Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is It?Benefits and RisksEat vs. AvoidNutritionFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Is It?
Benefits and Risks
Eat vs. Avoid
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Dairy can play an important nutritional role in your diet because it’s rich in nutrients likecalcium,protein, and vitamins. But it’s not the onlysource of those nutrients. Many people choose to follow a dairy-free diet because of an allergy or intolerance, personal preference, or ethical reasons.
While it may sound challenging to eliminate all dairy from your diet, with the right nutritional substitutions, going dairy-free can be a healthy, stress-free option.
This article discusses the health benefits of a dairy-free diet and provides tips on nutritional considerations to get started. It also presents a few risks and disadvantages of the diet change.
What Is a Dairy-Free Diet?
Simply put, a dairy-free diet excludes all (or most)dairy products. This includes milk from any animal in addition to foods and drinks that contain milk, such as cheese, yogurt, butter, and cream.
Are Vegan and Dairy-Free the Same Thing?
You might be wondering whether a vegan diet is a dairy-free diet. Though they do have similarities, they’re not quite the same.
One way to think of it is that while all vegan food is dairy-free, but not all dairy-free food is vegan.
As with any diet, there are benefits and potential risks to going dairy-free. This is because deleting a food group subsequently removes calories and nutrients from your diet.
The benefits and risks of a dairy-free diet can vary depending on the person, their understanding of a balanced diet, current dietary patterns, and individual needs.
Benefits and Advantages
One benefit to a dairy-free diet is that it is considered generally safe to follow indefinitely as long as nutritional needs are met.
In addition, a dairy-free diet is beneficial for those who have:
Relief from uncomfortable symptoms like bloating, gas, abdominal pain, anddiarrheacan resolve within a few days after you stop eating dairy products.
Risks and Disadvantages
You may lose weight if you cut out dairy due to lower fat intake, but that can lead to concern over nutrients your body needs, too. Dairy can be a major source of calcium andvitamin D, and deficiencies in those nutrients can potentially lead tobone densityissues.
Another disadvantage worth mentioning is that many milk substitutes and other dairy-free items are significantly more expensive than their dairy counterparts and are not found in all grocery stores across the country. The cost andavailability factorsmake going without dairy less accessible to people living in historically marginalized communities, contributing to barriers to healthy eating and health equity.
Lastly, making a major change to your diet like strictly avoiding dairy can be challenging and will require some planning ahead on grocery shopping and cooking.
Pros and Cons of Going Dairy-FreeAdvantages of going dairy-free:Generally safe and can be followed as long as nutritional needs are metHelps ease discomfort of lactose intolerance or dairy allergyMay potentially help contribute to weight lossDrawbacks to going dairy-free:Not getting enough nutrientsCostly or inaccessible alternate foodsVan be difficult and requires planning to meet nutritional needs
Pros and Cons of Going Dairy-Free
Advantages of going dairy-free:Generally safe and can be followed as long as nutritional needs are metHelps ease discomfort of lactose intolerance or dairy allergyMay potentially help contribute to weight lossDrawbacks to going dairy-free:Not getting enough nutrientsCostly or inaccessible alternate foodsVan be difficult and requires planning to meet nutritional needs
Advantages of going dairy-free:
Drawbacks to going dairy-free:
Foods to Eat vs. Foods to Avoid
Figuring out what you should and should not eat on a dairy-free diet is a first step to getting started.
In general, you’ll want to look for and eat:
In general, you’ll want to avoid:
You can eat eggs while on a dairy-free diet because, despite popular belief, they are not dairy products. An egg-free diet and a dairy-free diet are different.
How to Read Food Labels
By law, food products containing any of the ninemajor food allergensare required to have plain-language labels (such as “contains dairy”) to help people avoid them.Milk is one of those allergens, but it’s still a good idea to read the label and ingredients list carefully.
Restaurant EatingNote that these labeling requirements do not apply to restaurant foods. If in doubt, ask your server if a particular dish is dairy-free.
Restaurant Eating
Note that these labeling requirements do not apply to restaurant foods. If in doubt, ask your server if a particular dish is dairy-free.
Dairy-Free Nutrition
While the Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends low-fat dairy products as part of a balanced diet, it acknowledges that there are other ways to meet your nutritional needs if you can’t or prefer not to consume dairy.
The nutrients found in dairy foods—like calcium and vitamin D—help support bone health andimmune function, so you’ll need to get enough of those nutrients from another source.
Further, if you cut dairy from your diet for health or potential weight loss reasons, make sure you’re stillconsuming enough calorieseach day to keep your body functioning properly.
