As a new year’s resolution, I decided to cut dairy out of my diet.Why on earth would I do that? To make a long story short, I am not a baby cow. To make a short story long, milk is completely unnecessary. I can just as easily get calcium from almonds, oatmeal, wholemeal bread, dried figs, parsley, or kale (and the list goes on). Protein can be found in bread, pasta, brown rice, sunflower/sesame/pumpkin seeds, peas, beans lentils, tofu (among other things). Vitamin B12, a vitamin found in milk, can be incorporated into a dairy-free diet with certain cereals, soya milks or other fortified soy products, fortified yeast extracts, or a vegan B12 supplement. Riboflavin is not found in milk alone. You can also get a healthy dose of it by eating mushrooms, almonds, whole grains, and cruciferous vegetables ( such as collard greens, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and rutabaga). Phosphorus, another nutrient in milk, is also found in artichokes (one of the tastiest foods ever), asparagus, broccoli, butternut squash, corn, and lima beans.
My reason for giving up cheese is simple. Not only is it made from milk, an unhealthy part of any diet, but it also makes my bowel movements irregular… and I want no part of anything that interferes with something as natural and important as a bowel movement.
I still eat fish, eggs, and honey. This means that I am not a vegan or even a vegetarian. Regardless, I have no doubt that if done correctly…a vegan diet is an ideal diet.