Cutting out dairy can help manage allergies and lactose intolerance, may alleviate bloating, and might improve acne. A healthcare provider may advise eliminating dairy for one to four weeks. Then, if you choose, you'll slowly add it back into your diet, taking note of what symptoms it causes.
You might consider eliminating all or certain dairy products to alleviate your symptoms. It's essential to replace nutrients that you may lose with a dairy-free diet. Dairy offers calcium, protein, and vitamins B12 and D, which help support your bone health.
Whether you take up a dairy-free diet for ethical or medical reasons—or simply because you do not prefer the taste—here are the possible benefits and tips for cutting out dairy.
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There are some benefits of eliminating dairy from your diet. Here are some changes to your health you may start to notice.
Aid in Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding may reduce the risk of cow's milk protein intolerance (CMPI), which causes the immune system to react to the protein in cow's milk. CMPI commonly affects infants and can damage their developing digestive system. Your infant may develop symptoms like diarrhea, nausea, stomach pain, and vomiting if they have CMPI.
A healthcare provider may suggest eliminating dairy to avoid passing on the milk protein to your infant if you are breastfeeding. Talk to a pediatrician before going dairy-free if your infant has CMPI. They may also give you other suggestions on what to feed your infant.
Have a Taste Preference
You might eliminate dairy from your diet simply because you do not like the taste of cheese, milk, yogurt, or other products. Research has found that taste is the leading attribute among consumers when purchasing milk. You might prefer the taste of milk alternatives, such as almond, coconut, oat, or soy milk.
Manage Allergies and Lactose Intolerance
Eliminating dairy can be especially beneficial if you have a milk allergy or are lactose intolerant. A milk allergy, one of the most common allergies in children and adults, prevents your immune system from functioning properly.
Removing dairy from your diet is often the only way to reduce symptoms like:
- Anaphylaxis, a severe and life-threatening reaction that suddenly impairs breathing and reduces blood pressure
- Gas
- Hives
- Nausea or vomiting
- Stomach pains
You might have similar symptoms after eating dairy if you are not allergic to milk but have lactose intolerance. Lactose is a sugar in dairy products. Lactose intolerance happens if your body does not produce enough lactase, the enzyme your stomach uses to break down and digest lactose.
You do not have to eliminate dairy entirely if you are lactose intolerant. Still, you may want to avoid high-lactose foods to manage your symptoms. Instead, you might add low-lactose dairy foods, such as hard cheeses and yogurt, to your diet.
Reduce Bloating
Eating high-lactose foods may cause bloating, gas, and stomach pain if you are lactose intolerant. Reducing your dairy intake helps alleviate those symptoms, making you feel less bloated.
Improving your digestion and overall gut health also helps reduce bloat. Eat high-fiber foods—beans, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains—and stay hydrated. Avoid quickly boosting your fiber intake, which might increase bloating. Slowly adding fiber to your diet over time can reduce gas.
Support Skin Health
Eating dairy foods may worsen acne. Researchers are unsure exactly why dairy causes acne, but some evidence suggests that milk raises insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels, which increases sebum (oil) production. Excess sebum clogs your pores, resulting in acne breakouts.
No studies have shown that products made from milk (i.e., cheese and yogurt) cause acne. Still, you may see an improvement in your acne if you reduce your dairy intake.
Treat Digestive Issues
People with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may have trouble digesting lactose. IBD includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, which cause inflammation in your digestive tract.
Eating lactose-free foods helps prevent IBD flare-ups and reduce symptoms, such as:
- Diarrhea
- Nausea and vomiting
- Rectal bleeding
- Stomach pain
There is no one-size-fits-all diet for IBD. Speak to a healthcare provider to identify what foods trigger your symptoms and what dairy products are OK for you to eat.
Tips for Cutting Dairy
You may benefit from a dairy-free diet if you have an allergy or health condition like IBD. An elimination diet involves getting rid of dairy products from your diet—including butter, cheese, ice cream, milk, and yogurt—and then slowly adding them back to your diet.
Trying an elimination or fully dairy-free diet may help you identify whether dairy products are causing symptoms like bloating, gas, and stomach cramps. You might opt for a dairy-free diet for ethical reasons or a personal taste preference, as well.
Here's how to eliminate dairy from your diet:
- Start by keeping a daily food log if you suspect dairy may be affecting your health.
- Try avoiding or limiting dairy products from your diet for one to four weeks.
- Slowly add some dairy products back into your diet if you are assessing if they are the cause of your symptoms. Only add dairy back into your diet under the supervision of a healthcare provider if you are determining if you have an allergy.
