When I first began to research what it meant to be gluten free, I kept reading about the notion that maybe it was a good idea to cut out dairy at the same time. This was something I had been resistant to. I loved butter! I loved cream! I loved whole milk yogurt! Although I wasn't a big milk drinker, I believed that giving up dairy would be difficult for me.
From what I read, gluten intolerance and lactose intolerance often go together. The reason given was that the gluten reaction can actually damage the ability of the gut to produce lactase which is needed to break down the lactose in dairy. Without lactase, the gut is irritated by drinking milk, consuming ice cream, or anything containing milk.
I hadn't noticed a violent reaction to dairy although sometimes I did feel a bit queasy so I took a deep breath and decided to suck up the fact that maybe the dairy had to go as well.
My first experiment was with soy milk. A great taste - I actually liked it. A few weeks later however, I discovered my soy allergy and that had to go. It wasn't hard for me to find a substitute. I absolutely adore almonds and anything made with them. In fact, I think I'd eat a cardboard box if it was almond flavored! So almond milk was my next trial. It was okay and actually didn't taste very almondy but it was awfully sweet and I really don't like sweet drinks. I'm probably the only English person who doesn't like sugar in tea.
It took me a while to realize it but almond milk comes in several forms. First there is "original". I believe this label refers to the fact that it isn't flavored but it is, however, sweetened. The labeling misled me I must admit. I wouldn't have assumed that something that pretended to be milk would be sweetened without saying so but apparently it is. I eventually discovered that there is also "original unsweetened". Much better! No cloying sweet taste and less calories to boot. There is also vanilla flavored in both "original" and "unsweetened". Not very vanillary (if there is such a word!) but a bit of a different taste.
The long and the short of it is that I now use almond milk exclusively in either unsweetened form. It seems to perform reasonably well in recipes, sauces, custards etc., although it doesn't have the fat content of milk and therefore doesn't provide that creamy taste - but I can live with that. My favorite brand is Almond Breeze , some of the others appear to me to have a weird slimey feel to them but that might just be me..... Oh yes and a bonus is that almond milk actually has more calcium than regular milk. Who'd have thought?
Substituting for butter was much more challenging and took a lot of store trolling and label reading. Almost all margarine-type spreads are made with soy in the guise of vegetable oil. In fact anything labeled "vegetable" whether it is oil, flavoring or broth must be treated as suspect for those with a soy allergy as they most likely contain soy. After much searching I came up with a soy free spread. It is made by Earth Balance (they have a really cool website) and it is really quite good. It can also be used in cooking and baking although I have found it too rich for some cookies and cakes when used alone. I half and half it with Spectrum shortening which is made from palm oil.
As for yogurt - I gave it up and haven't missed it. At first I thought that was odd as I ate it every day but on reflection, I can see that eating gluten free has changed my appetite and eliminated a lot of food cravings and I no longer desire some foods I used to eat frequently.
Ice cream wasn't big on my diet list previously either but now when I want something cold and sweet, I eat a little sorbet. Again, label reading is necessary because some of them contain dairy or soy but I have found several including peach, mango and black cherry that I can eat. Safeway have their own brand of sorbet which is good and often on sale! I don't feel deprived at all.
I'd love to hear what you do about dairy. Do you still eat it? Have you given it up? What do you use for substitutes? How do you adapt recipes?
Milk might be good for you but it isn't necessary. Humans are the only mammals that drink it beyond nursing years and I have never come across a calcium deprived bear or giraffe or elephant. Have you?
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