substitute for milk?

[karen10]

Being lactose intolerant, and having to give up my beloved soy milk :( what is safe for the IC diet? Is either rice milk or almond milk ok?

[pingpong]

Some people find almond milk is soothing. It's definitely worth a try.

[SharonA]

I have heard some here say they use almond milk. I have not tried it, but I think I might just to see what it tastes like. Rice milk is yucky to me but that's just me. Don't go by what I say about that. You might find that you enjoy it. The only was to know that is to try it.

[lonen86]

I love soy milk too but rice milk is just as nice . Give it a try , I hope you like it.
LOREN

[dreamy]

I like the almond milk there is also goat milk. They are good and it is usually tolerable for lactose sensitive individuals. There is also lactaid milk and rice milk.

[megancolleen]

Rice milk and almond milk are safe for most ICers. My favorite is almond milk--it's healthy and low-calorie, and also tastes better than rice milk IMHO. Rice milk is a bit chalky for my taste.

There's also Oat milk, though I've never tried it.

[kadi]

If you get the rice milk, make sure you don't get the "heart healthy" one by Rice Dream. It has soy in it which can be irritating for IC.

[verdicries]

hi karen,
i can't tolerate dairy/lactose either :(. booooooo. i've tried both almond milk AND rice milk. i flare from most things but i seem to do okay w/almond milk and it was pretty good! for the most part i just use plain rice milk (i don't really drink it, just use it in cereal or some recipes). i don't mind the rice milk so much.

i don't know about you but i can't have ANY dairy derivitives...no casin or whey...so i'd be careful with LACTAID milk as i bel. it has both in it.

hope this helps!

tracy

[kygirl]

Some people find almond milk is soothing. It's definitely worth a try.

Where does one purchase almond milk? I've seen Rice dream at my local grocery store, but I've never seen almond milk.

How can one determine if they are lactose intolerant? I've never had a prob in the past w/milk, but I have noticed since last night I'm getting that 'crampy' sensation in my bladder area and my lower back is aching. The only thing diff that I ate yesterday and today (versus over the weekend) is my breakfast of milk and cereal. I'm starting to wonder now if milk could be bad for me.

[ICNDonna]

I found almond milk at a local grocery store. I wanted to try it so I bought some. Lots of people like it, but I didn't. You might look into some of the coffee creamers if you're just looking for something to put on cereal --- lots of those are dairy free.

Donna

[Annie2]

Have you tried Lactaid? It is lactose-free, but the flavor is the same as regular milk and you can get it in regular, 2% and fat-free just like regular milk. You can also get it with added calcium which is great for our sensitive bladders. Also, Breyer's now makes a vanilla LACTOSE FREE ice cream that is quite yummy and my bladder is fine with it.

[Sally939]

Here is a stupid question. I just found out that I am allergic to dairy. My uro makes you also get a allergy test. I was told I tested a one out of four for dairy. So I am only a little bit allergic. I have no allergy symptoms to it, but it makes me flare (I think). So is it the lactoss what I am allergic too?

[Annie2]

Lactose intolerance and dairy allergies are two different problems.

Being allergic to dairy means you are sensitive to one or more of the proteins that are in dairy products. When you ingest dairy products, your body's reaction may be anything between mild symptoms to severe depending upon the severity of your allergy.

Lactose is the name given to the sugar that is in milk and other dairy products. To digest it properly, your body needs a specific enzyme. Some people lack this important enzyme and therefore cannot properly digest lactose. If a person's body does not produce this enzyme, the person is considered to be lactose intolerant.

[Sally939]

I thought they were different. Ok so what substitues are there that are milk free?

[karen10]

Thanks for the great suggestions! I did find almond milk (and rice milk) at a large retail health store. I wondered about the soy lecthin in the almond milk though. Anyone know if that's typically safe? Have problems with it?
I know the IBS diet doesn't allow for ANY milk or dairy products, whey, etc. they are considered trigger foods, even the lactose milk. A few months I seemed to have problems with any dairy foods, it caused lots of pain, cramping, felt like my food would get stuck in my chest--very scary! I went completely dairy free. But I'm eating butter again now. I take enzymes (can also tolerate with my IC) which has made a BIG difference, but haven't dared to try milk yet!

[Dianne]

Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Almond Milk, the vanilla brand and not the sugar free one. I drink it exclusively.

[Cahyah]

hi there, i was drinking almond milk for quite awhile with no problems at all :) i got the unsweetened cuz i used it for my cereal, but the vanilla is good too. the soy lechitin is actually in almost everything outt here but has never been a problem for me and others i have talked to about it say the same. I usually ignore the soy in the ingredients if its the lechitin. Enjoy :)