Water buffalo's milk as an alternate to cow's milk?

[capemom]

I do not have a true allergy to dairy - I won't die if I eat it - but eating dairy makes me very miserable - mostly GI stuff, but I feel pretty lousy all over. I have adjusted my diet accordingly. I do tolerate butter, but I can't even eat a couple of ounces of yogurt without getting stomach cramps. I can't eat soy cheese because the casein will give me cramps. Sometimes soy yogurt is tolerated, sometimes it isn't - not sure why - maybe a soy sensitivity too? I can't eat beef without a serious upset stomach. Seems like the protein is the issue.

Anyway, since yogurt is one of my favorite things, I am always looking for an alternate. How does water buffalo compare to cow? My food coop has a new product - water buffalo yogurt. Do you think it would make me sick? I'm thinking about trying it. Anyone have any experience with this? Anyone ever had it - how does it taste?

Thanks!

[wendy1221]

I didn't reply to this before b/c I was hoping someone with more experience would know. Well, personally, I would NOT risk it. Water buffalos are too cowish looking imo. My son and I react to cow's and goat's milk, but not to sheep's. I would try sheep before water buffalo or goat. Sheep are probably less closely related.

And if you don't react, don't overdo it. Eat too much and you're likely to become allergic to that as well. I finally tried a lot of sheep cheese last month. In the past, I knew I could eat a little, but I'd never done a real challenge. Liam is SO sensitive to even traces of cow's milk and I was really missing pizza. So I tried the sheep's milk cheese. Just a bite the first day. 1 serving the next. Then I ate half a pound a few days later to give it a real test. It almost made me sick to eat that much, but I wanted to be sure. Neither of us reacted at all (huge surprise, I wasn't hoping for the best. lol) So I've had some sheep cheese about once a week since then. It's very good. I'm planning on getting some sheep yogurt through my buying club co-op at our next order in a few weeks. It's not available in any of our local stores.

[Panserbjorne]

I wouldn't do it at all. Sounds like you have some serious gut issues going on. Have you checked out the "healing the gut tribe" in health an healing? Also if you need yogurt www.pecanbread.com has recipes for making yougurt from a nut based milk. It's really quite good. We can't do cow, soy, goat anything. You are having a reaction and what you are describing is an allergy. Check out the tribe and see if you can get some help there. FWIW alot of people with a dairy allergy also have a soy allergy.

[Pattyla]

I can't eat diary but I can eat the water buffalo milk yougart. It is super rich and yummy. I get mine at trader joes so if there is one near you you can try that out. For me it is a severe lactose intollerance issue, not a true allergy (no yucky all over feeling like I get w/gluten). I get sheeps yougart at Wild Oats. Is is also really good and not "gamey" like goat stuff, IMO.

[Panserbjorne]

That's really good to know!

[wendy1221]

Originally Posted by Pattyla

I can't eat diary but I can eat the water buffalo milk yougart. It is super rich and yummy. I get mine at trader joes so if there is one near you you can try that out. For me it is a severe lactose intollerance issue, not a true allergy (no yucky all over feeling like I get w/gluten). I get sheeps yougart at Wild Oats. Is is also really good and not "gamey" like goat stuff, IMO.

It can't be lactose intolerance. All animal milk contains lactose. I'll bet you have a cow's milk protein allergy/intolerance. Just FYI. I only have GI symptoms w/ my milk allergy/intolerance. I only get the all over crappy feeling from eggs.

[Pattyla]

It can't be lactose intolerance. All animal milk contains lactose. I'll bet you have a cow's milk protein allergy/intolerance. Just FYI. I only have GI symptoms w/ my milk allergy/intolerance. I only get the all over crappy feeling from eggs.

That is good to know. I have done a ton of research and everything I read said that gi issues are always lactose intollerance (but I never completely beleived it). Why am I ok with raw dairy then?

[Altair]

watter buffalo yogurt is sooooooooo yummy.

it's also VERY thick and fatty-- I try to eat it in half containers at a time, rather than all of it for that reason!

it does not bother my stomach (dairy sensitive), but neither does *very* high bacteria yogurt.

[p1gg1e]

I just bought water buffalo yogurt at the store, It had mold on top so I didnt eat it LMK how you like it I'll have to try buying it again. I've had GI problems for years off and on. Antibiotic clear it up ( also cures Lactose intolerence) but you have to go to a Dr. that knows what thay are doing. also then must follow up with probiotics and what not . Anyway, Good luck!

[wendy1221]

Originally Posted by p1gg1e

I just bought water buffalo yogurt at the store, It had mold on top so I didnt eat it LMK how you like it I'll have to try buying it again. I've had GI problems for years off and on. Antibiotic clear it up ( also cures Lactose intolerence) but you have to go to a Dr. that knows what thay are doing. also then must follow up with probiotics and what not . Anyway, Good luck!

That's really weird that antibiotic would cure your "lactose intoerance." From what I've read, antibiotics usualy CAUSE temporary LI. ver very strange. nak

[Panserbjorne]

I don't advocate eating dairy at all, but raw milk does have the lactase enzymes intact which do break down the lactose for you. It is a living food, and far easier to "stomach" than the commercial homogenized, pasteurized milk on the shelves. GI issues can be MANY things, I'm assuming you only notice it with dairy? Allergies to casein can also produce a GI response (some people get respiratory responses or dermatalogical responses) so you sould in fact have an actual allergy.
I also think it's peculiar that antibiotics help your gut issues. Most of us spend our lives healing from the effects of antibiotics. Sounds like you have a bacterial overgrowth. In any case it would be very important to follow up with probiotics.
Also-"high" bacteria yogurt generally means that it no longer contains any lactose, and is much better tolerated by those with a lactose problem.

[p1gg1e]

Originally Posted by wendy1221

That's really weird that antibiotic would cure your "lactose intoerance." From what I've read, antibiotics usualy CAUSE temporary LI. ver very strange. nak

I had salmonila in my colon keeping me from making Lactase. Thats what it "cured" then I got my balence back. Ive just been down the GI issues beore and have found a Dr. that KNOWS how bactieria work. If you have GI issues I would get a stool sample irst thing. I'm nt sure about protien allergys though It depends on what it is.