Many people are forced to give up cow's milk due to lactose (milk sugar) intolerance or allergies. More and more people are excluding any dairy products from the diet for moral or religious reasons - among them vegans, vegetarians, Christians, observing the fast prescribed by the church. In order for the diet to remain complete, it is necessary to choose an adequate replacement for dairy products.
Lactose intolerance
Lactose intolerance is associated with a lack of a certain enzyme, lactase, which helps the body absorb milk sugar. The production of this enzyme decreases with age, however, lactase deficiency is not uncommon in infants. If the need to exclude cow's milk from the diet is due only to this reason, you can introduce into the daily menu fermented milk products (cheese, yogurt, kefir), which are usually tolerated by people with enzyme deficiency better due to the fact that during the fermentation process milk sugar in them is converted into lactic acid.
People who are allergic to cow's milk protein are advised to avoid all dairy products. After consulting an allergist, it is possible to expand the diet by including goat, sheep, and mare's milk.
Now on the shelves of large supermarkets or specialty health food stores, you can find milk in which the lactose content is reduced by adding a small amount of lactase.
Fasting, vegetarianism, raw food …
People who choose veganism or vegetarianism as a way of life usually completely eliminate animal products from their diet, including milk and any products from it. Believers (both Orthodox Christians and Catholics) are prohibited from drinking milk during fasting. However, in these cases, you can find an equivalent replacement for dairy products.
Vegetable milk is also suitable for allergy sufferers, but it should be remembered that soy and nuts are also strong allergens.
"Milk" from plant products - soy, nuts, grains - can be consumed in pure form or used for making cereals, cocktails, baked goods. The most famous of these is the protein-rich soy milk. Soy cheese (tofu), widely used in oriental cuisine, will replace regular cheese made from cow's milk.
You can cook plant-based milk yourself - almost all types of nuts, brown rice, oatmeal are suitable for this. Nuts or cereals will need to be soaked for several hours, chopped with a blender, add water, and then strain. Spices (vanilla, cardamom), sweeteners or fruit syrups can be added to the finished milk to taste.
Plant-based milk and a variety of products made from it (cream, yoghurts, desserts) are usually sold in health food stores, as well as in specialty stores for vegetarians, vegans and raw foodists.