Calcium and Vitamin D for Bone Health
Meal Planning When Dairy-Free
To help build a healthy meal plan, first focus on getting in three to five servings of fruit and vegetables in per day. From there, you have several options for dairy-free alternatives:
Summary
A dairy-free diet excludes animal milks and any products that contain them. Some people choose to go dairy-free because they have an allergy or intolerance, while others have a personal or ethical preference. Because dairy is a source of necessary nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, and protein, experts recommend making sure to incorporate other sources of those nutrients into your daily meals.
If you’re considering going dairy-free, check with a healthcare provider first, particularly if you have an underlying health condition. They’ll be able to discuss the risks and benefits of a dairy-free diet based on your individual situation, or refer you to anutritionist or dietitian.
Remember that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to any of the various diet options and feel encouraged to follow what works best for you and your overall health.
Cutting any food group out of your diet may require an adjustment period for your body. For example, some research suggests changes when caseins in dairy foods (and related casomorphins) are withdrawn, which can lead to digestive symptoms, irritability, and more. But there’s mixed evidence on the benefits of caseins or their removal.Nor are there clearly proven risks.Learn MoreWhat Is Casein?
Cutting any food group out of your diet may require an adjustment period for your body. For example, some research suggests changes when caseins in dairy foods (and related casomorphins) are withdrawn, which can lead to digestive symptoms, irritability, and more. But there’s mixed evidence on the benefits of caseins or their removal.Nor are there clearly proven risks.
Learn MoreWhat Is Casein?
Learn MoreYour Digestive System and How It Works
A dairy-free product does not contain milk. A lactose-free product may still contain milk, but it’s been modified to remove the lactose (a natural sugar found in milk).Learn MoreWhat Is Lactose?
A dairy-free product does not contain milk. A lactose-free product may still contain milk, but it’s been modified to remove the lactose (a natural sugar found in milk).
Learn MoreWhat Is Lactose?
21 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Walsh J, Meyer R, Shah N, Quekett J, Fox AT.Differentiating milk allergy (IgE and non-IgE mediated) from lactose intolerance: understanding the underlying mechanisms and presentations.Br J Gen Pract. 2016;66(649):e609-611. doi:10.3399/bjgp16X686521Hodges JK, Cao S, Cladis DP, Weaver CM.Lactose intolerance and bone health: the challenge of ensuring adequate calcium intake.Nutrients. 2019;11(4). doi:10.3390/nu11040718Massachusetts General Hospital.Lactose-free v. dairy-free: How to tell the difference.Brigham and Women’s Hospital.Milk allergy diet for children: General guidelines for milk allergy.Rybicka I.Comparison of elimination diets: Minerals in gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free and low-protein breads.Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, Volume 118, 2023. doi:10.1016/j.jfca.2023.105204.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Food allergen labeling and consumer protection act of 2004 (FALCPA).U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Allergic to milk? Some dark chocolate labeled as dairy-free may still contain milk.University of Nebraska-Lincoln Food Allergy Research and Resource Program.Dairy-free and non-dairy?.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.CFR - Code of federal regulations title 21.U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture.2020–2025 dietary guidelines for Americans.International Dairy Federation.IDF Factsheet: Dairy’s role in supporting a healthy immune system.Vanga SK, Raghavan V.How well do plant-based alternatives fare nutritionally compared to cow’s milk?.Journal of Food Science and Technology. 2018;55(1):10-20. doi:10.1007/s13197-017-2915-yDrewnowski A, Henry CJ, Dwyer JT.Proposed nutrient standards for plant-based beverages intended as milk alternatives.Frontiers in Nutrition. 2021;8:761442. doi:10.3389/fnut.2021.761442National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Calcium: Fact sheet for health professionals.National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin D: Fact sheet for health professionals.National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Riboflavin: Fact sheet for health professionals.St-Jules DE, Jagannathan R, Gutekunst L, Kalantar-Zadeh K, Sevick MA.Examining the proportion of dietary phosphorus from plants, animals, and food additives excreted in urine.J Ren Nutr. 2017;27(2):78-83. doi:10.1053/j.jrn.2016.09.003National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Phosphorus: Fact sheet for health professionals.Thiruvengadam M, Venkidasamy B, Thirupathi P, Chung IM, Subramanian U.β-Casomorphin: A complete health perspective.Food Chem. 2021 Feb 1;337:127765. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.127765.de Vasconcelos ML, Oliveira LMFS, Hill JP, Vidal AMC.Difficulties in Establishing the Adverse Effects of β-Casomorphin-7 Released from β-Casein Variants-A Review.Foods. 2023 Aug 22;12(17):3151. doi:10.3390/foods12173151.Lee YY, Erdogan A, Rao SSC.How to assess regional and whole gut transit time with wireless motility capsule.J Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2014;20(2):265-270. doi:10.5056/jnm.2014.20.2.265
