I scream, you scream, we all scream for...soy? Dairy alternative month

June 9, 1:11 AMPhiladelphia Wellness ExaminerKate DeBevois

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Photo Courtesy Hannah Kaminsky

Whether you spend warm summer weekends lazing by the pool, running and biking, or both, who can resist cool summer treats?

While you might start salivating at the mere thought of that mint chocolate chip ice cream cone, for some, the ice cream truck serves as a reminder of calories and saturated fat that must be avoided. Worse, for others, it may bring on memories of hives, stomach pain, or a potential life-threatening allergic reaction.

For children who live dairy-free, the sound of the ice cream truck simply fades into the background as they busy themselves with summer games and ignore the nagging feeling they are being left out. According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, there are about 30 to 50 million Americans who are lactose intolerant. And, according to the Food Allergy and Action Network (FAAN) there are close to 12 million Americans with food allergies, many of whom are allergic to dairy.

For children and adults avoiding dairy, June, the national Dairy Alternative Month, brings slight, but welcome, respite. The psychosocial aspects of living dairy-free are difficult for some, particularly for children. However, gradually, the subtle, and sometimes, not so subtle, social complications associated with avoiding diary are becoming less challenging thanks to a growing community of dairy-free individuals who are developing more dairy alternatives including ice cream, cheese, milk, breads, muffins, cakes and even some candy products.

Living dairy-free isn’t just for those with food allergies or lactose intolerance. More Americans are adopting a dairy-free lifestyle by choice. Thrilled with the health benefits of cutting saturated fat and calories, many who choose to live dairy-free may also find a reduction in eczema, abdominal pain and chronic sinusitis, according to Jeffrey Gladd, MD, cofounder of Pure Health MD.

Among those who choose to live dairy-free, many cite concerns about consuming dairy that contains growth hormones, antibiotics and other drugs given to dairy cows. Others make the choice to limit or remove dairy from their diet simply desire to reduce the intake of saturated fat, which is found in many dairy products.

Dairy is often touted as an essential dietary component. Endless “drink your milk” messages are a part of the American culture we all grew up with. However, in reality; adults who consume dairy are in the minority worldwide. Caucasians Americans are one of the few groups that continue to consume milk beyond infancy and babyhood, as calcium can be derived from several other food sources.

For example, calcium sources include fortified cereal, sardines, salmon, white beans, and green, leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, collards and turnip greens. In addition, many dairy alternative products that are sold in supermarkets today are enriched with the same vitamins and minerals found in regular milk. If you are considering reducing or eliminating diary, check out the links below for more information.

Dairy alternative list

Goat milk

Soy milk

Rice milk

Oat milk

Nut milk/Almond milk

Hemp Milk

Potato Milk

 
The Contents of Milk

http://www.godairyfree.org/Health-Info/All-About-Milk/Contents-of-Milk.html

The Milk-Free Blog

http://www.godairyfree.org/Alisa-s-Blog/Alisa-s-Milk-Free-Blog/

The Dairy Free Challenge

http://www.godairyfree.org/The-Dairy-Free-Challenge.html

Dairy Allergy in Children: When it’s not Lactose Intolerance by Marsha Raasch

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/240251/dairy_allergy_in_children_when_its.html?cat=25

National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/lactoseintolerance/

Dairy Substitutes

http://www.godairyfree.org/Table/Dairy-Substitutes/

Avoiding Milk Protein Blog

http://avoidingmilkprotein.blogspot.com/

Tips for Managing a Milk Allergy:

http://www.foodallergy.org/questions.html

 Dairy alternative recipes

http://www.godairyfree.org/

 Oat Supreme (Dairy and Soy Free)

www.first-foods.com

 Hemp Milk

http://www.piercemattiepublicrelations.com/fitnessdivision/2009/03/dairy_alternative_hemp_seed_nu.html

 Calcium Sources/Dietary Guidelines

http://www.health.gov/DIETARYGUIDELINES/dga2005/document/html/AppendixB.htm

 Packaged foods industry

http://www.packagedfacts.com/Flavored-Dairy-Alternative-940443/

 Dairy-free smoothie recipe

http://foodallergies.about.com/od/recipes/r/berrysmoothie.htm

 Dairy Alternative Review

http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=24336.0

 American Dietetic Association (ADA)
 www.eatright.org

International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD) Inc.
  www.iffgd.org

National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse

www.digestive.niddk.nih.gov

For a list of allergists/doctors in your area:

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
  (800) 822-ASMA        

American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
  (800) 842-7777

American Academy of Pediatrics
  (800) 433-9016