For anyone suffering from lactose intolerance or allergy, or for those simply wishing to cut dairy out of their diet, Go Dairy Free by Alisa Marie Fleming is a fantastic resource - worthy of a permanent place on the bookshelf. Ms. Fleming begins by outlining, in extraordinary detail, what dairy products are and how they are made and used in today's food. She then delves into the how and why of eliminating dairy from your diet, including the little known health issues related to dairy consumption. Since dairy is most commonly thought of as our primary source of calcium, Ms Fleming has also included a chapter on alternative sources of the mineral, as well as controversies regarding how much and what kind of calcium our bodies actually need.
Finally, there are the recipes, beginning with an extensive list of substitutions, many homemade, for milks, cheeses, butters, etc. It had never occurred to me to make my own, homemade, dairy free cheese before, but with the dozens of recipes Ms Fleming provides, perhaps I'll give it a go!
If you are thinking of experimenting with dairy free but still have questions or concerns, grab a copy of this book or go to the author's website, GoDairyFree.org.
