Lactose, simply put, is the sugar in milk. Unfortunately, this sugar is difficult for some people to digest. If you experience the following symptoms 30 minutes to 2 hours after consuming dairy products, I recommend reducing your dairy intake for a while:

Gas
Bloating
Nausea
Abdominal pain and diarrhea

Milk is so ingrained in our lives that finding alternatives is difficult. Large brands offer lactose-free milk in cartons, but because the natural structure of milk is altered, and because I always advocate consuming all foods in their natural state, I don’t really recommend these lactose-free milks.

Instead, we can make our own milk at home using natural herbs and nuts. It won’t even take 5 minutes and will save you from bloating. And they taste great!

Soak a cup of dried coconut or 5-6 pieces of fresh coconut, along with 2 dates, in 2 liters of water overnight. In the morning, simply blend it and strain it through a cheesecloth. Your coconut milk will be ready.

You can make a wonderful hot chocolate by adding cocoa to coconut milk.

Almond Milk

Soak 1 cup of almonds in water overnight with their shells. The next day, drain the water, add 3 cups of fresh water, and 2 dates. Blend the mixture. Strain the milk through a cheesecloth, and your almond milk is ready.

You can make a wonderful hot chocolate by adding cocoa to coconut milk.

Almond milk

Cashew milk

Soak 1 cup of raw cashews in 1 cup of water overnight. The next morning, add 3 more cups of water and blend. Cashew milk is easier to make because there’s no need to strain it. Your milk is ready as soon as you blend it.

You can also use the pulp left in coconut and almond milk to make cookies or add it to your oatmeal.

Wishing everyone healthy, happy, sugar-free, and this time, lactose-free days.

Note: This article was published on my column at www.hthayat.com on April 14, 2017.