21 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Walsh J, Meyer R, Shah N, Quekett J, Fox AT.Differentiating milk allergy (IgE and non-IgE mediated) from lactose intolerance: understanding the underlying mechanisms and presentations.Br J Gen Pract. 2016;66(649):e609-611. doi:10.3399/bjgp16X686521Hodges JK, Cao S, Cladis DP, Weaver CM.Lactose intolerance and bone health: the challenge of ensuring adequate calcium intake.Nutrients. 2019;11(4). doi:10.3390/nu11040718Massachusetts General Hospital.Lactose-free v. dairy-free: How to tell the difference.Brigham and Women’s Hospital.Milk allergy diet for children: General guidelines for milk allergy.Rybicka I.Comparison of elimination diets: Minerals in gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free and low-protein breads.Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, Volume 118, 2023. doi:10.1016/j.jfca.2023.105204.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Food allergen labeling and consumer protection act of 2004 (FALCPA).U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Allergic to milk? Some dark chocolate labeled as dairy-free may still contain milk.University of Nebraska-Lincoln Food Allergy Research and Resource Program.Dairy-free and non-dairy?.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.CFR - Code of federal regulations title 21.U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture.2020–2025 dietary guidelines for Americans.International Dairy Federation.IDF Factsheet: Dairy’s role in supporting a healthy immune system.Vanga SK, Raghavan V.How well do plant-based alternatives fare nutritionally compared to cow’s milk?.Journal of Food Science and Technology. 2018;55(1):10-20. doi:10.1007/s13197-017-2915-yDrewnowski A, Henry CJ, Dwyer JT.Proposed nutrient standards for plant-based beverages intended as milk alternatives.Frontiers in Nutrition. 2021;8:761442. doi:10.3389/fnut.2021.761442National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Calcium: Fact sheet for health professionals.National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin D: Fact sheet for health professionals.National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Riboflavin: Fact sheet for health professionals.St-Jules DE, Jagannathan R, Gutekunst L, Kalantar-Zadeh K, Sevick MA.Examining the proportion of dietary phosphorus from plants, animals, and food additives excreted in urine.J Ren Nutr. 2017;27(2):78-83. doi:10.1053/j.jrn.2016.09.003National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Phosphorus: Fact sheet for health professionals.Thiruvengadam M, Venkidasamy B, Thirupathi P, Chung IM, Subramanian U.β-Casomorphin: A complete health perspective.Food Chem. 2021 Feb 1;337:127765. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.127765.de Vasconcelos ML, Oliveira LMFS, Hill JP, Vidal AMC.Difficulties in Establishing the Adverse Effects of β-Casomorphin-7 Released from β-Casein Variants-A Review.Foods. 2023 Aug 22;12(17):3151. doi:10.3390/foods12173151.Lee YY, Erdogan A, Rao SSC.How to assess regional and whole gut transit time with wireless motility capsule.J Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2014;20(2):265-270. doi:10.5056/jnm.2014.20.2.265
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Walsh J, Meyer R, Shah N, Quekett J, Fox AT.Differentiating milk allergy (IgE and non-IgE mediated) from lactose intolerance: understanding the underlying mechanisms and presentations.Br J Gen Pract. 2016;66(649):e609-611. doi:10.3399/bjgp16X686521Hodges JK, Cao S, Cladis DP, Weaver CM.Lactose intolerance and bone health: the challenge of ensuring adequate calcium intake.Nutrients. 2019;11(4). doi:10.3390/nu11040718Massachusetts General Hospital.Lactose-free v. dairy-free: How to tell the difference.Brigham and Women’s Hospital.Milk allergy diet for children: General guidelines for milk allergy.Rybicka I.Comparison of elimination diets: Minerals in gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free and low-protein breads.Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, Volume 118, 2023. doi:10.1016/j.jfca.2023.105204.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Food allergen labeling and consumer protection act of 2004 (FALCPA).U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Allergic to milk? Some dark chocolate labeled as dairy-free may still contain milk.University of Nebraska-Lincoln Food Allergy Research and Resource Program.Dairy-free and non-dairy?.