Building A Healthy Diet With Whey-Free Foods

If you are someone who has a whey allergy, then you already know how prevalent it is in our foods. Even if you avoid the obvious sources such as milk, ice cream, yogurt, cheese and other dairy products, you still can be exposed thanks to others ways it is used as a food additive. Since a whey allergy can provoke some severe symptoms ranging from hives and eczema to diarrhea, vomiting and anaphylactic shock, you need to know what to watch for when you are shopping.

Do not despair though! There are also many wonderful whey free foods that you can build your diet around without feeling like you are sacrificing too much.

What to Avoid in Addition to Dairy
Briefly, here is a list of other names you may see in ingredient lists that are synonyms for whey:

• Lipases
• Glycomacropeptide or GMP
• Transferrin
• Immunoglobulin
• Lysozyme
• Bovine Serum Albumin or BSA
• Anything that starts with the prefix “lact-“

These all come from milk products, and most are whey derivatives. Obviously, anything cheese, milk or buttermilk flavored is also likely to come from whey.

What You Can Eat – Meat Proteins
Many other plant and animal based sources of protein can fill your diet even without dairy. As long as you stick with broth based sauces – no cream or cheese sauce – you can enjoy many of your favorite meals featuring:

• Fish
• Poultry
• Beef
• Eggs – yes, eggs! Although sold in most dairy sections, they are not from cows so do not contain whey.

Plant proteins
Anyone with allergies or who just wants to consume a healthier overall diet understands that the bulk of the food you consume should be fresh fruits and vegetables. Plant based proteins have the added benefit of being free from the high cholesterol and saturated fat of meats and dairy.

•  Legumes – 1/2 cup of cooked black beans contains 8 grams of fiber and 8 grams of protein.
• Soy
• Brown Rice
• Nuts and seeds
• Protein powders – added to a fruit smoothie for instance, there are soy, hemp, rice and pea powders that can add from 15-28 grams of protein.

Hopefully this list provides you with some great ideas on how to design a healthy, whey free diet that is appetizing and easy to follow. As always, read those label carefully and try as much as possible to avoid processed foods.