Skip to content

Top Navigation

Health.com Health.com
  • Health Conditions A-Z
  • News
  • Coronavirus
  • Diet & Nutrition
  • Fitness
  • Beauty
  • Mind & Body
  • Lifestyle
  • Weight Loss
  • Newsletter
  • Promo

Profile Menu

Join Now

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
My Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Health.com

Health.com Health.com
  • Explore

    Explore

    • Is Your Doctor Gaslighting You? Here's What to Do

      Is Your Doctor Gaslighting You? Here's What to Do

      How to handle a physician who doubts or dismisses your symptoms. Read More
    • 9 Signs It's More Serious Than the Common Cold

      9 Signs It's More Serious Than the Common Cold

      Doctors explain how to tell if you have a head cold or something more serious that requires medical attention, such as the flu, strep throat, meningitis, or mono. Read More
    • How Your Period Changes During Your 20s, 30s, and 40s

      How Your Period Changes During Your 20s, 30s, and 40s

      From easier cramps to a heavier flow, here's a guide on what to expect decade by decade. Read More
  • Health Conditions A-Z

    Health Conditions A-Z

    See All Health Conditions A-Z
    12 Anxiety Symptoms That Might Point to a Disorder

    12 Anxiety Symptoms That Might Point to a Disorder

    The symptoms of anxiety can be hard to detect. Here are the ones you need to pay attention to, and how to know if you may have an anxiety disorder.
    • Allergies
    • Anxiety
    • Birth Control
    • Breast Cancer
    • Coronavirus
    • Chronic Pain
    • Cold, Flu, and Sinus
    • Depression
    • Digestive Health
    • Diabetes (Type 2)
    • Eczema
    • Eye Health
    • Fibromyalgia
    • Heart Disease
    • Headaches and Migraines
    • Oral Health
    • Pregnancy
    • Psoriasis
    • Sexual Health
    • Skin Conditions
    • Sleep
    • Thyroid
  • News

    News

    See All News
    Shannen Doherty Reveals Stage 4 Breast Cancer Diagnosis—Here's What It Means

    Shannen Doherty Reveals Stage 4 Breast Cancer Diagnosis—Here's What It Means

    "I'm petrified," the actress said when she shared the news that her breast cancer came back. Here's why a stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis can be so frightening.
    • Celebrities
  • Coronavirus
  • Diet & Nutrition

    Diet & Nutrition

    The Best (and Worst) Diets of 2020, According to Experts

    The Best (and Worst) Diets of 2020, According to Experts

    FYI: The keto diet isĀ not number one.
    • Food
    • Nutrition
    • Vitamins and Supplements
    • Groceries
    • Restaurants
    • Diets
    • Keto Diet
    • Mediterranean Diet
    • Whole30
    • Recipes
  • Fitness

    Fitness

    See All Fitness
    10 Moves for a Cardio Workout at Home—No Equipment Required

    10 Moves for a Cardio Workout at Home—No Equipment Required

    Stay in your living room and still spike your heart rate.
    • Cardio Workouts
    • Strength Training
    • Yoga
    • Ab Workouts
    • Arm Workouts
    • Leg Workouts
    • Butt Workouts
    • Fitness Gear
  • Beauty

    Beauty

    See All Beauty
    These 13 Women Prove Every Body Is a Bikini Body

    These 13 Women Prove Every Body Is a Bikini Body

    We're loving their inspirational, body-positive messages.
    • Skincare
    • Makeup
    • Hair
    • Nails
  • Mind & Body

    Mind & Body

    See All Mind & Body
    Why Do People Lie? We Asked an Expert

    Why Do People Lie? We Asked an Expert

    Here's the truth about lying.
    • Body Positivity
    • Self-Care
    • Misdiagnosed
    • Invisible Illness
    • LGBTQ+ Health
    • Right to Care: Health Diversity and Inclusion
    • Resolution Reboot
    • Wellness Warriors
  • Lifestyle

    Lifestyle

    20 Things You Should Throw Away for Better Health

    20 Things You Should Throw Away for Better Health

    Clean out expired products and clutter to make way for a healthier you.
    • Healthy Home
    • Pets
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Style
    • Holidays
    • Sex
    • Gifts
    • Money
    • Tech
    • Medicare
    • Best Life Now
    • Health Reviews
  • Weight Loss
  • Newsletter
  • Promo

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Join Now

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
My Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

LIVE
  1. HomeChevron Right
  2. NutritionChevron Right
  3. How To Go On A Dairy-Free Diet—And 6 Things That Could Happen When You Do

How To Go On A Dairy-Free Diet—And 6 Things That Could Happen When You Do

By Kathleen Felton
Updated October 12, 2020
Skip gallery slides
Save Pin
lactose-intolerance
Credit: Getty Images
Before you say goodbye to ice cream and mozzarella, here's what you should know about going lactose-free.
Start Slideshow

1 of 9

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

What to know before you give up dairy

can-i-drink-milk-with-a-cold
Credit: Getty Images

Thinking about eliminating milk, cheese, butter, and other dairy products from your diet? You're not alone. Whether or not to give up dairy—and how to do it—is "one of the top questions I'm asked these days," says Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, Health's contributing nutrition editor.

