What is the best protein powder for dairy allergy?

drink wholesome is the best protein powder for dairy allergy.

Written by Jack Schrupp & endorsed by Baylee Reller, RDN

What is a dairy allergy?

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A dairy allergy, also known as a milk allergy, is an adverse immune response to proteins in milk and dairy products. It is one of the most common food allergies, especially in infants and young children. Dairy contains several proteins that can trigger an allergic reaction, the two most common being casein and whey.

When someone with a dairy allergy consumes casein and whey, their immune system mistakenly identifies these proteins as harmful and mounts an immune response. This response can cause rashes, swelling, digestive symptoms, respiratory issues,  and, in severe cases, anaphylaxis.

Dairy allergies are different from lactose intolerance, which is the inability to completely digest lactose, the sugar in milk. Lactose intolerance typically causes gastrointestinal side effects like gas, bloating, and diarrhea, whereas a dairy allergy involves an immune response that can lead to a wider range of symptoms.

What is the best protein powder for dairy allergy?

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If you have a dairy allergy, you cannot consume protein powders made with casein or whey protein. You must also avoid common dairy-based food additives like sodium caseinate. Depending on the severity of your allergy, even small amounts of ingredients like these can trigger an allergic reaction. 

Keep in mind that “non dairy” does not mean “dairy-free.” Many companies label their products as “non dairy” when they contain whey or another dairy derivative. Likewise, lactose-free does not mean dairy-free. Some whey protein powders have had virtually all of the lactose removed, but they are certainly not dairy-free.

If you have a dairy allergy, or any food allergy, is it essential that you read the ingredient label. Food and supplement manufacturers are required to declare major food allergens like dairy, either in parentheses following the name of the ingredient, or immediately after the list of ingredients in a “contains” statement. Example: “Contains Milk.”

As long as a protein powder does not contain whey, casein, or a dairy-based food additives, it will be safe for people with dairy allergies. That said, not all dairy-free protein powders are created equal. Unfortunately, many protein powders are made with so much processing and so many added ingredients that they look nothing like real food, which is not a good thing. Keep reading to learn more. 

Why drink wholesome? 

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drink wholesome is additive-free.

One of the reasons why we make the best protein powder for dairy-allergy is that we do not use any food additives whatsoever. Added ingredients like emulsifiers, thickeners, flavors, and sweeteners, even if used in small amounts, are hard to break down because they do not look like real food. They therefore spend extra time in your gut, feeding your gut bacteria, which produce gas. Extra gas can cause bloating, flatulence, stomach pain, and even constipation.

In some cases, incompletely digested food additives can also cause your colon to absorb extra water. This can give you diarrhea. Basically, many of the food additives used in protein powder are known to cause painful side effects, and should be avoided at all costs. 

Here is a list of the most common food additives in protein powder:

acacia gum, acesulfame potassium, artificial flavors, aspartame, carrageenan, cellulose gum, dextrin, dextrose, erythritol, gellan gum, guar gum, gum arabic, inulin, locust bean gum, “natural” flavors, maltodextrin, rice syrup solids, soy lecithin, silica, sucralose, sunflower lecithin, xanthan gum, xylitol

In the long term, regularly consuming food additives can disturb regulatory pathways in your intestines, setting the stage for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other chronic inflammation conditions. Some additives, like artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols, can also disrupt your gut microbiome – the community of microorganisms living in your gut. An unhealthy gut microbiome is a leading driver of inflammation in the body, and associated with the development of a number of chronic diseases.

our ingredients: 

egg whites, coconut, maple sugar, vanilla

the alternative:

Protein Matrix Comprised of (Whey Protein Concentrate,  Whey Protein Isolate, Calcium Caseinate, Micellar Casein, Milk Protein Isolate, Egg Albumen, Glutamine Peptides), Polydextrose, Sunflower Creamer (Sunflower Oil, Corn Syrup Solids,  Sodium Caseinate, Mono- and Diglycerides, Dipotassium Phosphate, Tricalcium Phosphate, Soy Lecithin, Tocopherols), Natural and Artificial Flavor, MCT Powder (Medium Chain Triglycerides, Nonfat Dry Milk, Disodium Phosphate, Silicon Dioxide), Lecithin, Cellulose Gum, Salt, Yellow 5, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, Papain, Bromelain

drink wholesome is made with real foods.

A final reason why we make the best protein powder for dairy-allergy is that we do not use protein concentrates or isolates. Nearly all other protein supplements contain one or both of these protein sources, which are the product of extensive mechanical and chemical processing.

Most foods do not contain enough protein in their natural form to be used in protein supplements, and must be stripped of their non-protein components. Sometimes, solvents like hexane are used to extract the protein, meaning what you put into your protein shake looks little to nothing like real food.

Your digestive system is designed to handle unprocessed or minimally-processed foods, not artificial or refined ingredients. This is why regularly consuming heavily-processed protein concentrates and isolates can damage your gut microbiome. 

As might have guessed, your gut microbiome does more than simply digest food. It also serves as a defense against harmful pathogens, contributes to educating your immune system, and influences most of your bodily functions. Foods that disrupt your guts composition and function are therefore not something you want to be eating.

Instead of using protein concentrates or isolates, we make the best protein powder for dairy-allergy with egg whites and almonds. The egg whites are pasteurized and dried, and the almonds are roasted, pressed to remove some oil, and ground. In comparison to what it takes to make protein concentrates and isolates, this is hardly processing. This is also why our egg whites and almonds are so gut-friendly. 

Unlike protein concentrates and isolates, whole foods like egg whites and almonds contain enzymes and natural digestive aids that facilitate easy digestion. Egg whites are also particularly easy to digest because they are low in fiber, low FODMAP, and alkaline. Our customers have reported fewer side effects with our egg white protein powder than with any other type of protein supplement.

For those unable to eat eggs, our vegan almond protein powder is an excellent alternative. Almonds bring prebiotic properties to the table, enhancing your gut microbiome’s diversity while also promoting regular and healthy bowel movements. In a nutshell, our dairy-free protein powders are also additive-free and minimally-processed, making them a safe choice for almost everyone. 

★★★★★

easy to digest

“I can’t have dairy, gluten, or soy, but I can have eggs, so this has been a game changer. I add it to everything. It’s an easy to add some protein to my diet. Easy on the stomach too.” – Martha

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