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.CFR - Code of federal regulations title 21.U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture.2020–2025 dietary guidelines for Americans.International Dairy Federation.IDF Factsheet: Dairy’s role in supporting a healthy immune system.Vanga SK, Raghavan V.How well do plant-based alternatives fare nutritionally compared to cow’s milk?.Journal of Food Science and Technology. 2018;55(1):10-20. doi:10.1007/s13197-017-2915-yDrewnowski A, Henry CJ, Dwyer JT.Proposed nutrient standards for plant-based beverages intended as milk alternatives.Frontiers in Nutrition. 2021;8:761442. doi:10.3389/fnut.2021.761442National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Calcium: Fact sheet for health professionals.National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin D: Fact sheet for health professionals.National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Riboflavin: Fact sheet for health professionals.St-Jules DE, Jagannathan R, Gutekunst L, Kalantar-Zadeh K, Sevick MA.Examining the proportion of dietary phosphorus from plants, animals, and food additives excreted in urine.J Ren Nutr. 2017;27(2):78-83. doi:10.1053/j.jrn.2016.09.003National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Phosphorus: Fact sheet for health professionals.Thiruvengadam M, Venkidasamy B, Thirupathi P, Chung IM, Subramanian U.β-Casomorphin: A complete health perspective.Food Chem. 2021 Feb 1;337:127765. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.127765.de Vasconcelos ML, Oliveira LMFS, Hill JP, Vidal AMC.Difficulties in Establishing the Adverse Effects of β-Casomorphin-7 Released from β-Casein Variants-A Review.Foods. 2023 Aug 22;12(17):3151. doi:10.3390/foods12173151.Lee YY, Erdogan A, Rao SSC.How to assess regional and whole gut transit time with wireless motility capsule.J Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2014;20(2):265-270. doi:10.5056/jnm.2014.20.2.265
Walsh J, Meyer R, Shah N, Quekett J, Fox AT.Differentiating milk allergy (IgE and non-IgE mediated) from lactose intolerance: understanding the underlying mechanisms and presentations.Br J Gen Pract. 2016;66(649):e609-611. doi:10.3399/bjgp16X686521
Hodges JK, Cao S, Cladis DP, Weaver CM.Lactose intolerance and bone health: the challenge of ensuring adequate calcium intake.Nutrients. 2019;11(4). doi:10.3390/nu11040718
Massachusetts General Hospital.Lactose-free v. dairy-free: How to tell the difference.
Brigham and Women’s Hospital.Milk allergy diet for children: General guidelines for milk allergy.
Rybicka I.Comparison of elimination diets: Minerals in gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free and low-protein breads.Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, Volume 118, 2023. doi:10.1016/j.jfca.2023.105204.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Food allergen labeling and consumer protection act of 2004 (FALCPA).
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Allergic to milk? Some dark chocolate labeled as dairy-free may still contain milk.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln Food Allergy Research and Resource Program.Dairy-free and non-dairy?.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.CFR - Code of federal regulations title 21.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture.2020–2025 dietary guidelines for Americans.
International Dairy Federation.IDF Factsheet: Dairy’s role in supporting a healthy immune system.
Vanga SK, Raghavan V.How well do plant-based alternatives fare nutritionally compared to cow’s milk?.Journal of Food Science and Technology. 2018;55(1):10-20. doi:10.1007/s13197-017-2915-y
Drewnowski A, Henry CJ, Dwyer JT.Proposed nutrient standards for plant-based beverages intended as milk alternatives.Frontiers in Nutrition. 2021;8:761442. doi:10.3389/fnut.2021.761442
National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Calcium: Fact sheet for health professionals.
National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin D: Fact sheet for health professionals.
National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Riboflavin: Fact sheet for health professionals.
St-Jules DE, Jagannathan R, Gutekunst L, Kalantar-Zadeh K, Sevick MA.Examining the proportion of dietary phosphorus from plants, animals, and food additives excreted in urine.J Ren Nutr. 2017;27(2):78-83. doi:10.1053/j.jrn.2016.09.003
National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Phosphorus: Fact sheet for health professionals.
Thiruvengadam M, Venkidasamy B, Thirupathi P, Chung IM, Subramanian U.β-Casomorphin: A complete health perspective.Food Chem. 2021 Feb 1;337:127765. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.127765.
de Vasconcelos ML, Oliveira LMFS, Hill JP, Vidal AMC.Difficulties in Establishing the Adverse Effects of β-Casomorphin-7 Released from β-Casein Variants-A Review.Foods. 2023 Aug 22;12(17):3151. doi:10.3390/foods12173151.
Lee YY, Erdogan A, Rao SSC.How to assess regional and whole gut transit time with wireless motility capsule.J Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2014;20(2):265-270. doi:10.5056/jnm.2014.20.2.265
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
