by Bianquita

Created on: October 10, 2008

BASIC FACTS ABOUT DAIRY PRODUCTS

Dairy products may have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity, as a result of one of the most effective advertising campaign in history (i.e.images of celebrities adorned with a milk moustache), but their restored fame seems destined to be short lived.

Why? The simplest, most obvious reason is that more and more people find dairy products difficult to digest, but there are other reasons, some of which may be even more compelling. For instance:

1) Dairy cows are regularly medicated with antibiotics and hormones in order to increase their milk production and related profits. As a result, dairy products contain trace residues of these drugs, but no one seems to know how to protect the consumer from their side effects and other health hazards associated with these practices.

2) But even when dairy products come from untreated cows (as in organic milk), their nutritional value in the human diet is still debatable, since a large number of human adults eventually develops a temporary or permanent intolerance to lactose.

CLARIFICATION: Being lactose intolerant is not a disorder or a disease. Rather, it is the normal outcome of growing up and developing teeth. This is true for adults of the human species as well as for other mammals.

HOW TO SELECT THE SAFEST DAIRY PRODUCTS AND/OR WHAT TO REPLACE THEM WITH:

People can now choose from several different varieties of non-dairy milk, such as soy-milk, rice milk, oat milk, multi-grain milk and almond milk. However, these items are not meant to be consumed in large amounts since they are usually rather sweet and highly processed.

Home made nut/seed milk is a better alternative. While it requires a bit of work (15 minutes every 3 or 4 days), a blender and a fine strainer, it is a delicious and healthy alternative, unless, of course, one is allergic to nuts.

Here is a simple recipe: soak 1 cup of raw, unprocessed nuts and/or seeds overnight (you can mix and match different kinds in any proportions). In the morning, discard the soaking water and blend the nuts/seeds with 4 cups of filtered water for 5 minutes. Add flavorings, like a sweetener and some spices. Separate the nut milk from the pulp using a strainer. Discard the pulp, or put it in your compost bin, and refrigerate the nut milk for up to 5 to 7 days in a sealed glass container. Nut milk sometimes can separate and this is not a problem, just stir or shake before drinking. When it spoils, just like dairy milk, its appearance and aroma will make

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