Hi,
Does anyone follow a dairy free low carb diet? I had to give up dairy.

I can't speak to being dairy free but I am much dairy reduced - occasional consumption outside of the home. I don't appear to have problems with it nor am I allergic - it's simply too easy for me to over eat.

My first, and most potent step, was to STOP BUYING IT and having it in sit around in the fridge. So the problem was not at the home as much as it was at the POS (point of sale) I wish you well on elimination of it from your diet - I wish I had better suggestion or recipe ideas for you

I went dairy free for 30 days, then tried adding it back, but the most I can handle is up to 2T butter or ghee per day. My problem is not lactose, but the casein & whey proteins causing inflamed eyes, ears, skin & airways. And the tendancy to binge on cheese, cream cheese, yogurt (mostly things with added "milk solids" - extra proteins). Like Thud, I keep them out of the house.

I don't really eat dairy substitutes, other than ~1 tsp of MCT or coconut oil in my coffee, I just eat more of the other foods that work for me instead. Similar to giving up all bread and grains, it is easier for me to not try to recreate them, but just have more vLC vegetables, meat/fish/poultry & fat instead.

Right now I'm including cheeses and yogurt in my diet as I get used to Atkins but will probably dump most of it as dairy causes problems for me over the longer term and I tend to overeat it. I'll probably keep grass-fed butter and a rare splash of half and half in my coffee if I'm eating out, but that's it. If you can't have any dairy at all, there are many delicious nondairy alternatives to fill in like nut milks and nut/seed butters, mayonnaise (made with eggs but no milk products), and mashed avocado. There's the short list. It's very doable.

Thanks for the replies I believe I've developed a dairy intolerance or allergy. I was getting upper stomach pain after eating it, plus frequent sinus infections, and general sinus issues. Since I gave it up I feel so much better. No stomach pain, no infections my seasonal allergies are not as bad. I have more energy as well. I noticed symptoms even using butter or ghee, which lead me to believe I have an allergy. I'm not lactose intolerant, I just think its age related. I've also had to stop black pepper after using it all my life.

At least you have figured it out! I've come to feel that nothing tastes as good as being healthy feels.

I am dairy free. I have had to eliminate other foods as well. You can read my story here:

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=474262

It's all been worth it.

Jean

Here's an old thread with a looong list of dairy-free foods.
http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=453383

i can't use any dairy, including butter or ghee. i have an autoimmune and the diary protein-casein- causes rheumatoid arthritis flareups in my hands. ghee isn't supposed to have proteins in it, but i react to it. just lucky i guess!
we raise our own pork, so most of our food gets cooked in lard-it's amazing and so tasty!

just recently i started making coconut yogurt, because i needed to be taking probiotics after a round of antibiotics. it's fairly easy to make.

the new wahls cookbook has a lot of keto recipes that are dairy free--i haven't tried very many of them yet, but what i have tried has been successful.

my kids are also dairyfree (and glutenfree). their pediatrician seemed more concerned that they're getting enough vite d than the calcium thing. most people get their vite d from fortified milk. anyways, we order d3 from iherb in the states, and take calcium supplements. interestingly, ground flax has a lot of calcium and works well in lowcarb recipes. i have some of the recipes that i use most frequently in the first post of my journal--they're all dairy free.

You inspired me to make "eventually" today and dump what was left of my cheese and yogurt. I, too, got my first - and I swore it would be my last - sinus infection ever a few months ago. It was horrible. I got swayed by the Atkins acceptable food list and decided to buy some dairy after staying away from it since my infection cleared. During that time I was off dairy, I was breathing so clearly and felt so much better. Note to self: Just because a book says you can eat something doesn't mean you have to, especially if you know it makes you feel yucky.

Last November I started omitting foods to track an allergy. When I gave up all cow's milk dairy, it got better. After a few weeks (I think it takes time to leave the system) I started losing weight for the first time in a long time.

Sometimes I eat goat cheese, but since November no cow's milk dairy. No eggs. No nuts. No fun. But I feel better.

For me home made milk kefir seems to suppress appetite and help with weight loss and other issues. I have cut down on cheese and cream though.

I went dairy-free for over a year, but started adding it back in because No. Good. Reason.

Anyway, I am constipated again (sorry) and I was only eating it 1-2x a week. So, no more except for possibly salad dressings (and I have goat cheese still in the fridge...maybe that will be ok).

I got so used to not having it, I didn't miss it at all - and actually PREFERRED foods without cheese. But then, fast-food came calling and I let it creep back in. I've knocked that off.

I used cashew cream (watch the amount) in place of cream for recipes, and TJ's coconut creamer for coffee (I think there is 1 carb per Tbsp though). Also - nutritional yeast added depth of flavor for some dishes that used to be topped with cheese. I am only sorta low carb these days, so I've been having an almond milk yogurt now and then. Sweet, but 15 carbs due to o lactose.

I think it can be done, but you have to replace it with something...avocado, veggies or extra protein, maybe.

I know I feel so much better off dairy. I cheated today with some milk chocolate. I'm really sorry I did that. Stomach pain again. That was stupid. That's the one thing I miss being off dairy the most. Milk chocolate. I mean, yea there's vegan chocolate but it doesn't taste the same. I've learned my lesson. Back off all dairy.
Great job Barb712! I was putting up with sinus infections and hoping the dairy wasn't the cause. It is. After I ate the chocolate, my nose stuffed up and I was cursing at myself for caving.
Walnut, I can't tolerate ghee either. I start having the same symptoms. I bet it is a casein allergy. I think there are trace amounts of casein in ghee and our bodies can detect it. oh yay.