DAIRY PRODUCTS

Dairy is a staple in the American diet, but did you know that it is also one of the most common food sensitivities among children? In fact, 79% of people in the US drink milk or consume dairy products on a regular basis.

When it comes to a hypersensitivity to dairy products, lactose is often the first culprit that comes to mind. However, it’s actually the proteins in milk that are more commonly involved in an allergy or sensitivity. Casein and whey are the main proteins found in milk, with casein accounting for 80% of milk protein and whey making up the remaining 20%. But it’s important to note that there are also many sub-proteins within each of these that can also contribute to symptoms.

It’s worth mentioning that an allergy or sensitivity to milk is different from a lactose intolerance, even though the two conditions are often mistaken for one another. Lactose intolerance occurs when a person doesn’t produce enough lactase enzyme to break down lactose, this is a deficiency and not an allergy.

The most common dairy products include milk, cheese, cream, yogurt, and ice cream, but dairy can be found in many other foods as well.

Main symptoms associated with milk

• Skin conditions such as eczema, urticaria, and skin rashes
• Gastrointestinal symptoms, bloating, vomiting
• Stomach pain, nausea
• Blood in the stool (especially in young children)
• Runny nose, nasal congestion, phlegm

Main foods containing dairy products

• Various milks and processed products (condensed milk, dry milk, unsweetened condensed milk, malted milk, low-fat milk, skimmed milk, powdered milk, skim milk, solid milk, whole milk
• Butter, butterfat, butter oil, ghee
• Cheese
• Buttermilk
• Cream
• Custard
• Pudding
• Sour cream
• Whey
• Yogurt
• All foods containing casein, lactose, lactalbumin, lactoferrin, milk protein, whey protein

Foods that may contain hidden dairy

• Butter substitute
• Sweet bread, cakes, cookies
• Candy
• Chocolate
• Deli meats, hot dogs, sausages
• Margarine
• Nougat
• Protein bar
• Dressing
• Sauce, soup
• Vitamins and supplements
• Instant Mashed Potatoes
• Canned Meats
• Frozen Chicken Nuggets & Fish Sticks
• Chewing Gum
• Crackers