Written by Garett Reid | NSCA, CSCS, CISSN, M.S.E.S.S
Fact checked by Meghan Novoshielski, M.S Nutrition Sci., RDN
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There’s really not a comfortable way to say this, so we’re just going to say it. Protein farts are a real thing, and they aren’t fun. If you were to open an investigation to identify the culprit, you would almost always find a tub of whey protein at the end of the fart trail.
Unfortunately, protein farts aren’t the only downside of whey protein; it’s lactose. Well, it’s only a downside if you’re lactose-intolerant as it is almost universally accepted that whey protein taste the best and is the most complete protein as it contains all nine essential amino acids. Nevertheless, if you’ve ever found that you get a little rumble in your stomach after downing your whey protein shake, you might just be lactose intolerant.
However, there’s good news as there are plenty of lactose-free proteins on the market that can drastically mitigate this issue.
The 10 best Lactose-Free Protein Powders
- Best Whey Protein Isolate: Transparent Labs Whey Protein Isolate
- Runner Up for Best Whey Isolate: ISOPURE ZeroCarb Whey Protein Isolate
- Hydrolyzed Whey Isolate: Optimum Nutrition Hydrolyzed Whey
- Beef Protein Isolate: MuscleMeds Carnivor
- Best Bone Broth Protein: Left Coast Performance Beef Bone Broth
- Runner Up for Best Bone Broth: Ancient Nutrition Bone Broth
- Egg White (Budget Choice): Bulk Supplements Egg White
- Egg White (Premium Choice): Naked Egg
- Pea Protein: Vega One
- Vegan Fusion Protein: Plant Fusion Complete Protein
Note: The inclusion of "whey" protein might surprise you, but rest assured that these are whey protein isolate, which have little-to-no lactose1. However, if you are very sensitive to lactose, you should skip the first three choices.
SFS Top Pick
Transparent Labs
SFS Top Pick
ISOPure
SFS Top Pick
Optimum Nutrition
How I Picked the Best lactose-Free Protein Powders
As a personal trainer and certified sports nutritionist I've been using and recommending protein powders for over a decade now. My experience and expertise in protein powders allows me to scrutinize the products on the market. The recommendations I made below are based on my firsthand experience and real user feedback as well as protein source, protein ratio, ingredients used, price, taste, nutrition profile and company reputation. Now, let's jump into my favorite options on the market.
1. Transparent Labs Whey Protein Isolate
Key Features:
- Protein Source: American Grass Fed & Finished Whey Protein Isolate
- Container Size: 2.15lbs
- Total Servings: 30
- Serving size: 32g
- Protein Per serving: 28g
- Price: $59.99 for 2.15lb (~Cheaper with subscribe & save option)
- Price Per Serving: $2.00
- Calories Per Serving: 120
- Carbs Per Serving: 1~3g depending on flavor
- Sugar Per Serving: 0~2g depending on flavor
- Fat Per Serving: 0g
- Flavors: Milk Chocolate, French Vanilla, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Vanilla Peanut Butter, Strawberry Milkshake, Unflavored, Dark Chocolate, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie, Cinnamon French Toast, Sugar Cookie, Mocha, Peanut Butter, Vanilla Oatmeal Cookie, Blueberry Pancakes
- Vegan: No
- Company Founded: 2015
Transparent Labs Whey Protein Isolate is our top pick. This protein powder is sourced from 100% grass-fed American cows which results in a massive 28 grams of protein per 32 gram scoop. This means you get one of the industry's highest protein by weight ratio at 88%!
I love taking this protein for a number of reasons including the protein ratio, the flavor selection and I'm able to digest it easily. As a personal trainer I often recommend this line of protein for my clients. With a 4.7 star rating and over 3700 reviews, verified customers seem like they would agree with my sentiment.
Each serving of Transparent Labs Whey Protein Isolate delivers a the highest quality protein without any artificial sweeteners, preservatives or food dyes. This is one of the cleanest proteins available today as it's sourced from hormone-free, naturally fed cows. Clocking in at 120 calories and around 2 carbs per serving you still get to enjoy a delicious protein.
Transparent Labs 100% Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate is one of the cleanest proteins on the market. It’s perfect for post-workout recovery and hitting daily protein goals...
