It’s no secret that dairy can be bad not only for us, but the planet too. Dairy cows and their manure produce greenhouse gas emissions, which seriously mess with the environment. In fact, studies show going vegan is the best thing you can do in 2019 to help the environment. Plus, due to a recent explosion of climate change activists appealing for government change, more people are changing their diet than ever before. So, why not join the movement?
A diet alteration like cutting out dairy is easier said than done. Having eaten dairy your whole life, it can be a tough transition. So, how easy is it to cut dairy from your diet? Well, in short, it’s actually easier than you’d think. Even if the process was as gruelling as some may imagine it, the benefits of cutting out dairy far outweigh any kind of struggle along the way.
Walking into my local Tesco I’m now met with an abundance of plant milks; oat, rice, coconut, almond, hemp, even cashew milk
In fact, the benefits of cutting out dairy range from weight loss, to a spike in energy levels. You can say bye to acne too. Oh, and not to mention we live in 2019, where veganism is at its peak, causing a huge demand for dairy-free alternatives literally everywhere. Walking into my local Tesco I’m now met with an abundance of plant milks; oat, rice, coconut, almond, hemp, even cashew milk. Three years ago, there weren’t half the options there are now. Also, not to mention the fact that 30 percent of the UK’s dairy cows have a bacterial udder infection, which is pretty gross.
But how do you actually go about making this change? The answer is gradually. I know from first-hand experience that those who cut out dairy overnight are the ones who wake up at 5am craving a cheese toasty a week later. The truth is, our bodies need time to adjust to a change in diet. What transitioning to dairy-free boils down to, is patience and research.
Do your research. There are pages and pages of advice and recipes online. If you have any friends who are dairy free, ask them and they’ll tell you all the misconceptions and the best alternatives. I recommend Violifes vegan cheese, and Oatly oat milk. Although, after trying these you won’t ever want to go back to dairy, so do so at your own risk! Oh, and with the recent popularity spike in veganism, I can guarantee these products will be at your local supermarket.
If you have any friends who are dairy free, ask them and they’ll tell you all the misconceptions and the best alternatives
Going dairy fee is more accessible to the general public than ever before. Adapting your favourite recipes to fit a dairy-free diet may sound like tricky business, when in realty most of the time it’s simply involves swapping one or two ingredients. Say you’re making a cake and it requires butter, just head to Sainsbury’s and there are at least 5 alternatives which give the same buttery, melt in your mouth taste. Your recipe needs milk? Swap cow’s milk for some rich and creamy oat milk. Recipe needs chocolate? Use dark instead of milk chocolate.
You see, going diary-free doesn’t mean you’ll be eating lentils and avocados for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Life isn’t like Instagram. You can still indulge in your favourite foods while not only helping your body, but the environment too.
Nina Slater
Featured image courtesy of Kjokkenutstyr Net via Flickr. Image license found here.
Article image courtesy of Kabsik Park via Flickr. Image license found here.
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