How to Find the Best Protein Powder Without Milk Products
📌 Overview and Key Takeaways
This is a Certified Nutrition Coach’s guide on how to find the best protein powder without milk products.
Discover how to meet your protein needs without dairy.
What Are Milk Products in Protein Powder?
Why Should I Use Protein Powder Without Milk Products?
A milk product is any food, beverage, or ingredient made from milk or derived from milk.
Common milk products include cheese, yogurt, butter, whey, and casein.
Some food additives are also milk products.
A popular example is sodium caseinate, which is added to many products, including protein powder, as an emulsifier and thickener.
If you are wondering if your protein powder contains milk or a milk derivative, just read the ingredient list.
Supplement manufacturers are required to declare major food allergens, such as milk, either in parentheses following the name of the ingredient, or immediately after the list of ingredients in a “contains” statement (FDA, 2024).
And if you are wondering if protein powder without milk products is right for you, consider the following:
What Is the Best Protein Powder Without Milk Products?
A protein powder without milk products is necessarily dairy-free.
Keep in mind that “non-dairy” does not mean dairy-free.
Non-dairy is an FDA-regulated term that permits small amounts of milk derivatives.
Also note that “lactose-free” does not mean “dairy-free.”
Some protein powders have had virtually all of the lactose “removed” (broken down) by addition of the enzyme lactase.
But the milk proteins (whey and casein) remain fully intact.
All whey and casein proteins are dairy (milk) products.
It is worth adding that dairy-based proteins like whey and casein often cause digestive issues because they contain lactose.
But you might be sensitive to dairy-based proteins even if you are not lactose intolerant.
This is especially true for casein protein, which forms a gel-like substance in your stomach that slows down digestion (Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 2023).
It is also worth noting that if you have a sensitive stomach, milk products are not the only thing you should avoid.
Many protein powders contain several other ingredients known to cause painful digestive issues and even long-term gut health problems.
🚫 Avoid Food Additives
Emulsifiers, thickeners, and other ultra-processed additives can alter the composition and function of your gut microbiome (North Clin Istanb, 2020).
These shifts, known as gut dysbiosis, have been linked to a number of chronic digestive issues (JGH Open, 2021).
Gut dysbiosis is so problematic because it causes a cascade of problems, including intestinal permeability and systemic inflammation.
⚠️ Here is a list of the most common food additives in protein supplements:
- 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 probably a food additive.
🚫 Avoid Protein Concentrates and Isolates
If you have a sensitive stomach, you might also want to avoid protein concentrates and isolates.
Most protein supplements 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 supplements made from minimally-processed protein sources like egg whites and almonds.
They are more gut-friendly.
Order Samples to see for yourself.
Sources
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Have Food Allergies? Read the Label. 2024.
- European Journal of Endocrinology (Eur J Endocrinol). MECHANISMS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY: Estrogens in consumer milk: is there a risk to human reproductive health? 2018.
- The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Management of Acne Vulgaris: A Review. 2021.
- Northern Clinics of Istanbul (North Clin Istanb). Food additives and microbiota. 2020.
- JGH Open (JGH Open). Gut microbiota dysbiosis in functional gastrointestinal disorders: Underpinning the symptoms and pathophysiology. 2021.
- Nutrients (Nutrients). Effect of a Protein Supplement on the Gut Microbiota of Endurance Athletes: A Randomized, Controlled, Double-Blind Pilot Study. 2018.
- Molecular Nutrition & Food Research (Mol Nutr Food Res). In Vitro Fermentation of Animal and Plant Protein Isolates by the Human Gut Microbiota Under High and Low Carbohydrate Conditions. 2024.
Editorial Guidelines
This article was written by a Certified Nutrition Coach and reviewed by a Registered Dietitian. We rely on peer-reviewed research and trusted medical sources, and regularly update our content to ensure accuracy and clarity.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Drink Wholesome for?
Drink Wholesome makes minimally-processed protein powder for sensitive stomachs. Because our protein powder is additive, dairy, and gluten-free and made from a short list of simple ingredients, it’s a great option for people with lactose intolerance, IBS, GERD, and SIBO.
Why is Drink Wholesome easy to digest?
No Dairy
Drink Wholesome is made without whey and casein, which often contain lactose, a sugar most people can’t fully digest. Some caseins also release a bioactive peptide during digestion that has been linked to digestive issues in some individuals.
No Additives
Drink Wholesome is made without food additives. Regularly eating certain emulsifiers, thickeners, and other ultra-processed additives can contribute to gut dysbiosis, which has been linked to chronic digestive issues.
Whole Food Protein
Other protein powders are made from ultra-processed protein concentrates and isolates, which have been mechanically and/or chemically stripped of non-protein components that promote digestion. Drink Wholesome, on the other hand, is made from whole food protein sources, which might be more gut-friendly.
Collagen vs egg white vs almond protein powder?
We make three types of minimally-processed Protein Powder for sensitive stomachs: Collagen Protein Powder, Egg White Protein Powder, and Vegan Almond Protein Powder. As long as you eat a balanced diet, any type of protein powder can help you meet your protein needs. So just pick the type that best suits your personal preferences.
Ask our dietitian.
If you’re wondering which of our products is best for you, ask our Registered Dietitian. They’ll reply via email within 24 hours.
High Protein Blueberry Pancakes
PREP TIME
5 min
COOK TIME
5 min
SERVES
2
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Drink Wholesome
- ⅓ cup flour
- 2 egg whites
- ¼ cup plant milk
- 1 tbsp nut butter
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 cup blueberries
Instructions
In a blender, combine the egg whites, milk, ¼ cup blueberries, and almond butter. Pour the mixture into a small mixing bowl and add the protein powder and flour. Whisk until smooth. Pour ⅓ cup batter onto a heated and greased (or non-stick) pan to form pancakes. Cook each side for 2-3 minutes. This recipe makes 4-5 pancakes. Then, in a small saucepan, heat ¾ cup blueberries and the maple syrup over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes. Plate the pancakes and spoon blueberry jam on top.
Author(s)
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