2.ISOPURE ZeroCarb Whey Protein Isolate
Key Features:
- Protein Source: Whey Protein Isolate
- Container Size: 3lb
- Total Servings: 44
- Serving size: 31g
- Protein Per serving: 25g
- Price: $66.64~$75 depending on flavor
- Price Per Serving: $1.51~$1.70
- Calories Per Serving: 100~110 depending on flavor
- Carbs Per Serving: 0
- Sugar Per Serving: 0
- Fat Per Serving: 0g
- Flavors: Banana Cream, Cookies & Cream, Creamy Vanilla, Dutch Chocolate, Strawberries & Cream, Vanilla Salted Caramel, Unflavored
- Vegan: No
- Company Founded: 1984
ISOPURE ZeroCarb Whey Protein Isolate is just about as pure a protein powder can be. At 100 calories per serving, a whopping 25g of protein is delivered. Being that a 1g of protein has 4 calories, you can see that this is basically 100% protein. Being so, there’s zero lactose as there’s simply no room! Further, ISOPURE is loaded with a full spectrum of vitamins and minerals, making it an excellent choice for those needing to make sure they get in all of their vitamins and minerals.
Over my decade plus long career in the fitness industry, there are few supplement brands I trust as much as ISOPURE. I've used a number of these protein powders, my favorite is the Vanilla Salted Caramel because I like the sweet and salty combination. Coming in a close second I think the Banana Cream flavor is great, especially when I add scoop of peanut butter to it.
With a quick look on amazon you'll see that this protein is a big hit with consumers. As it stands there are over 75,000 ratings with an average of 4.5 stars!
100% WHEY PROTEIN ISOLATE - a high-quality protein source providing 25g per serving to support muscle building and recovery...
3. Optimum Nutrition Hydrolyzed Whey
Key Features:
- Protein Source: Hydrolyzed Whey Protein Isolate
- Container Size: 3.61lb
- Total Servings: 40
- Serving size: 41g
- Protein Per serving: 30g
- Price: $72~78
- Price Per Serving: $1.8~$1.95
- Calories Per Serving: 140
- Carbs Per Serving: 3g
- Sugar Per Serving: 1g
- Fat Per Serving: 1g
- Flavors: Vanilla, Turbo Chocolate
- Vegan: No
- Company Founded: 1986
Optimum Nutrition (ON) always delivers on quality as they are considered to be the best (or one of the best) protein powders on the market. Their hydrolyzed whey protein powder is perfect for those who are trying to stay away from lactose but still want the quality of whey protein. One serving delivers 30g of protein at 140 calories, making its protein percentage higher than other well-known brands.
If you've walked into a GNC over the past 20 years or have been to a gym you more than likely have seen the ON brand. I've used countless supplements from ON including this HYDRO Whey. I'm definitely more partial to the Vanilla flavor and my body seems to digest this with ease.
The people have spoken on Amazon where this product has over 9,000 reviews with an average rating of 4.6 stars. Real users love the fact it's easy to digest, has great mix-ability and tastes great. However, many people think that the price has continued to rise dramatically over the years. if you have the budget then you can't go wrong with this one.
Faster delivery advanced hydrolyzed whey protein isolates. 30 grams ultra-pure protein per serving supports your muscle building goals...
4. MuscleMeds Carnivor
Key Features:
- Protein Source: Hydrolyzed Beef Protein Isolate
- Container Size: 3.58~4.19lb depending on flavor
- Total Servings: 56
- Serving size: 29~33.9g depending on flavor
- Protein Per serving: 23g
- Price: $51~$66 depending on flavor
- Price Per Serving: $.91~$1.18
- Calories Per Serving: 100~120 depending on flavor
- Carbs Per Serving: 3~6g depending on flavor
- Sugar Per Serving: 0g
- Fat Per Serving: 0g
- Flavors: Chocolate, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Cinnamon Toast, Cookies & Cream, Fruit Punch, Fruity Cereal, Rocket Pop, Strawberry, Vanilla Caramel
- Vegan: No
- Company Founded: 2012
While some more brands are coming on the market, the most popular is definitely MuscleMed’s Carnivor Beef Protein Isolate. Carnivor has been on the market for quite a while and was one of the original beef protein isolates. Further, Carnivor has added creatine and BCAAs to raise the level of leucine. Still, being that it’s a beef protein, it also delivers other nutrients such as iron. MuscleMeds Carnivor delivers 23g of beef protein for every 120 calories. It contains 0g of fat and and extra 2.5g of creatine per serving (this alone halves your spending on creatine). Better yet, it’s 100% lactose-free and dairy free which is backed by it’s Informed Choice Certification.
