What should I do if I can’t consume dairy?

Any condition that prevents the consumption of dairy should be diagnosed and managed by a registered clinician so as not to compromise nutritional intake. For those that cannot consume dairy it is usually only due to cow’s milk protein allergy. Milk allergies are most common in young children (prevalence 2-3 %) but usually disappear by the time they reach 3-5 years.

The other condition in which dairy is often excluded is lactose intolerance (reduced ability to digest the natural milk sugar, lactose). However, depending on the level of intolerance, most people can consume some lactose, typically a daily amount of 12-15 g. A 200ml glass of milk contains approximately 9-10 g lactose, while the amounts in yogurt and cheese is considerably less – 5.9 g in 125 ml pot of plain whole milk yogurt and 0.03 g in 25 g of cheddar cheese.