Hidden Dangers

Can’t you at least have a taste? This is one of the most common questions I get asked when I say I can’t eat something because I’m lactose intolerant. My answer is no. For me, it’s much easier to refuse something than to just take one taste of that delicious cheesy lasagna then stop. Yet even when I think I’m eating something safe, often in an hour or two I know I was wrong. So how do you tell if there is something in what you’re eating, even when it isn’t smothered in cheese? To be honest, it is sometimes impossible. But there are certain tells, anything Asian is usually safe. Unfortunately this does not include hibachi, as they love to smother the grill with butter for flavor before they start to cook. As much as I love my family’s food, Italian is rarely safe, unless you cook it. Mexican is big on cheese, but you can always ask they don’t put that on. Many middle-eastern foods are safe, unless they are made with yogurt, but that is rather easy to tell.

The biggest thing to avoid is any food claiming protein! I know that sounds a bit weird, but whey, one of the most popular ways of getting protein in the US is like eating a stick of butter. Unfortunately it is hidden in things you would never expect, this morning I even found it listed as an ingredient in my beef stock. It is also common in cereal, crackers, bread and other products that shouldn’t have any dairy. Two other foods I have learned to avoid are veggie burgers and buffalo sauce. Although these sound safe, veggie burgers 90% of the time are made with cheese. One of the main ingredients in buffalo sauce is butter. Who would have thought! And of course any dessert, besides sorbet or fruit and dark chocolate, is never free of dairy.