What Makes Something Dairy Free?
Dairy-free is simply, food with all dairy removed from it or food that never had any dairy in it. Some common confusion comes from not understanding exactly what dairy is and what is classified as dairy.
Dairy is any food product that comes from the milk of an animal. Some examples of dairy products are milk, butter, yogurt, and cheese. These are some common examples of dairy foods, but there are dairy-free alternatives! Soy milk is the dairy free alternative to milk and there is dairy free butter that is derived from different kinds of oils.
Now let’s get on to the important question, does sour cream have lactose?
Does Sour Cream Have Lactose?
Ok so what about a favorite addition to a baked potato, does sour cream have lactose?
Sour cream is derived from regular cream by fermenting it with certain kinds of lactic acid bacteria. The creams used are dairy and do contain some lactose. So yes, most sour cream does contain lactose in it.
That being said, there are sour cream brands available that have lactase added to neutralize the lactose in the sour cream.
Lactaid for example has a lactose free sour cream that can be used in place of normal sour cream for those that are lactose intolerant.
What Are Some Dairy Substitutes?
What you choose as a dairy substitute will depend on what the original dairy-filled recipe needs. Since this article isn’t focused on specific dairy substitutes for each recipe you’ll come across, I’m only going to cover a few common substitutes for some common dairy products.
Dairy Free Milk Substitutes
Milk is the starting point for every dairy product and it’s used in numerous recipes. Thankfully there are some dairy-free milk options if you still want the sweet taste of milk even though you’re lactose intolerant, vegan, or on some other diet that needs to avoid milk!
Dairy free milk substitutes are:
- Almond Milk
- Soy Milk
- Oat Milk
- Pea Milk
- Coconut Milk
Dairy Free Butter Substitutes
Butter is a staple in most households and is commonly used for frying or coating. Thankfully if you’re on a dairy free diet and still need butter for a recipe, there are substitutes you can use!
Dairy free butter substitutes are:
- Dairy free butter brands
- Coconut oil
- Avocado oil
- Nut butters
- Mayonnaise
Dairy Free Cheese Substitutes
Cheese is such a perfect addition to charcuterie boards, snack toppings, and other spreads. Just because you’re lactose intolerant or on a dairy free diet doesn’t mean you should have to miss out! Below are some dairy free cheese substitutes.
- Dairy free cheese brands
- Almond cheese
- Daiya cheese
- Cashew cheese
Dairy Free Yogurt Substitutes
There are plenty of yogurt substitutes out there, but sadly most aren’t dairy free. A lot of the dairy free yogurt options aren’t things you’ll find around your kitchen but food brands you’ll have to look for at your grocery store.
Some great dairy free yogurt options are:
- Oui by Yoplait
- Silk dairy free yogurt
- Culina plant-based yogurt
Is Lactose Free The Same As Dairy Free?
Well to start, what exactly is lactose and what does it mean to be lactose free?
Lactose is a sugar that is found in milk that’s made up of two molecules, glucose and galactose. Lactose is fairly common and can be found in milk from cows, sheep, and even goats.
Your body needs the specific enzyme lactase to break down lactose in the small intestine. Sadly, up to 68 percent of people on Earth either don’t have the enzyme lactase or have other issues with lactose absorption in the body.
People who have lactose malabsorption experience digestive issues such as gas, bloating, cramping, or diarrhea.
So that still leaves the question, what’s the difference between lactose free and dairy free?
Well, we have a firm grasp on lactose and what it is and dairy is just a product made from the milk of an animal. So the big difference is that dairy is a food group and lactose is a specific sugar found in dairy.
Can A Dairy Product Be Lactose Free?
Yes, in fact, lactose is only found in dairy. So the term ‘lactose-free’ is used specifically for dairy products that have had their lactose removed or neutralized. It would be pointless to call other food products lactose free if they aren’t dairy, because every other food group is lactose free by default.
A key point to make here is that just because something is lactose free doesn’t mean the lactose has been removed. While there may be some dairy products that have the lactose removed, many have added lactase to assist in neutralizing the lactose.
Why Would Someone Avoid Dairy/Lactose?
There are plenty of reasons for someone to avoid dairy products. Dairy is produced from animal milk and contains a sugar known as lactose.
One common reason people avoid dairy products is if they’re vegan. Since milk comes from an animal and may be forced from them, many vegans are against such treatment and won’t eat dairy products.
Another reason people would avoid dairy products is if they’re lactose intolerant or don’t produce the enzyme lactase (used to break down lactose). A large percentage of the world population has some sensitivity to lactose, making it a health issue for many people.
Is Dairy Good For You?
Despite dairy being an issue for many people or against some diets, there are some health benefits to consuming it.
According to the Department of Agriculture, 1 cup serving of cow’s milk contains roughly the following:
- Calories: 146
- Protein: 8 grams
- Fats: 8 grams
- Carbs: 11 grams
- Vitamin B12: 55% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Calcium: 23% of the DV
- Phosphorus: 20% of the DV
- Vitamin D: 13% of the DV
- Potassium: 8% of the DV
These are notable amounts as the other nutrients found in milk are found in smaller amounts. That being said, the data above lists a lot of beneficial vitamins and nutrients.
