Nowadays, many people are choosing to consume alternatives to dairy. More and more, people are realizing that dairy does not contribute to overall health. What’s the reasoning behind this shift? Studies show that 40% of people are unable to digest milk properly after childhood. There is a particular enzyme that successfully breaks down milk sugar, and many people simply do not have it. 

In fact, certain ethnic groups, such as Native Americans and Asians, have higher rates of lactose intolerance. Milk sensitivities become symptomatic in ways such as stomach aches, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, headaches, and more. Dairy can also directly contribute to sinus issues. People who are prone to sinus infections may want to try to eliminate dairy to see if there is any change.

Dairy can clearly have unwanted side effects on the body, but what about the brain? New studies are showing that digested proteins from dairy actually interact with opioid receptors in the brain, the way that many drugs do. This may account for the addictive nature of dairy, explaining why so many people have trouble quitting dairy altogether. Many people actually experience symptoms of withdrawal for a few days after stopping dairy, including mood-related issues like depression. However, after these few days passed and the dairy had completely left the body, people began to see the positive effects of giving up dairy.

Luckily, in today’s day and age, there are so many wonderful milk substitute options that make giving up dairy a lot easier! Some milk substitutes you can choose from include:

• Almond milk – contains calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, vitamin C, and more.
• Soy – particularly good for men’s health, high in isoflavones, protein, vitamins, minerals, and low in saturated fat.
• Rice – great for those with nut allergies, no saturated fat, no cholesterol.
• Hemp – high in Omega-3 fatty acid, all 10 essential amino acids, protein, no cholesterol, vitamins A, B-12, and D, magnesium, folic acid.
• Cashew – thick texture great for cooking and/or baking, contains calcium, vitamins A, B-12, and D.
• Coconut – rich in fiber, contains vitamins C, E, B1, B3, B5, and B6, iron, magnesium, selenium, calcium, and phosphorus

First photo courtesy of tiverylucky at www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Second photo courtesy of phasinphoto at www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net