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View Full Version : Lactose intolerent / need suggestions



Mike Drinkuth
09-11-2002, 13:25
I can't eat anything with Lactose in it. This includes cheese, milk, chocolate, ice cream, ya know...everything yummy and revered by most thru hikers.
In Atlanta it's easy to adjust my diet but next march it will be more difficult to get the calories I need on the trail.
I've figured on honey being a staple of my diet but my gorp will be chocolate free and my resupplies will be sans ice cream. I now drink a lot of "Lactaid" milk which makes up for my lack of calcium from regular milk but, again, next year I don't expect to see much Lactaid in little trail towns.
I was just wondering if anyone has had a similar problem or knew of anyone who has. We are not uncommon, lactose intolerent folks, so surely someone has sidestepped this same dietery detail.
Thanks in advance!
-Mike;)

The Weasel
09-12-2002, 02:31
Mike ---

Yeah, one thing similar to being lactose intolerant is what I call an "Ornish Vegan". That's named after the famous cardiologist who says you can not only prevent, but reverse, coronary heart disease ("clogged arteries") by eliminating EVERY bit of fat you can from your diet. (He's right, too. But that's another topic.) Thus, I don't eat....."cheese, milk, chocolate, ice cream, ya know...everything yummy and revered by most thru hikers."

I didn't have any problems. Ate lots of tasty carbs, dried veggies and non-fat protein sources, including a lot of sweet stuff that doesn't have chocolate or cream in it. I didn't waste my time with honey, since it's an inefficient backpacking food due to it's liquid character, and even honey doesn't have the nutritional punch of complex carbs.

The Weasel

Mike Drinkuth
09-12-2002, 09:23
Thanks weasel!
This is encouraging! With honey i was also worried about the "sticky factor". I just thought i'd need the sugar provided by it. So, I need to brush up on my nutritional knoweledge BIG TIME!

"tasty carbs, dried veggies and non-fat protein sources, including a lot of sweet stuff that doesn't have chocolate or cream in it."


Dried veggies I understand...Non-fat protien sources sound like luna bars, cliff bars, etc...Sweet stuff w/o chocolate or cream...all i'm thinkin of is like hard candy but i'm sure i'm overlooking something...(it IS early in the morning) The rest I need help with. So many questions....too many to hit you with on here....do you know of a book you might recommend?
Thanks for your input....my diet is a HUGE concern for me next year!
Mike
:p

The Weasel
09-12-2002, 16:48
Mike:

First, some protein sources:

(1) Beans, beans, beans. Don't worry about gas; either it's a minor problem given the amount of walking, or put a one "restaurant" packet of mustard in. Best way to have them is in beans-and-rice mixes. There are a LOT of choices in the rice aisle of your store. Dried beans are a pain to rehydrate unless they are a part of a package, eg Zatrain's or like that. Also, pea and lentil soups.

(2) TVP (textured vegetable protein). I don't like it, but others do. Largely tasteless, added to other soups/cassaroles.

(3) This is the best: Morningstar Farms Ground Meatless, available in many larger groceries (ask for it) in the "veggie burger" aisle. This is a "hamburger substitute", made from soy, comes in a 1# "tube" like some hamburger or sausage comes in. Can be dried (with a little soy or Worcestershire sauce, garlic, powdered garlic, minced onion) and when dried like that, has consistency and flavor like added burger.

(4) Soy powder. Ugh.

(5) Yellow Grits. (NOT "hominy", NOT "white grits", and NOT "yellow corn meal.") Has appreciable (not huge, but more than pasta) protein. See my other ravings about it in other threads. Also known as "polenta".

"Sweets"

(1) Dried fruit. Don't just go the BO-ring "raisins" route. Get a huge can of "tropical fruit cocktail" from a place like Sam's Club/Costco (about a gallon). This has papaya, guava, pineapple, all kinds of cool stuff. Drain and dry in a dehydrator. The residual syrup attaches to the GOOD fruit and.....YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

(2) Banana chips (bulk food store).

(3) Non-milk based candy: There is a LOT of the "jellied fruit slices" (orange, lemon), candy corn, and other stuff that is fairly compact (you only need a small amount for "dessert" if you really have a "sweet tooth" and no milk in it. Check out local gas stations for these, read the labels.

(4) Cocoa. NOT hot chocolate. COCOA. Hershey still makes cocoa powder (to make hot choc, you have to add milk) which is a GREAT way for a choc fix without the milk. Add to oatmeal for breakfast, sprinkle on dried fruit/gorp, or even make what I call "cocoa tea", i.e. cocoa powder with hot water.

Others will have more/better ideas.

The Weasel

Mike Drinkuth
09-12-2002, 17:35
Weasel, you're a scholar and a gentleman!
I'm printing, cutting, and taping it to my bedroom wall.
While i've been lactose intolerent for many years, i've not always taken the best care to eat just right. It's my thru hike goal that has prompted me to start learning all about the food I eat so i'm starting from almost nil here and this is very valuable info!!!!
Thank you Thank you Thank you!
Mike :D

wacocelt
09-12-2002, 17:57
Carob, it's an acquired taste, but folks use it as a chocolate substitute. I personally find it to be a great change of pace on occasion. You can find a ton of recipes and 'energy bar' type foods made with carob. Just by doing an 'Ask Jeeves' search I found a few. Hope this idea helps.
Crazy 8 Carob Cake

3 c. Unbleached flour
1 1/2 c. Honey
1/3 c. Carob powder
2 tsp. Vinegar
2 tsp. Baking soda
1 tsp. Salt
2/3 c. Olive oil
2 c. Water

Mix all ingredients together. Bake in Bundt pan 35 to 45 minutes, cupcakes 25 to 30 minutes. Bake in 9x12 cake pan for 30 minutes.


