Removing dairy from your diet is certainly an achievable goal. If dairy products are causing you to experience chronic digestive problems, the following guidelines can help you replace dairy with nutritious alternatives:
Know What’s in Your Food – It’s easy to avoid milk, but diary can lurk within some surprising hosts. Baked goods, such as doughnuts, cakes and muffins can all feature dairy as an ingredient, as well as most flavors of potato chips.
Give Other Kinds of Milk A Chance – Milk doesn’t just come from cows; almonds, soy, rice and oats can all be used as the basis for milk. These alternative milks are not only highly nutritious, but they can also alleviate the burden placed on lactose intolerant digestive systems.
Get Calcium from Other Sources – Nuts are more than capable of picking up the slack. A cup of Brazil nuts actually has more calcium than one cup of milk (378 milligrams as opposed to 299 milligrams). Likewise, almonds, pistachios and hazelnuts also contain significant quantities of this nutrient. Soy milk, salmon, sardines and some types of orange juice are also rich in calcium.
Watch Where You Eat – Along with altering your shopping habits, sticking to a diet means that you will also have to be careful when eating out. Establishments that serve Italian and Indian food are off-limits, since both of these cuisines make liberal use of dairy. In contrast, restaurants that offer Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Thai dishes are usually a safe bet.
