Difference between Dairy Free and Lactose Free

Grocery shopping and cooking can be confusing as more family and friends discover food allergies and restrictions. Here we spill the milk – oops details on dairy restrictions.

Dairy allergies occur when:

• The body has allergy antibodies against milk proteins (known as immediate allergic reactions), or
• The body has delayed reactions to milk.

Immediate allergic reactions can cause hives, face swelling, abdominal pain, and difficulty breathing. In severe cases loss of consciousness may occur.

Delayed reactions can occur over several hours after consuming dairy and symptoms include diarrhoea, vomiting and a worsening of existing eczema.

While allergy antibodies can be diagnosed with a skin or blood test, dairy allergies causing delayed reactions can only be determined by eliminating all dairy from the diet and then introducing it again (known as the elimination diet).

Lactose intolerance is not a food allergy. It occurs when the body can’t break down a sugar called lactose that’s in standard dairy products. Since the body’s lactase enzymes can’t properly break down the lactose, it makes its way to the gut where undigested lactose causes stomach cramps, a build-up of wind and diarrhoea, usually with a nasty smell too!

Lactose intolerance is generally caused by;

• Genetics where the body is born with no lactase enzymes to break down the lactose. This is known as primary lactose intolerance.
• Secondary lactose intolerancewhere the digestive system is impacted by illness that disrupts the production of the lactase enzyme in the body.These illnesses include stomach bugs and coeliac disease.

Lactose intolerance may be diagnosed by the elimination diet, a hydrogen breath test (lactose intolerant people generally have higher levels of hydrogen in their breath), or a poo sample mostly commonly used to confirm gastroenteritis as the cause of temporary lactose intolerance.

Undiagnosed or mismanagedlactose intolerance can leave you feeling unwell and lethargic. Regular diarrhoea means your body may not absorb the nutrients it needs, and young children may be underweight, have a bloated tummy and unsettled.

Sometimes people experience lactose overload this occurs when you indulge in too much lactose at the one time and your body can’t breakdown the large volume of lactase at the one time. So think about the volume of lactose your body can handle before you up size your milkshake!

Foods tips

Those with dairy allergies should avoid all dairy, and products containing dairy. Milk is in many foods you wouldn’t expect,so read labels carefully. Sheep and goat products generally cause the same problems as cow products, so steer away from them too.

Coconut milk and cream is a great substitute for cow’s milk in cooking and baking. Soy, rice or almond milk are also good alternatives for your coffee and cereal.

Those of us with lactose intolerance are lucky we can still indulge in our love of dairy! The trick is to learn from your body the volume of lactose it can tolerate. Spread your lactose intake across the day so your body isn’t processing it all at once, and choose lactose free dairy products when shopping.

Milk, ice cream and yoghurt generally contain the highest amounts of lactose so stick to the lactose free products in these ranges.  Hard cheeses are generally low in lactose and so are Brie and Camembert.

Lactose free products that should be available at your local supermarket include: Pauls lactose free range known as ‘Zymil’ includes milk (fresh and long life), and thickened cream. Liddell’s lactose free range includes long life milk (including chocolate milk), yoghurt’s, cheese (block and shredded), and long life thickened cream.

If you or your children regularly experience any of the symptoms mentioned here, please see your doctor for diagnosis and management.

Melissa Bedwell is mum to a gregarious 4 year old girl and lives life with a positive vibe and a sense of adventure. She shares through her writing and motivational speaking her journey of infertility and adoption as well as the joys and challenges of parenting. Melissa is also a new and enthusiastic runner recently completing her first triathlon and training for her first half marathon.