Milk Allergy Diet

Milk allergy is quite common among infants and young children. It usually occurs when infants are provided with cow's milk-based formula or cow's milk in the mother's diet through breast feeding. Milk consists of proteins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates and vitamins. Casein is the primary protein in cow's milk and accounts for about 80% of the total milk protein. The proteins in the milk, especially casein, cause allergic reactions in some people. A person can be sensitive to either casein or the whey parts of protein, and sometimes even to both.

Rapid onset and slower onset are the two major types of milk allergy reactions. The rapid type of reaction occurs immediately, within few seconds to hours, after consuming the milk or the milk products. This type is categorized by symptoms like vomiting, wheezing, hives, anaphylaxis (a sudden and severe whole body reaction) and angioedema (fluid collection in body tissues that causes swelling). The slower onset type of reaction is more common and develops symptoms over a period of hours to days after consuming the milk or the milk products. These symptoms include vomiting, loose stools (possibly containing blood), fussiness or irritability, and failure to gain weight and grow normally.

Foods	Recommended	Not Recommended
Beverages	Carbonated beverages, coffee, tea, soy substitute-milk formulas, water, fruit drinks.	All milk (whole, skim, low-fat, buttermilk, powdered, evaporated, condensed, hot cocoa), yogurt, eggnog, milkshakes and malts. All beverages made with milk or milk products.
Breads	Milk free breads, French bread, wheat, white, rye, corn, graham, gluten, soy breads made without milk or milk products, graham crackers or rice wafers.	Wheat, donuts, white or rye breads, pancakes, biscuits, muffins, waffles, zwieback, crackers, saltines and rusk, commercially prepared breads and rolls that contain milk or milk products, French toast made with milk.
Cereals	Any cereal without any milk or milk products.	High protein cereals, prepared and precooked cereals with milk solids, casein, or other milk products added.
Meats, Fish, Poultry and Cheese	Baked, boiled, broiled, roasted or fried: beef, chicken, veal, fish, pork, turkey, lamb, organ meats, or tofu (prepared without milk or milk products). Sausage, deli/luncheon meats, or ham made without milk products.	All cheese cream cheese, cottage cheese, sausage products, bologna, frankfurters, meatloaf, breaded meats, croquettes, casseroles, hamburgers (unless made without milk).
Vegetables	Fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables without milk or milk products added and all vegetable juices.	Au gratin, buttered, creamed, escalloped vegetables and batter and dipped vegetables.
Soups	Bouillon, broth, soups with broth base plain or with all allowed foods.	Bisques, chowders, creamed soups, all soups made with milk or milk products.
Desserts	Meringue, gelatin, popsicles, cookies, fruit ice, fruit whip, angel food cake, and pie crusts made without milk or milk products.	Cake, pudding, cookies, cream desserts, custard, or sherbet containing milk products, ice cream, cream pie, pastries brushed with milk, junket and popover.
Miscellaneous	Catsup, nuts, olives, spices, pickles, herbs, chili powder, salt, condiments and any foods that are milk/ cheese/butter free or that do not contain powdered milk or whey.	All items containing milk, whey casein, cheese, butter, caseinates, hydrolysates, lactose, lactalbumin, lactoglobulin or milk solids, artificial butter flavor.

Milk allergy is a response of the immune system in the body to the proteins in milk and its products. It can affect the digestive system and other systems in the body such as skin and airways. In very rare cases, it can be life-threatening. Having a milk allergy diet doesn't mean you can't enjoy eating. In fact, according to some people milk substitutes like vanilla soy milk taste better than regular cow's milk. Hence, this milk allergy diet offers you the opportunity to discover some great foods that you would never have found otherwise.