How do you test whether or not you can tolerate cow's milk well?

A practical guide with clear steps, hassle-free

Abdominal pain after milk, restlessness after yogurt or bloating after cheese. It can be due to lactose lie, but also to milk proteins or even to cow's milk allergy. In this blog, you will get a simple, safe approach to targeted testing at home What is going on with you.

Note: This guide is informational. I am not a doctor and do not give medical advice. In case of severe symptoms or doubt, consult with your doctor or dietician.

First things first: what exactly do you want to test?

Lactose intolerance: reaction to milk sugar

In lactose intolerance, the problem lies with the lactose lactose. Your body makes too little lactase to neatly cut down that sugar, leaving lactose undigested in your intestines. That often gives gas, cramps, a bloated abdomen and sometimes diarrhea. Complaints don't always come right away, sometimes not until hours or even a day later. If you want to read up on the basics, check out What is lactose intolerance and the explanation of the enzyme in What does lactase do.

Cow's milk intolerance: sensitivity to milk proteins

With cow's milk intolerance, you don't react to sugar, but to milk proteins such as casein and whey. It is not an allergy, but a sensitivity reaction which can be broader in scope: in addition to abdominal complaints, for example, you see fatigue, headache, skin complaints or dip in concentration. Again, symptoms may be delayed. More explanation can be found in What is cow's milk intolerance.

Cow's milk allergy: immune reaction, really something else

Cow's milk allergy does immune response to milk proteins and can progress quickly and violently. That makes it something completely different from intolerance. With an allergy, strictly avoid necessary and hear diagnostics through your health care provider. You can read the full distinction in What is the difference between cow's milk allergy and cow's milk intolerance.

Preparation: first a rest period

Start with a rest period. Avoid cow's milk and lactose to your belly and body quiet feel. Some guidelines mention a short period such as 24 to 48 hours, others work with two weeks. I myself chose at the time two months completely without cow's milk and lactose. Choose some achievable feel and already hold a food diary at.

Please note: I am not a doctor and do not give medical advice. Everything you read is based on my own experience and collected research. In doubt? If so, always contact a doctor or specialist.

What do you need for the test

For a clean home test, you need (besides a lot of patience) only a few things. The goal: test one variable at a time and clearly record what happens. The list below will help you keep it simple and reliable.

• Food diary: a notebook or app in which you write down time, portion and symptoms. Also write down how you feel the next day.
• Product with lactose but without cow's milk protein: goat's or sheep's milk, yogurt from it or a small piece of young goat's or sheep's cheese. With this you test specifically for lactose. Note that a small group also reacts to goat or sheep milk. Note that if it plays out.
• Product with cow's milk protein but without lactose: lactose-free cow's milk or lactose-free yogurt. With these, you test specifically for milk proteins.
• Plant-based alternatives: oats, soy, almond or rice for rest days and as a safe base between tests.
• Label Knowledge: know where milk can hide. Handy reference: Check the ingredient list.

Practical note: some people also respond to goat or sheep protein. This is not the same as cow's milk protein, but it can cause symptoms. Therefore, test one step at a time and record everything well.

Test A: Is lactose your trigger?

Start with a focused, simple test: you test only lactose, so you avoid cow's milk protein. That way the results remain clear.

After your rest period, take a small serving with lactose but without cow's milk protein, such as a glass goat's milk, which sheep yogurt or a small piece of young goat cheese. Keep the rest of your diet the same that day and do not add any other dairy tests.

Note in your food journal the time and portion, and observe your gut feeling, energy and stools for the 48 hours. If you get obvious abdominal discomfort, it is more likely to indicate lactose as the culprit. If symptoms persist, repeat with a similar small serving on another day, if necessary, or continue to Test B after a rest period.

Rest and evaluation

Give your stomach time to calm down before you continue testing. Write down in your journal what you ate and drank, the portion and time, and describe any symptoms until the next day. Estimate the severity on a scale of 0 to 10 and how long the symptoms lasted.

If you see a clear reaction, do not schedule another test until you are symptom-free again. If it remains quiet, move on to the next step.

Test B: Is milk protein your trigger?

With this step you see if you respond to the proteins from cow's milk. Choose a lactose-free cow's milk or lactose-free yogurt. These products still contain milk protein but no lactose, so you test one variable in a targeted way.

Take a small portion and keep the rest of your diet that day as equal as possible. Note time and amount and observe your stomach, energy and stool until the next day. If you get symptoms while the lactose is removed, it is more likely to fit with sensitivity to milk proteins.

This is how you read your results

Result 1: complaints in Test A, not in Test B

If you get symptoms after Test A and not after Test B, then this fits more with lactose intolerance. You are then reacting mainly to the milk sugar. In practice, you can often get by with lactose-free dairy and, when convenient, a lactase supplement with a meal containing lactose. If you want to know how to use these smartly, read: What are lactose intolerance pills.

Result 2: complaints in Test B, not in Test A

If only the products with milk protein give complaints while lactose does not seem to be a problem, then this rather points to cow's milk intolerance. Lactose-free dairy usually does not help then, because the milk protein remains present. Focus on cow's milk-free choices, such as plant-based alternatives, and build up slowly to find your own tolerance.

Result 3: complaints on both tests

If you react at both times, then both lactose and milk protein may be involved or the portion was simply too large. Reduce the amount and repeat the test on another day, with the same eating pattern. If the symptoms remain obvious, consult with your doctor or dietician about next steps.

Result 4: no complaints

If you remain symptom-free on both tests, then milk may not be your trigger or your threshold is higher than you thought. Build up carefully with small portions and note what you eat and how you feel. That way you will discover step by step what works relaxed for you.

