How to Find the Best Gluten and Dairy-Free Protein Powder​

📌 Overview and Key Takeaways

This is a Certified Nutrition Coach’s guide on how to find the best gluten and dairy-free protein powder​​.

Discover how to meet your protein needs without gluten or dairy.

Last Updated
Jul 21, 2026

Author and Medical Reviewer

Written by Jack, CNC

Jack is a National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Nutrition Coach.

Disclaimer: This communication is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for personalized medical advice. Consult a licensed healthcare professional before making changes to your diet.

Gluten and Dairy-Free Protein Powder

Why Might You Want to Avoid Gluten?

Someone might choose to avoid gluten for three medically-recognized reasons: celiac disease, wheat allergy, and non-celiac wheat/gluten sensitivity.

• Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder triggered by gluten (a protein in wheat, barley, and rye), leading to intestinal inflammation, malabsorption, and a wide range of digestive symptoms.
• Non-celiac gluten sensitivity is characterized by symptoms such as bloating, fatigue, and headaches in the absence of celiac disease.
• Wheat allergy involves an immune response to wheat proteins, including gluten, which can cause sudden symptoms like hives, swelling, respiratory issues, and in severe cases, anaphylaxis.

There is also evidence that gluten-free diets can help with certain conditions, such dermatitis herpetiformis, as well as some autoimmune or neurological conditions, though the evidence varies (Neurology, 2017).

Additionally, some people report improvement in chronic digestive symptoms, such as those seen in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), when avoiding gluten, even without a formal diagnosis of the above conditions.

Keep in mind that mainstream nutrition research does not support gluten avoidance for people without a medical reason, as gluten-free foods are often lower in fiber and other nutrients than their conventional counterparts.

Why Might You Want to Avoid Dairy?

There are several reasons why someone might choose to avoid dairy products, including:

• Lactose Intolerance – Many people do not have enough lactase enzyme to digest lactose (a sugar in milk), leading to bloating, diarrhea, and other digestive issues.
• Milk Allergy – Some people are allergic to milk proteins (casein or whey), which cause an immune response ranging from hives and digestive issues to anaphylaxis in severe cases.
• Acne – Some research suggests a link between dairy consumption and acne, possibly due to hormones naturally present in milk (JAMA, 2021).
• Digestive issues – People with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or other chronic digestive issues sometimes find dairy worsens their symptoms.

People also choose to avoid dairy for cultural, ethical, or environmental reasons.

If you are considering cutting out dairy, just be sure to consume enough calcium and vitamin D from other sources like leafy greens and fish.

It is worth adding that most elimination diets – including the Low-FODMAP, Whole30, Paleo, and Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diets – avoid both gluten and dairy, since they are among the most common food sensitivity triggers.

Is Protein Powder Gluten and Dairy-Free?

Most protein powders are gluten-free, but to be sure, read the ingredient list.

Avoid ingredients like “modified food starch,” “maltodextrin,” or “dextrin” as these can be derived from wheat.

Fiber or prebiotic “blends” and natural flavors can also contain ingredients that come from wheat.

And unless they are certified gluten-free, be careful with oats, as contamination with gluten can occur during processing.

To be safe, you can also choose protein powders that are certified gluten-free by a reputable organization or third-party tested for gluten.

Look for less than 10-20 ppm of gluten.

Some brands publish these test results while others make them available upon request.

Some protein powders are dairy-free.

Keep in mind that dairy-free means no milk or milk-derived ingredients.

This includes whey, casein, and dairy-based food additives like sodium caseinate.

To be sure that a protein powder is dairy-free, look for “dairy-free,” “vegan,” or “plant-based.”

If a protein powder contains dairy, a common allergen, it will also appear on the ingredient list.

It will say something like “Contains: Milk.”

What Is the Best Dairy and Gluten-Free Protein Powder?

Not all dairy and gluten-free protein powders are created equal.

For most people, there is no advantage to using one type of protein powder over another in the long-term (J Nutr, 2023).

