own honey or maple syrup to sweeten, then topping with berries, nuts and cacao nibs for a healthy sweet treat OR adding to smoothies, homemade ice cream or sauces.
Cheese - there are many dairy-free cheeses on the market that stretch, melt and taste like real cheese; however, most are LOADED with CRAP ingredients! I have three favorite brands: Kite Hill (almond milk ricotta and spreadable cheese), Siete (cashew queso) and Forager (cashew melty cheeses).
Did you know: if you’re craving cheese, you may be deficient in an essential (brain-boosting) nutrient? Want to know what it is? Click here.
Ice cream - soft, creamy and sweet, who doesn’t love a good bowl of ice cream?! Store-bought varietes are certainly easier (and delicious), due to all of the sugars and fun flavors, BUT they’re often loaded with sugar, binders, preservatives and chemical-laden flavoring agents.
If you keep a well-stocked pantry and freezer, you can easily whip up your own ice cream with frozen fruit, coconut milk, maple syrup and other (natural) flavoring components such as vanilla or cacao powder. If you prefer to leave it to the experts, yet don’t want the naughty ingredients, here are a couple to try: Cado (made from avocado!) and Forager (cashew milk-based scoops).
Coffee creamer - coffee & cream go together like PB & J, but dairy-based cream is hard to replicate in the plant kingdom. The closest that I’ve found to the rich, full flavor of half-and-half is full-fat, unsweetened coconut cream. Alternatively, you can make a bulletproof coffee by blending 12 oz. coffee with 1 tbsp. coconut oil and 1 tbsp. grass-fed ghee (easier to tolerate for dairy-sensitive individuals).
Whether you go for the options listed or other, I recommend looking for unsweetened creamers and adding your own sweetness from healthier varieties such as coconut sugar, honey or stevia. But not too much - the seemingly harmless sugar addition first thing in the morning can set you up for hunger, cravings, fatigue and moodiness all day long!
In this day and age, going dairy-free is relatively easy as there are alternatives to satisfy all of your needs. If you suspect that dairy is flaring your symptoms, I recommend trying an Elimination Diet to test it. If you’re not there yet, simply cut back where/when you can and rely on some of these alternatives. If/when you do consume dairy, always look for organic and grass-fed as this ensures a more easily digested, nutrient-dense, cleaner product.
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