Dairy Free, Lactose Free, Casein Free, Lactose Intolerant

Casein is a protein found in the milk of all mammals. Casein should not be confused with lactose. Most people who have difficulty digesting milk are lactose intolerant, meaning that they produce too little of the enzyme (lactase) that breaks down milk sugar (lactose) so bacteria flourish in their gut to finish the job. A casein allergy can be just an allergy. It may manifest as breathing difficulty, hives and rashes, or serious pain in the gut leading to inability to get nourishment from food and dangerous weight loss.

Milk has following components: lactose (milk's sugar), up to four varieties of casein and other milk proteins, and fats. The percentage of each of these contained in an ounce of milk varies according to the source of the milk (which animal), where in the milking cycle the milk comes from (lactose-rich foremilk comes out first, followed by fat-rich hindmilk), and how long the individual animal has been lactating this time around. The contents are also affected by the lactating mother's (human or cow or whale) diet, since certain dietary components can make their way from the mother's digestive tract into the milk she produces.

Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest significant amounts of lactose, which is the predominant sugar of milk. Lactose intolerance results from a shortage of the enzyme lactase, which is normally produced by the cells that line the small intestine. Lactase breaks down milk sugar into simpler forms that can then be absorbed into the bloodstream. When there is not enough lactase to digest the amount of lactose consumed, the results, although not usually dangerous, may be very distressing. People suffering from Casein allergy, Lactose intolerance, milk allergy should avoid any type of dairy products, there are enough casein free, dairy free products available in the market.