One possible reason why so many people are ditching dairy? It's gotten the A-list stamp of approval: Jessica Biel has said she "just feels better" when she doesn't eat dairy, gluten, or wheat; Australian actress Margot Robbie told ELLE UK she avoids it when filming a movie because she thinks it causes breakouts. And earlier this year, Khloe Kardashian told Health she dropped 11 pounds after just two weeks sans dairy. "If I want to lose weight quickly, dairy-free is the way to go," she said.

But can a dairy-free diet really help you lose weight, get clearer skin, and generally feel better? The short answer is that it's different for everyone. "Some people are more sensitive to dairy than others," Sass says, adding that the effects of giving it up can vary from person to person.

But experts stress that quitting dairy is not something to be done spontaneously or without cause. "You don't need to eliminate an entire food group unless there's a legitimate reason," says Keri Gans, RDN, a nutritionist based in New York City.

That said, if you do decide to give up dairy, here's exactly what you're giving up, and six side effects you might experience.

1 of 9

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 9

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Your dairy-free diet list: What you can't eat

dairy
Credit: Getty Images

If you're full-on quitting dairy, here's exactly what you can't eat:

  • buttermilk
  • baked goods that contain milk like cake and muffins
  • cheese, including cottage and ricotta cheeses
  • condensed milk
  • ice cream
  • milk
  • sherbert
  • sour cream
  • yogurt
  • ice cream
  • sour cream

If you're fully committing to quitting lactose as well, watch out for the follow lactose-derived ingredients like:

  • butter
  • casein, casein hydrolysate, and caseinates
  • cream, including whipped cream
  • curds
  • diacetyl
  • dry milk solids
  • dry milk powder
  • ghee
  • kefir
  • lactalbumin
  • lactoferrin
  • lactulose
  • non-fat dry milk
  • milk byproducts
  • nougat
  • recaldent
  • rennet

2 of 9

3 of 9

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Your dairy-free diet list: What you can eat

non dairy milk
Credit: Getty Images

Not all hope (or deliciousness) is lost if you're quitting dairy. Consider adding these alternatives to your dairy-free diet plan:

  • alternative milk like almond, oat, and soy milk
  • eggs
  • gelatin desserts and candies
  • lactose-free margarine
  • non-dairy ice cream made with cashew milk, coconut milk, and more
  • dark chocolate
  • soy and tofu products

Of course you can continue eating wheat, meat, seafood, fruits, and veggies, with some dairy-free stipulations.

3 of 9

Advertisement

4 of 9

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

You could miss out on some essential nutrients

vitamin-D-benefits , Foods rich in natural vitamin D. Top view, flat lay
Credit: Adobe Stock

Before you swap out your 1% for almond milk, it's important to remember that dairy products can be part of a healthy diet. After all, there's a reason why the USDA recommends adults have three cups of dairy per day; milk, cheese, and yogurt are rich sources of vitamin D, protein, and calcium, a critical nutrient for bone health. "It's important to know how to replace them [if you give up dairy]," Sass says.

If you've decided to eliminate dairy, work with a nutritionist to create a diet plan that still includes plenty of these nutrients. "It's not to say that someone who gives up dairy can't get enough vitamin D and calcium, but it's not as easy," says Gans.

Dark leafy veggies like kale and collard greens, and fatty fish like sardines and canned salmon are good non-dairy calcium sources. Certain brands of plant-based milk and orange juice are also fortified with calcium and vitamin D, Sass notes, although "they're low in protein, so you may need to bump up your intake of foods like eggs, pulses, or salmon to maintain your total protein intake."

If you've eliminated dairy and are having trouble finding calcium and vitamin D alternatives that you enjoy, meet with a nutritionist to discuss whether or not you should start taking a supplement.

4 of 9

5 of 9

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

You might lose weight

White weigh scales on two tone background, space for text
Credit: Adobe Stock

Wanting to lose weight is often cited as a main motivation to cut out dairy, and Sass acknowledges that doing so may help you shed pounds. "I have had clients reduce body fat after giving up dairy," she says.

An important caveat, though: Weight loss after eliminating dairy "is often due to how they consumed it [before], how much, and in what form," Sass explains. If pizza, mac and cheese, and grilled cheese sandwiches were your go-to meals, and you replaced them with lean proteins, whole grains, and fresh produce, then yes—you'd probably see the numbers on the scale drop.

"It's not dairy itself, it's the way it's being consumed," says Gans. In fact, research suggests that full-fat dairy in particular may actually aid weight loss. In a large 2016 study in the American Journal of Nutrition, researchers found that women who consumed higher quantities of high-fat dairy products had an 8% lower risk of being overweight or obese. One possible explanation: Full-fat dairy contains more calories, which may keep you feeling satiated for longer—and less likely to reach for known weight-gain culprits like sugar and refined carbs.

