Dairy-free cooking

Milk intolerances

Butter, milk, cream, cheese, ghee, yoghurt and other dairy foods are considered essential by many cooks, adding a rich voluptuousness to everything from curries to cream cakes. Yet not everyone chooses to - or is able to - enjoy dairy produce. Vegans, for example, avoid all foods made from animal products; other people have difficulty in digesting lactose, a naturally occurring sugar in all animal milks, including human milk. Still other people are intolerant or allergic to cows' milk and other types of milk.

Lactose intolerance

Being 'lactose-intolerant' means that a person is not able to properly digest lactose, owing to a deficiency of an enzyme in the small intestine called lactase. Without sufficient lactase, the milk sugars can't be broken down into simpler forms that can be absorbed into the bloodstream. For people who don't produce enough lactase (either because their body doesn't produce enough, or because lactase has been washed away by a bout of gastroenteritis), eating too much dairy produce can cause bloating, abdominal cramps, constipation, diarrhoea and other sorts of discomfort; it can also be the cause of colic in babies.

Dairy products that contain high levels of lactose, such as raw animal milks and some soft cheeses (such as ricotta, mozzarella, feta and cottage cheese, all of which contain high levels of lactose) should be avoided by those who are lactose-intolerant. Other types of dairy produce are less problematic. Natural yoghurt, butter and aged cheeses, such as parmesan, undergo natural processes that dramatically reduce their lactose content, which means that some people are able to eat these foods without ill effects.

Milk from animals including cows, goats, sheep and humans all contain lactose. Therefore, goats' milk and sheep's milk aren't suitable alternatives to cows' milk for people who are intolerant to lactose.

The degree to which people are affected by lactose intolerance varies greatly. Some people can get away with small amounts of milk, ice cream or aged cheeses, while others cannot cope with any dairy produce at all. Before making any change to your diet, be certain to get personal medical advice from a qualified GP or medical professional.

Cows' milk protein allergy

Cows' milk contains a number of proteins - primarily a protein called casein, as well as several other proteins. In some people, the presence of one or another milk protein can provoke a reaction (sometimes severe) by the body's immune system. Milk protein allergy may cause digestive problems and skin problems (such as eczema), respiratory problems (such as asthma), headache and a range of other conditions. Other symptoms include vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhoea. The condition is relatively common in small children, who often grow out of it by their teens; adults with this allergy are unlikely to do so.

As other animal milks contain proteins that are very similar to those found in cows' milk someone that reacts to cows' milk protein is also likely to react to goats', sheep's or buffalo's milk protein. Fewer people are allergic to milk from goats and sheep than to cows' milk, but this is probably because far fewer people drink these types of milk. Processing milk into yoghurt, butter or cheese does not change the proteins, so if you are allergic to a certain kind of milk, you won't able to eat butter, yoghurt, cheese, ice cream or other foods made from that milk either.

Again, before making any change to your diet, it's vital to get personal medical advice from a qualified GP or medical professional.

Reading labels

Whichever your sensitivity, in order to minimise the risk of a food-related reaction, be sure to check ingredients labels on foods carefully. Food labelling rules require pre-packed food sold in the UK and the rest of the European Union to show clearly on the label if it contains milk (or if one of its ingredients contains it). Lactose and milk proteins are widely used in the food industry as manufacturing aids and turn up in the most unlikely foods, such as chocolate, ready-meals, jams and jellies and tinned vegetables. Look out for ingredients such as whey powder, dried skimmed milk and casein.

Dairy-free alternatives

Dairy-free 'milks' are widely available. Here's a selection of what you'll find and how to cook with them.

• Coconut 'milk' and oil/butter: coconut milk is available tinned and is an excellent alternative to cows' milk for most cooked dishes provided you like its quite strong coconut flavour. Coconut oil, mainly available online, is an excellent alternative to butter for baking as the coconut flavour is less pronounced. It can also be used as a spread.
• Oat 'milk': Available long-life; slightly porridge-like flavour but not unpleasant. Excellent for cereals and savoury dishes, but quite strongly flavoured for desserts.
• Rice 'milk': easily available long-life; thinner and sweeter than cows' milk. Excellent for desserts, sweet drinks, etc (rice milk 'ice cream' is now commercially available), but not as good in savoury dishes.
• Soya cheese: soya cream cheeses can be used in place of cows' milk cream cheeses and taste similar. The quality of hard soya cheese is improving, but don't expect it to taste exactly like mature cheddar.
• Soya cream and ice cream: soya cream is a good substitute for single cream; if well chilled it will whip a bit. Good commercially made soya ice cream is widely available.
• Soya 'milk': widely available and in many flavours, both fresh and long-life. Most are a good substitute for cows' milk. They cook very similarly, but may occasionally curdle when added to hot tea or coffee.

Cooking

• Baking: Dairy-free spreads and coconut oil both make good cakes and pastry although the flavour is not as good as with butter. However, check ingredients carefully as many 'dairy-free' spreads contain lactose, whey or casein.
• Custards and cream desserts: Use any of the alternative 'milks' to make up your standard recipes. Unless you're using the thinner rice milk the texture will be very similar. If you don't like the slightly different taste increase the amount of flavouring (chocolate, lemon, etc).
• Frying: Use olive oil (approximately two tablespoons is equal to 25g butter) for frying and sautéeing.
• Serving: Substitute a little olive, pumpkin seed or nut oil if you usually serve your vegetables with butter.

Recipes

• Sweet potato and coconut cream soup by The Vegetarian Society
• Aromatic salmon cooked in coconut milk by Josceline Dimbleby
• Pissaladière by The Vegetarian Society
• Mango rice pudding by James Tanner
• Soya milk pancakes with roasted apples, pears, walnuts and vanilla syrup by James Martin
• Chocolate chip cookies by Tony Weston and Yvonne Bishop
• Lime and coconut macaroons by Jill Dupleix
• Coconut and lime macadamia cake by Bill Granger
• Chocolate and pear torte by Michelle Berriedale-Johnson

Michelle Berriedale-Johnson is the editor of Foods Matter magazine, which gives advice to people on a restricted diet.

Use BBC Food's Advanced search recipe database and choose the 'Dairy-free' option under 'dietary requirements' for more recipes.

Disclaimer:The information and advice contained in this article are intended as a general guide to healthy eating and are not specific to individuals or their particular circumstances. All content within this article is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. The BBC is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made by a user based on the content of the BBC Food website. The BBC is not liable for the contents of any external internet sites listed, nor does it endorse any commercial product or service mentioned or advised on any of the sites. Always consult your own GP if you're in any way concerned about your health.