- Consider cutting certain dairy products from your diet entirely if you feel better after not consuming them.
- Pay close attention to labels and ingredients when you buy your food if you aim to remove all dairy from your diet. Many surprising foods like baked goods, chocolate, and salad dressings may contain dairy. Look for "contains milk" or "milk" on the label.
Dairy contains many important nutrients, such as calcium, protein, and vitamins B12 and D, that you will need to replace if you eliminate dairy from your diet. Many foods naturally provide the same nutrients as dairy. Other foods are fortified—or have nutrients added to them—to help you meet your nutritional needs.
Non-dairy alternatives are available to ensure you still receive those nutrients if you decide to cut dairy from your diet. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) recommends two to three servings of dairy or dairy alternatives daily to take in those essential nutrients.
Consult a healthcare provider if you start a dairy-free diet. They can help you figure out how to meet your nutritional needs and make dietary recommendations. Talk to a healthcare provider before starting a mineral or vitamin supplement.
Calcium
Calcium is your body's most abundant mineral. Calcium helps support strong bones and teeth, where your body stores most of its reserves. Calcium is essential for nerve and muscle function and helps clot blot and maintain a regular heartbeat.
Females aged 19–50 and males aged 19–70 need 1,000 milligrams of calcium daily. Females older than 51 and males older than 70 need 1,200 milligrams.
You can meet your daily calcium needs by swapping cow's milk for plant-based alternatives, such as almond and rice milk. A one-cup serving of almond and rice milk contains 442 and 283 milligrams, respectively.
Other dairy-free calcium sources include:
- Canned fish (i.e., salmon or sardines)
- Leafy green vegetables (i.e., bok coy, collard greens, and spinach)
- Tofu
Protein
You need protein to help your body create and repair cells. Protein is especially important in children, adolescents, and pregnant people since it supports growth.
Your protein needs depend on how many calories you eat. Experts generally advise making protein 10% to 35% of your daily calorie intake. For example, you might aim for 100 grams of protein daily if you eat a 2,000-calorie diet.
You can meet your daily protein needs by eating plant-based protein options including nuts and seeds, tempeh, and tofu. Legumes, such as beans, lentils, and peas, are another source of protein. Non-plant-based protein sources include eggs, fish, lean meats, and poultry. Eggs are not dairy products, despite how close they are to butter, milk, and yogurt at the grocery store.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 helps your body form red blood cells, maintain your nervous system, and metabolize protein. Adults need 2.4 micrograms of vitamin B12 daily. Pregnant people need 2.6 micrograms, and breastfeeding people need 2.8 micrograms.
Non-dairy vitamin B12 sources include:
- Breakfast cereals fortified with vitamin B12
- Eggs
- Meat
- Nutritional yeast
- Organ meats (i.e., beef liver)
- Poultry
- Shellfish (i.e., clams)
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption. Adults aged 19–70 need 15 micrograms of vitamin D daily. Adults older than 70 need 20 micrograms. Your body naturally creates vitamin D from sunlight exposure.
Egg yolks and fatty fish, such as salmon and tuna, are dairy-free vitamin D sources. Other vitamin D sources include beef liver, fortified breakfast cereals, and oranges.
Is Dairy-Free Ice Cream Healthy?
Other Things To Consider
Consult a healthcare provider before eliminating dairy from your diet, especially if you have allergy or lactose intolerance symptoms. They can help you figure out ways to get enough nutrients.
There’s a lack of evidence on whether eliminating dairy products leads to withdrawal symptoms. Instead, you may risk developing nutrient deficiencies if you do not replace dairy products with other sources of calcium, protein, and vitamins B12 and D.
For example, people who are lactose intolerant are likelier to develop a calcium deficiency than others. A long-term lack of calcium raises your risk of osteoporosis, or a loss of bone density and tissue that increases fracture risk. Likewise, a long-term lack of vitamin D increases the risk of osteoporosis.
The amount of time it takes for dairy to leave your system depends on each person and how long it takes you to digest dairy. Some evidence suggests that the average colonic transit time, or the time it takes for food to move through your colon, ranges from 24–72 hours.
You might consider removing dairy from your diet if you are lactose intolerant, have a milk allergy, and prefer non-dairy alternatives. Eliminating dairy may improve your skin health and reduce bloating.
Dairy products have several essential nutrients that support your bone health. Try to incorporate foods rich in calcium, protein, and vitamin D if you avoid dairy foods. Consult a healthcare provider about dietary changes and treatment options, especially if you have a milk allergy or IBD.