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Carob Date Loaf

1 cup pitted dates, cut up
1-1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/4 cup carob powder
3 T. safflower shortening
3/4 cup, plus 1 T., boiling water
1 t. orange blossom water or vanilla extract
3/4 cup honey (warmed to pouring consistency)
1-1/4 cups whole wheat flour

Place the dates, baking soda, salt, and carob powder in a mixing bowl. Toss lightly with a fork. Add the shortening and boiling water, but
do not stir. Let stand 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Combine the eggs and orange blossom water or vanilla. Add the honey and flour, stirring until well blended. Add the date mixture, stirring
just to blend. Pour into a well-greased 9- by 5-inch loaf pan. Bake 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool
before removing from pan. Serve plain or top each slice with plain yogurt sweetened with a little honey.

VARIATION:
Replace carob powder with 3/4 cup chopped walnuts. Decrease the amount of boiling water by 1 tablespoon and replace honey with 1
cup sugar.

Yeild: 1 loaf or 16 slices.


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Carob Fudge Sauce
1 heaping tsp. carob
1/4 medium - large avocado
1/2 cup water
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
5 large dates
16 drops vanilla extract

Pit and chop the dates. Place in the water to soak. Either use
vanilla extract or substitute 1/2 shaved vanilla bean. Cut the
avocado in 1 inch chuncks. You can substitute 2 tsp. flax oil for the
avocado.

Blend the liquids and spices and 1/2 of the carob. While blender is
on, carefully drop in date pieces and add avocado. scoop into
bowl. Stir in remaining carob.

Most carob confections are like hardtack and will last mush mush longer than your average baked goods. You can also find carob chips to mix with Gorp.

The Weasel
09-13-2002, 02:19
Mike ----

I left out the really really really best "sweet", and one of the best lightweight backpacking foods: Fruit leathers. Make your own from applesauce easily or by making fruit purees in a blender and then drying in a dehydrator (easy) or your oven. Backpacker Magazine and other sources have a lot of recipes, but try this one:

2 cups applesauce, add 1 tsp cinnamon, mix well. Lay saran wrap on cookie sheet. Set oven to 140 degrees. Put mix on cookie sheet, spread evenly. Put in oven; prop oven door open 1 inch to allow moist air to leave oven. Dry for approx 4 hours until mix is "leathery". When finished, DO NOT TAKE FROM SARAN WRAP. Instead, roll saran wrap with mixture along LENGTHWISE side of cookie sheet. You will have a long rollup of the mixture. Use heavy knife to cut off ragged ends and then cut into 1-2" slices. To eat, unroll "wrap".

Hope this makes sense. I also use jams and jellies instead of making my own puree. I then either eat the leather as a snack or dessert or mix it into my oatmeal or other foods.

The Weasel

smokymtnsteve
12-30-2002, 19:57
I'm completely Vegan except for fish...would be glad to talk to you e-mail me a [email protected] the way I live in atlanta...sevannada is a great resource ..and as much as I like weasel he is completely wrong about soy powder...I know where to get some great soy powder..all soy powder is NOT created equal!

PushingDaisies
12-30-2002, 20:54
Have you heard of "Better Than Milk" powdered milk? It is soy based. It's more expensive than powdered milk, and can usually be found only in health food type stores. At least that's the only place I have seen it before! :D

I haven't tried it, but remember reading that it has a better taste than regular powder milk.

Ann
12-31-2002, 11:48
I use "Better than Milk" all the time. It's a great product. I package it in with cold cereals, oatmeal, instant puddings, whole wheat couscous with Medjool dates, create cocoa mixes with Ghirardelli Chocolate Mocha and my own home concoctions of chai teas. I usually use the Vanilla flavor but it is available in Carob and Plain. This website gives the nutritional information of the product.

http://www.healthyroads.com/MyStore/Content/Ingredients.asp?sku=057-004

That link is for the Vanilla version, the plain would be a bit healthier.

(I have never ordered from them, only used this site instead of copying all the info from the canister in my kitchen.)

I get it through my local natural foods store but have seen it on the internet in bulk quantities. I cannot speak for the availability of natural food stores along the AT, so I don't know if it is something that is easily obtained, or is something to consider as a bounce box item if you decide you like it and want to use it.

RagingHampster
12-31-2002, 12:12
I don't bring anything on the trail with milk in it except for chocolate anyways. Even that I can live without.

Fatty meat is the best source of nutrition there is. Calorie/Protein/Fat/Vitamin rich, Pemmican (shredded jerky and rendered fat molded into hockey pucks) made by the Natve Americans is like the ultimate powerbar, but goes bad after too much time... Speaking of PowerBars, anyone here actually force these things down? They remind me of drywall with frosting.

I've heard that a diet consisting of Rare Steak and Tossed Salad provides all the nutrition a person requires. The salad is needed only for Vitamin C.

LOL, I still like that quote from another forum memeber that "Vegetarian" is an old Native American word meaning "Poor Hunter".