As you may remember, I cut dairy out of my diet for the month of May. After this diet challenge, I must say dairy free is not the way for me! I didn't realize how many foods and dishes contain dairy! While there are substitutes for many things these days, I am not interested in imitation cheese, soy yogurt, or rice dream. There are even milk proteins in many of the breads on the market. Since I am not big on the imitation products, the only true dairy alternative I used was almond milk. I tried several brands, including the Whole Foods store brand organic unsweetened, Blue Diamond unsweetened, and Silk unsweetened plain and unsweetened vanilla. Note that I chose the unsweetened version because although the sweetened versions may taste better, the calories from the sugar are really a waste. I would rather have dessert :-). The texture of the sweetened is also not ideal-it's not smooth. I also tried mixing half sweetened with 1/2 unsweetened in a glass, which tasted okay, but for some reason the two didn't mix really well. Some parts tasted well-mixed and some were way sweeter or not sweet at all...it was strange. The Silk brand was by far the best of the 3. The other brands just seemed almost like drinking water to me. While cow's milk still tastes better, I decided that I will stick with the almond milk for now. It works well for cold cereal as well as for cooking oats. I also tried it in a waffle recipe. It seems pretty versatile. The almond milk is very low in calories (only 35 calories per cup vs. 100 calories in 1% cow's milk), so if you are looking for an alternative to milk or watching your weight, I would recommend looking into it. I did notice some benefits of the 'no dairy' challenge-digestion seems to be better and I didn't feel as bloated after a meal. I haven't noticed a big difference in my skin, but the irritation has subsided a bit. I may need to wait longer to really see how it impacts my skin, but since I have introduced some dairy back into my diet at this point, guess I'd have to start over with the challenge... Another side effect, which I was not looking for, was weight loss. It was a minimal 2 pounds, but a loss all the same. I think it had less to do with cutting out dairy and more to do with an unintentional decreased calorie intake. Almond milk has a fraction of the calories of cow's milk and not adding cheese to sandwiches or salads apparently makes all the difference! I did not notice any overt disadvantages of the 'no dairy,' but it was more difficult to meet calcium recommendations. There are several non-dairy sources of calcium* and most alternative milk products are fortified with it. Overall, though, I had to make a more conscious effort to get this mineral in and I was not successful most days. If I were to cut out dairy for a longer stretch, I would consider taking a supplement, even though I'm not crazy about taking supplements. However, calcium is important for muscle contraction and along with vitamin D, is essential for bone health. Final verdict: I will continue to limit dairy in my diet somewhat. Perhaps 1 or 2 servings per day, if that (vs 3 per day prior to the challenge). This challenge was great because it gave me a chance to try other foods. Sometimes when I find something I like, I am fine with eating the same things, especially when it comes to snacks. This break from dairy gave me a chance to discover some new foods and combinations that I enjoy. **click the highlighted link, which will take you to a list of non-dairy sources of calcium. I received this article in an email this morning...I needed this a month ago! But it will still be handy since I am still trying to limit dairy a bit.
2 Comments
Shani
6/10/2013 11:35:36 am
I am glad that you shared the info about the diary challenge. I took the modified version ( meaning that I cheated a little). Nevertheless, I feel that reducing my diary intake made a positive impact on my diet. I, too, lost a little weight, which was great! I also had a reduction in gas, which was even better! Good job, as usual.
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Alena
6/11/2013 07:18:12 am
Thanks for reading and participating. I am glad you noticed some positive results!
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AuthorHello there, my name is Alena and I am a Registered Dietitian! This blog is a platform through which I can share my knowledge and perspectives on a variety of nutrition-related topics. Feel free to contribute by commenting. Archives
November 2021
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