Ingredients do matter, however, especially if you have pre-existing digestive issues.

🚫 Avoid Food Additives

Regularly eating emulsifiers, thickeners, and other ultra-processed additives can alter the composition and function of your gut microbiome – the collection of microorganisms living in your digestive tract (North Clin Istan, 2019).

These shifts, known as gut dysbiosis, have been linked to the development of chronic digestive issues like IBS (JGH Open, 2021).

They are also associated with both celiac disease and lactose intolerance and might contribute to their progression, though the exact causal relationship remains incompletely understood (Eur J Nutr, 2020) (Mediators Inflamm, 2025).

⚠️ Here is a list of the most common food additives in protein shakes and powders:

• acacia fiber
• acacia gum
• acesulfame potassium
• artificial flavors
• ascorbic acid
• aspartame
• calcium carbonate
• carrageenan
• cellulose gum
• dextrin
• dicalcium phosphate
• dipotassium phosphate
• erythritol
• gellan gum
• guar gum
• gum arabic
• inulin
• locust bean gum
• maltitol
• maltodextrin
• mono- and diglycerides
• ‘natural’ flavors
• rice bran extract
• rice dextrin
• rice hulls
• rosemary extract
• silica
• silicon dioxide
• sodium alginate
• soluble corn fiber
• sorbitol
• soy lecithin
• sucralose
• sunflower lecithin
• tocopherols
• tricalcium phosphate
• xanthan gum
• xylitol
• zinc oxide

As a rule of thumb, if you cannot find an ingredient in nature or make it at home, it is a food additive.

🚫 Avoid Protein Concentrates and Isolates

If you have pre-existing gut issues or even just a sensitive stomach, you might also want to avoid protein concentrates and isolates.

Most protein shakes and powders are made from one or both of these ultra-processed protein sources, which have been mechanically and/or chemically stripped of everything but the protein.

This includes the enzymes, fiber, and other natural digestive aids that help you break them down.

You therefore do not digest them in the same way that you do whole foods, which could affect your gut health.

For example, one study shows that regularly consuming protein concentrates and isolates might disrupt your gut microbiome (Nutrients, 2018).

Another study shows that it could cause the formation of toxic byproducts in your gut (Mol Nutr Food Res, 2024).

Although further research is needed, individuals with sensitive stomachs can play it safe by choosing protein shakes and powders made from minimally-processed protein sources like egg whites and almonds.

They are more gut-friendly.

Order Samples to see for yourself.

Sources

1. Neurology Journals (Neurology). Effect of gluten-free diet on cerebellar MR spectroscopy in gluten ataxia. 2017.
2. Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Management of Acne Vulgaris: A Review. 2021.
3. Journal of Nutrition (J Nutr). Vegan and Omnivorous High Protein Diets Support Comparable Daily Myofibrillar Protein Synthesis Rates and Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy in Young Adults. 2023.
4. Northern Clinics of Istanbul (North Clin Istan). Food additives and microbiota. 2019.
5. European Journal of Nutrition (Eur J Nutr). Role of the gut microbiota in the pathogenesis of coeliac disease and potential therapeutic implications. 2020.
6. Mediators of Inflammation (Mediators Inflamm). Gut Microbiota in Lactose Intolerance: A Mendelian Randomization Study on Microbial Mechanisms and Potential Links to Tumor Inflammatory Microenvironments. 2025.
7. Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Open (JGH Open). Gut microbiota dysbiosis in functional gastrointestinal disorders: Underpinning the symptoms and pathophysiology. 2021.
8. Nutrients (Nutrients). Effect of a protein supplement on the gut microbiota of endurance athletes. 2018.
9. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research (Mol Nutr Food Res). In vitro fermentation of animal and plant protein isolates by the human gut microbiota under low and high carbohydrate conditions. 2024.

Editorial Guidelines

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Our articles are written by a Certified Nutrition Coach and medically reviewed by a Registered Dietitian. We rely on peer-reviewed research and trusted medical sources, and we regularly update our content to ensure accuracy and clarity.