5 of 9

6 of 9

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

You could feel less bloated

03-bloating-ovarian-cancer
Credit: Dean Mitchell/Getty Images

"When people inquire about giving up dairy, it's usually because they're feeling bloated," says Gans, adding that the culprit is almost always lactose intolerance. People with this condition can experience bloating and gas, plus severe stomach pain, diarrhea, and cramps when they consume dairy products. The reason: lactose intolerant folks don't produce enough lactase, an enzyme that's important for breaking down a type of sugar called lactase found in milk products.

However, "not everybody with lactose intolerance needs to 100% remove dairy from their diet," Gans says. Cutting back on your overall intake, or consuming dairy products along with other foods (such as cereal with milk instead of ice cream by itself) may be enough to ease symptoms.

If you have a condition that damages the digestive tract, such as Crohn's disease or celiac disease, you may also get relief from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)–like symptoms when you cut back on dairy.

6 of 9

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 9

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Your skin might clear up

4-breakouts-skin-freaking-out
Credit: Wavebreakmedia/Getty Images

Margot Robbie may swear going dairy-free helps her fight blemishes, but the relationship between diet and acne is an ongoing source of debate among dermatologists. Research stretching back to the 1940s suggests at most a weak link between dairy consumption and breakouts. However, some experts believe the hormones in milk products could play a role in exacerbating hormonal acne, and many people do report clearer complexions when they give up these foods.

The American Academy of Dermatology recommends noting any food triggers that seem to aggravate skin, and cutting back with the help of a nutritionist to make sure you're still eating a balanced diet.

7 of 9

8 of 9

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

It could improve your baby's stomach problems

Newborn baby boy (0-3 months) crying, close-up of face
Credit: Getty Images

If you're breastfeeding, you should know about Cow's Milk Protein Intolerance (CMPI), which  affects up to 3 percent of infants according to a 2005 review in Pediatric Nursing, and can result in colic-like symptoms like wheezing, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, a rash, eczema and/or a blocked nose. It is not the same as lactose intolerance you'd usually see in adults and children. As a course of treatment, going dairy-free as a breastfeeding mother would be necessary for infants already diagnosed according to a 2007 review in Archives of Disease in Childhood.

Usually CMPI goes away within the first 12 months, but if you're worried your baby may have CMPI, talk to your pediatrician, who may refer you to a nutritionist to help you establish the best dairy-free breastfeeding diet plan for you and your baby.

8 of 9

9 of 9

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Other skin conditions may improve, too

psoriasis-moisturizer-lotion-skincare-skin
Credit: Elke Hesser/Getty Images

There's no scientific evidence to back up claims that dairy aggravates skin conditions. That said, some people with eczema and psoriasis report fewer symptoms after they cut back or completely eliminate dairy.

In general, when skin is acting up, a nutritionist may recommend an elimination diet to help pinpoint the offender. Dairy is considered one of the most common food allergens (along with wheat, eggs, soy, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, and peanuts), and is usually one of the groups excluded in such a diet. After a few weeks, food groups are added back to see which one is triggering inflammation.

The bottom line: Cutting out dairy isn't a guaranteed fix for those with psoriasis and eczema. But if you're experiencing a sudden flare of symptoms, it may be worth trying an elimination diet to find out if a particular food is to blame.

9 of 9

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Kathleen Felton

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 9 What to know before you give up dairy
    2 of 9 Your dairy-free diet list: What you can't eat
    3 of 9 Your dairy-free diet list: What you can eat
    4 of 9 You could miss out on some essential nutrients
    5 of 9 You might lose weight
    6 of 9 You could feel less bloated
    7 of 9 Your skin might clear up
    8 of 9 It could improve your baby's stomach problems
    9 of 9 Other skin conditions may improve, too

    Share options

    Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

    Login

    Health.com

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • About Us
    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Contact us
    • Advertise this link opens in a new tab
    • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
    • Sitemap

    Connect

    Follow Us
    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Other Meredith Sites

    Other Meredith Sites

    • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
    • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
    • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
    • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
    • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
    • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
    • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
    • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
    • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
    • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
    • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
    • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
    • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
    • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
    • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
    • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
    • More this link opens in a new tab
    • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
    • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
    • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
    • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
    • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
    • Parents this link opens in a new tab
    • People this link opens in a new tab
    • People en EspaƱol this link opens in a new tab
    • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
    • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
    • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
    • Shape this link opens in a new tab
    • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
    • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
    • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
    • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
    MeredithHealth.com is part of the Meredith Health Group. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved. The material in this site is intended to be of general informational use and is not intended to constitute medical advice, probable diagnosis, or recommended treatments. All products and services featured are selected by our editors. Health.com may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.health.com

    View image

    How To Go On A Dairy-Free Diet—And 6 Things That Could Happen When You Do
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.