The 10 Most Helpful One Green Planet Articles for Dairy-Free Living

One Green Planet has it all – articles about health, animals, food, life, the planet and of course, tons of delicious plant-based recipes. Every day, One Green Planet publishes up to a dozen new articles to help make our lives happier, healthier, and yummier. That adds up to thousands of articles and even more recipes so when searching for information about a specific topic, the choices available can seem overwhelming. That’s why I’m here to narrow down the field for you by suggesting the 10 most helpful One Green Planet articles on specific topics. Believe me, with all our dedicated contributors, that’s no easy task but I’m willing to take it on!

In this installment, let’s look at the 10 most helpful One Green Planet articles about living a dairy-free life. There is a lot to know about why it’s healthier and kinder to choose plant-based products rather than the dairy most of us grew up with, which types of dairy-free products to buy, how to substitute for milk, butter and cheese in recipes and of course, easy-to-follow recipes so we can make our own dairy-free foods at home.

If you have been struggling with questions about going dairy-free or need help explaining it to others, here are 10 direct, focused, and helpful articles that can answer everyone’s questions.

1. 5 Health Claims About Cow’s Milk That You Need to Quit Believing

We have all heard the claims about dairy being necessary to our health since the day we were born. Between medical professionals, political groups, dairy councils and advertisements, we have all been taught that “milk does a body good” and is crucial for our calcium intake, strong bones and teeth and protein requirements. It turns out, however, that none of that is true. This article explores the five most common health claims about dairy milk, what the experts in the field have to say, why plant-based milks are actually healthier and provides helpful resources to help you go dairy-free.

2. Casein: The Disturbing Connection Between This Dairy Protein and Your Health

When I was considering giving up dairy, I was shocked to learn about casein, one of the proteins in dairy. Why shocked? Because it releases chemicals in our bodies that are similar to morphine and we actually get addicted to the stuff. That really explains why so many people (and I was one of them) ate foods with extra cheese all the time. This informative article clearly explains what casein is, how it works, and why it’s bad for us as well as how to read labels to find it where it hides under a variety of names.

3. ‘Milk Life’ is No Life at All for Dairy Cows

Forget those “happy cow” commercials. The only happy cows are those not being exploited for their milk. This article, written by Farm Sanctuary founder Gene Bauer, tells it like it is about the “lives” of dairy cows and their calves. Explained simply and honestly, Gene Bauer exposes the truth about the dairy industry and why we should choose life over the cruelty of ‘milk life.’

4. How the Dairy Industry Has Unnaturally Altered the Life of Cows

Most people don’t realize the cruelty of the dairy industry. We all grow up with pictures in our heads of cows grazing on grassy pastures and being milked by the hands of a caring person sitting on a stool with a bucket. It’s no wonder so many people see nothing wrong with dairy. Once the truth is known, however, it’s enough to make a person swear off dairy forever and I know that from experience. For an in-depth, eye-opening look at what really happens, this article takes us from birth through the (shortened) life-span of dairy cows and calves.

5. Milk Life? How About Milk Destruction: The Shocking Truth About the Dairy Industry and the Environment

Besides our health and the lives of dairy cows, the dairy industry has a detrimental effect on our planet. This article clearly explains how the dairy industry is responsible for a huge amount of water usage and waste as well as carbon emissions. If you ever need to explain to someone how being an environmentalist and consuming dairy just doesn’t go together, this is the article to help you make your points.

6. 10 Great Reasons to Ditch Dairy

Sometimes you just need the facts in a short, let’s-get-to-the-point manner. This article by The Plant-Based Dietician, Julieanna Hever, gives you ten…count ‘em, ten…reasons why dairy should not be on your menu from multiple perspectives. Perfect when you need to explain the disaster of dairy in a nutshell.

7. The Importance of Calcium and How to Get Enough Without Dairy

Tell anyone that you gave up dairy and the first thing they will respond with is “where will you get your calcium from?” It may be annoying to get asked this question repeatedly but to be fair, did you always know other sources of calcium besides dairy? I didn’t. This article clears up any questions about calcium and tells you all the best plant-based food sources of calcium that leave dairy in the dust. Of course, it has lots of recipe links.

8. 5 Ways to Battle Those Cheese Cravings After You Go Vegan

Cravings are normal. I say this all the time. The important thing is to understand why you have cravings and then figure out how to deal with them without giving in to them. Whether you are considering going plant-based and think you can’t live without cheese or need a little help staying the course, this article has tips to help you battle those dreaded cheese cravings.

9. 10 Food Substitutions Every Plant-Based Eater Should Know

One Green Planet has a lot of articles on how to replace all the dairy products in our lives and you should definitely take a look at those. There are articles on which dairy-free milks to use and when, how to replace butter and cream in recipes, how avocados can replace dairy, how to make creamy sauces without dairy as well as how to replace yogurt and ice cream with dairy-free versions. Each of these articles is worth reading, printing out and sharing. This article, however, gives it all to you in one place for quick reference plus substitutions for other animal products and links to recipes.

10. These 25 Vegan Cheeses Will Make You Quit Dairy Forever

Buying vegan cheese is great; they’re getting better all the time. Making your own vegan cheese, however, is priceless. It’s easier than you think to make dairy-free cheese that slices, spreads, stretches and most importantly, melts. This article shares the recipes of 25 vegan cheeses that are so good, you may never buy vegan cheese again. Be sure to also check out all the latest vegan cheese recipes on One Green Planet because more are added every day!

One Green Planet has so many articles and recipes that can help you live a dairy-free life. Explore them all but if you need a little direction to get started, these 10 articles may prove most helpful in your journey.

Lead Image Photo: Here’s Why Non-Dairy Milk is a Health Choice, Not Health Hype