Common mistakes during testing

1. Test one variable at a time: Keep your test as clean as possible. Change only one thing at a time and leave the rest of your diet, your portions and your daily routine the same. That way you'll know for sure whether the difference is due to lactose or milk protein, and you'll avoid confusing signals.
2. Note portion size: Start small and build up slowly. Start with a sip, half a glass or a small portion, see how your body reacts and only then increase. Portions that are too large quickly create noise, preventing you from seeing what your real threshold is.
3. Do not test if you are sick or off balance: With fever, stomach flu, stress or lack of sleep, intestines react more sensitively than usual. Wait until you are fit and your stomach feels calm again. Then you can judge your results more honestly.
4. Don't forget hidden dairy: A clean test fails if milk ingredients do sneak into your meal. So read every label and watch for words like milk powder, whey powder, cream and cheese powder. Handy: work with this guide to checking labels: Check the ingredients list
5. .Do not use aged cheese to test lactose: Old, hard cheeses naturally contain little lactose due to aging. Fine to eat, less suitable as a litmus test for lactose. If you want to know about lactose in different cheeses, look here: Which cheeses contain high or low lactose

What do you do with the outcome

If it fits more with lactose intolerance

For everyday use, choose lactose-free varieties of milk, yogurt, cream and chocolate milk. These taste almost the same, but are a lot calmer on the tummy for many people with lactose intolerance. Build up portions slowly and see where your limit is.

For moments away from home or when you're not sure what's in the food, you can use lactase. Take it right before or with the first bites of lactose and match the dose to the serving. You can find more explanation in: What are lactose intolerance pills.

Keep checking labels, especially for processed products such as sauces, cookies and snacks. Look for words like lactose, milk powder and whey powder. Handy to have on hand: Check the ingredient list.

If it fits more with cow's milk intolerance

Focus on cow's milk-free eating and drinking. That means choosing plant-based alternatives such as oats, soy, almond, rice or coconut, preferably fortified with calcium and vitamin D. Remember that lactose-free dairy usually doesn't help because the milk proteins just remain present.

Again, watch for hidden dairy in such things as bouillon cubes, cheese-flavored potato chips, deli meats and ready-made sauces. Learning to read labels really helps: Check the ingredient list.

Looking for inspiration without cow's milk? Look around among your favorite NooMooo recipes and alternate with products that you do tolerate well. That way you can keep it tasty and practical.

Testing in children

The principle is the same, but you dose smaller and communicates with the school or daycare. When in doubt, also contact your doctor. Useful guide: Symptoms of lactose intolerance in children Or start at the basics: What is lactose intolerance.

Continue reading at NooMooo

• Basics and complaints: What is lactose intolerance
• Understanding milk proteins: What is cow's milk intolerance
• The real differences: What is the difference between lactose intolerance and cow's milk intolerance
• Labels and E numbers: Check the ingredient list
• Useful when in doubt: What are lactose intolerance pills
• Nice to know: Is there lactose in egg

Working together

Stay kind to yourself. Test quiet, write clearly up, and choose some works for your body. On NooMooo you will find honest explanation, familiar stories and practical tips in one place. That saves searching and most importantly: belly stuff.

What exactly am I testing: lactose, milk protein or allergy

Lactose intolerance is about milk sugar and lactase deficiency with symptoms such as gas, cramps, abdominal bloating and sometimes diarrhea. Cow milk intolerance is about milk proteins such as casein and whey with often broader and delayed symptoms. Cow's milk allergy is an immune system reaction and can cause severe reactions.

How to prepare with a rest period

Avoid cow's milk and lactose until your stomach and body feel calm. Some guidelines mention a short period such as 24 to 48 hours and others work with two weeks. At the time, I myself opted for two months completely without cow's milk and lactose. Keep a food diary during this phase.

What do I need for the home test

• Food diary to record time, portion and symptoms
• Products with lactose without cow's milk protein such as goat or sheep's milk or yogurt thereof and young goat or sheep's cheese
• Products containing cow's milk protein without lactose such as lactose-free cow's milk or lactose-free yogurt
• Plant-based alternatives for rest days and as a safe base
• Knowledge of labels to recognize hidden dairy products

Keep in mind that some people may also react to goat or sheep protein.

How to test if lactose is my trigger

After the rest period, take a small portion with lactose and no cow's milk protein such as a glass of goat's milk, sheep's yogurt or a small piece of young goat's cheese. Do not add any other dairy tests that day, note time and portion and observe symptoms that day and the next morning.

How to test if milk proteins are my trigger

Choose a small portion of lactose-free cow's milk or lactose-free yogurt. Keep the rest of your diet calm, note time and portion and observe your belly, energy and stools. Complaints while lactose is filtered out are more likely to indicate milk proteins.

How do I read the results of my test

• Complaints after a small serving with lactose without cow's milk protein and no complaints after one serving lactose-free cow's milk or yogurt suit lactose intolerance.
• Complaints after one serving lactose-free cow's milk or yogurt and no complaints after a small serving with lactose With no cow's milk protein fit cow's milk intolerance.
• Complaints in either situation could mean that both were involved or that the portion was too large.
• No complaints can mean that milk is not a trigger or that your threshold is higher.

What can I do if it is lactose intolerance

• Choose lactose-free dairy for everyday use
• Use lactase on occasions
• Read labels and watch for lactose in processed products

What can I do if it is cow's milk intolerance

• Go cow's milk free and choose plant-based alternatives such as oats, soy or almond
• Remember, lactose-free dairy usually doesn't help
• Explore recipes without cow's milk