The dairy industry is one of the cruelest in the food industry today. If it’s not enough that cows are misused for human consumption, the negative health effects linked to dairy alone are surely a reason to ditch it for good. The dairy industry is highly aware that Americans are catching on to the link between dairy and cancer, along with diabetes, and other health issues. Their marketing tactics are nothing short of desperate as they now attempt to market cheese as a health food and a way to reduce high blood pressure. As you may already know, casein found in milk and cheese contains natural morphine-like substances that have been found to be as addicting as heroine. That doesn’t exactly sound like a healthy prescription to prevent health issues like high blood pressure, does it?

Considering that we don’t consume the mammary milk of any other animal besides cows, it makes no sense why we should make an exception for one animal, does it? Most of us likely grew up eating dairy, until we later learned it wasn’t the best choice and some of you may still be confused about the stance of dairy in your diet. If you’ve been thinking about making the switch to a dairy-free lifestyle or just need some extra motivation, consider some health concerns below that may disappear once you ditch the dairy.

1. Better Digestion

Milk contains lactose and very hard to digest proteins that make it extremely detrimental to our health, especially our digestion. Lactose is the natural sugar found in milk that many people are allergic to, and milk in general seems to upset people’s stomach. Dairy has also been linked to IBS (instestinal bowel syndrome), along with constipation, gas, and bloating for those not diagnosed with IBS.

2. Food Addictions

Food addictions are often thought of as the inability to control one’s self around food, but research shows that food addiction is likely just the cause of a biological response our bodies have to certain addictive foods like sugar, processed foods, and dairy. Dairy’s main problem with food addiction is that it contains casein, which also causes digestive issues, along with food addictions and mood disorders. Because dairy is one of the hardest foods for people to give up, it’s one of the leading reasons ice cream, milkshakes, cheese, milk, and yogurt are so hard for many people to let go of and overeat on.

3. Cancer Risks

Dairy has been highly linked to breast cancer, pancreatic and colon cancer. Since cancer is such a prevalent problem in today’s society, we can’t ignore the connection between animal foods like dairy, and cancer any longer. Ditching dairy has been found to reduce your cancer risks by anywhere from 18- 60 percent!

4. Joint Pain

Always aching? Check your diet for dairy, because joint pain is a leading sign of inflammation, which often occurs from dairy consumption. Plant-based foods, on the other hand, contain natural, anti-inflammatory benefits that will reduce inflammation and joint pain along with it.

5. High Cholesterol

Check your dairy labels and see how much cholesterol they contain. I bet you’ll be surprised to see that most contain anywhere from 10-30 percent of your daily cholesterol intake. Plant-foods, however, contain no dietary cholesterol, which will Support your heart and lower your risk for high cholesterol, along with diabetes.

The good news is, you don’t need dairy to live healthfully or get enough calcium in your diet. Considering the shocking facts about the dairy industry and all the awesome sources of plant-based calcium that exist, it’s now easier than ever to make the switch to a whole foods, vegan diet without the need for dairy or other animal products.

You can also buy unsweetened plant-based milks and cheeses, use coconut cream or butter in place of dairy butter, and opt for coconut, soy, or almond milk yogurt in place of dairy yogurt. Plus, check out all our delicious vegan recipes you can make without any dairy products at all.

What benefit have you experienced if you’ve given up dairy?

We also highly recommend downloading our Food Monster App, which is available for both Android and iPhone, and can also be found on Instagram and Facebook. The app has more than 8,000 plant-based, allergy-friendly recipes, and subscribers gain access to ten new recipes per day. Check it out!

Image Source: Veganbaking.net/Flickr