What many often do not realise is the lactose in cow’s milk can be difficult for people to digest, resulting in cramps, gas, bloating, and diarrhoea. Difficulty with dairy digestion can develop later in life and result in progressively worsening symptoms, and I’ve spoken to many people in Qatar who have taken the decision to remove cow’s milk from their diet, only to witness their bodies respond in a positive way.
Lactose intolerance is the inability of the body to digest significant amounts of lactose present in milk. While many do not realise it and consider the feeling of bloating to be a normal part of their after-meal feeling, it’s has been observed that lactose intolerance is seen in approximately 90% of adults.
In fact, dairy as a whole is difficult for your body to digest mainly because of lactose, the sugar. When lactose isn’t digested properly, it almost always results in a bloating. But if you consume too much lactose, it goes into the large intestine, which can worsen your overall health.
People in Qatar often have too much lactose in their diet, leading them to believe that the feeling of fatigue, exhaustion, or bloat after a meal is almost ‘normal’ — but it’s not, and can be fixed.
Young children are especially vulnerable to the negative side affects of consuming milk because society has, for years, convinced the world that milk is vital for growth. A study of more than 12,000 children showed that the more milk they drank, the more weight they gained — and skim and 1 percent milk actually appeared to lead to more weight gain than drinking 2 percent or whole milk.
In the past two years alone, the non-dairy milk market has grown by a over 155% in some countries like the UK. There are environmental benefits too: producing plant-based milks takes a lot less water and land and results in much less carbon dioxide than producing dairy milks.
Almond milk is made from ground almonds mixed with water. Its rich texture and slightly nutty taste make it delicious in lattes. It’s also great for blending in smoothies. Almond milk is low in fat, sugar, and calories and naturally high in many vitamins and minerals.
Oat milk is a good alternative too — as it will also give you 10 per cent of your recommended daily amount of iron, which is very important for vegans.
Soya milk is a complete protein source, and one of the most popular plant-based milks of all, easily available in coffee shops everywhere.
There are several milk-free places popping up over Doha, and this itself is representative of the move away from lactose, and towards healthy vegan alternatives like cashew nut milk.
* The author is an expert in vegan wellbeing and health. Instagram handle: @Ghanim92
