Casein = Dairy = Not safe? HELP PLEASE! - Diet & Nutrition Message Board

janiee · 09-27-2003, 10:22 PM

Hi!

I really need some advice. I've been a vegan for about 3 years now... I never really ate much dairy in the past, just cheese and well, let's just say I'm sufferin' now. ;D I've tried soy cheese substitutes, but the ones without casein really taste awful... and I'm not even quite sure what casein really is, beyond a milk protein...

I stopped with dairy because of my extreme fear of the Mad Cow disease epidemic going around. My question is:

Is there a risk of mad cow disease in dairy OR the casein protein?? Please tell me.. it's important...

Thanks-
Jan

Shane S · 09-28-2003, 12:09 AM

While dairy products carry the risk of getting mad cow disease (this has been established with milk, but I haven't heard of any link between casein and mad cow disease yet), the odds of getting the disease anywhere in the world are so microscopic that I wouldn't remove dairy (or anything else) from my diet for that reason alone. Do not be misled by the hype. There is no cause for alarm in the foreseeable future, and even the worst case long-term estimates are extremely mild.

fishnets · 09-28-2003, 12:14 PM

I doubt it. Though if you ate it, you wouldn't be considered vegan. I wish "veggie cheese"'s would stop putting milk in them!! Kind of defeats the purpose you know?

janiee · 09-28-2003, 06:59 PM

Yeah, it does defeat the purpose. It sucks.

Someone told me casein is more harmful (mad cow disease wise) because it's the PROTEIN from milk-- and the disease is a protein, right?...

Just wish I knew what to do here.

Rogue · 09-29-2003, 02:57 PM

fishnets,

Actually Vegans are people that will have NOTHING to do with animal products or by products.

So if you eat eggs and drink milk then you would be considered a vegetarian.

If you eat fish then you would not be considered a vegetarian or a vegan.