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Casein Foods
Drink a glass of milk and its there.
Eat a chunk of cheese and its there. Have some McDonald’s fries and there it is again. What is it? Casein. A phosphoprotein found in milk and cheese, casein is a large part of an average diet, although people are rarely aware of its presence. However for people with food allergies, autism, or cancer casein is an ever-present concern.
Casein protein, because of its chemical make-up, is not susceptible to being denatured. This means it will not break down or lose structure due to heat or acid. For this reason Casein products are used in some non-dairy foods to help maintain the consistency or structure in the food. Casein foods are virtually everywhere. Most children are raised with milk and cheese as a basic dietary staple and develop a dependency on casein very early in life.
Weight lifters sometimes use casein protein powder as a source of amino acids because of the slow digestion rate. Casein is high in glutamine which is the primary amino acid in muscles and body tissue. It helps build lean muscle tissue and is a large part of a protein nutrition based diet.
While most adults are able to digest casein with no problems, studies have shown some adults and children, particularly children with autism are unable to digest casein protein properly which leads it to act as an opiate in the person’s system and hamper brain development. Many studies on autism recommend a casein-free diet to help with behavior and response issues including eye-contact, attention span development, aggression and mood swings.
Parents are encouraged to use a physician’s guidance in beginning a casein-free diet for their child because of the body’s dependence on the protein.
Eating a casein-free diet is not an easy task. Casein is not only found in milk and cheese but also in non-dairy products such as soy cheeses, and cereals. Keeping your child from things like cereal, ice-cream and pizza can be difficult. McDonald’s uses a casein-based product in their french fries.
There are books and diet plans available for people who want a casein free diet that offer lists of foods with casein protein and casein free substitutes.
Research has also been conducted on possible links between casein and cancer. Studies done on breast and colon cancer reveal the presence of milk and casein-high diets can affect cancer because the protein can feed cancer cells and stimulate tumor growth. Many of these studies are still under review and a definite link between casein protein and cancer has yet to be fully established. Casein has also been shown to take away positive effects of tea in fighting cardiovascular disease.
Once someone puts milk in their tea the molecules are no longer able to help the arteries relax.
Researchers and nutritionists continue to offer words of caution in regard to casein protein but also remind us that a healthy diet exists in a balance of things. No person eats casein as the only dietary protein and is unlikely to incur the effects of studies where high levels of casein are introduced. While many studies suggest plant proteins are far superior to animal proteins like casein, a diet made of wise choices is the best choice. Awareness of casein and its presence in dairy products is the first step to understanding how best to regulate your eating habits.
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