I looked to real user reviews for this product as I haven't personally tried it. The good is that most users consider this to be of very high quality and it's easy to digest for those who have lactose sensitivities or are allergic to other lactose free options like soy. I did see a number of users complain of the taste but that's most likely due to the fact they are comparing it to other whey proteins they've had in the past. With over 4,000 ratings and an average of 4.3 stars, it's safe to say that most customers are happy with this product.
The world's first beef protein isolate. 350% more concentrated and 20x the creatine content than steak...
5. Left Coast Performance Beef Bone Broth
Key Features:
- Protein Source: Bone Broth Powder
- Container Size: 2lb
- Total Servings: 41
- Serving size: 22g
- Protein Per serving: 17~21g
- Price: ~$47
- Price Per Serving: $1.15
- Calories Per Serving: 90
- Carbs Per Serving: 0~4g depending on flavor
- Sugar Per Serving: 0~1g depending on flavor
- Fat Per Serving: 1g
- Flavors: Chocolate, Vanilla, Unflavored
- Vegan: No
- Company Founded: 2018
While not technically beef, Left Coast Performance has chosen to isolate the protein found in beef bone broth. What you get is a very, very lean protein powder with a protein percentage of 93%. One serving brings 21g of protein with a total calorie count of just 90 cals! This is some of the most pure protein you can buy on the market. There simply isn’t room for lactose with this much protein, and there’s not. Left Coast Performance boasts their broth protein as dairy and lactose-free.
This is another product I haven't used personally but a few of my clients have. The common feedback around this product from real users is that it mixes well, is easy to digest, is a great value and provides some other benefits such as hair and skin improvements. Currently on Amazon there are over 4,700 reviews with an average rating of 4.3 stars. The one common complaint with this option is that the smell is somewhat off-putting.
Bone Broth contains collagen, gelatin, glucosamine, chondroitin and protein. We use a low heat, time intensive process to deliver the highest quality bone broth powder...
6. Ancient Nutrition Bone Broth
Key Features:
- Protein Source: Chicken & Beef Bone Broth Concentrate
- Container Size: 1.1lb
- Total Servings: 20
- Serving size: 24.6~25.2g
- Protein Per serving: ~22.3g
- Price: ~$39~$40
- Price Per Serving: $1.95~$2.00
- Calories Per Serving: 90~100 depending on flavor
- Carbs Per Serving: 2g
- Sugar Per Serving: 0g
- Fat Per Serving: 0g
- Flavors: Chocolate, Vanilla
- Vegan: No
- Company Founded: 2016
And another bone broth! As you may have guessed, bone broth is becoming quite popular among health-conscious trainees, so more options are becoming available. However, this bone broth protein powder from Ancient Nutrition comes from chickens and cows!
I've tried this bone broth protein and I was pleasantly surprised. I bought the chocolate flavor and it mixed well with just water. Being a bone broth protein I don't enjoy the taste as much as whey protein but I did like the fact it had low calories and also gave me extra collagen that helps with my joint issues from lifting heavy. Overall, users on Amazon have generally positive things to say about this bone broth protein. With over 14,000 reviews and an average rating of 4.3 stars, most people enjoy this product.
Again, a very lean protein powder with 22.3 grams at 90 calories. This means that 89.2 of the 90 calories are from protein!!! Lactose couldn’t find its way in if it tried! This may be the leanest protein powder we have ever come across, making it the perfect choice for anyone who is really trying to eliminate any unneeded calories. Oh, and of course, it’s dairy-free. However, Ancient Nutrition prides itself on creating “superfoods,” so their broth protein is also packed with collagen to help support healthy hair, joints, and healthy guts.
Get all the benefits of the ancient superfood our ancestors used to consume every day in an ultra-convenient...
7. Bulk Supplements Egg White
Key Features:
- Protein Source: Egg Whites
- Container Size: 2.2lb
- Total Servings: 33
- Serving size: 30g (4tbsp)
- Protein Per serving: 24g
- Price: ~$57
- Price Per Serving: ~$1.73
- Calories Per Serving: 110
- Carbs Per Serving: 1g
- Sugar Per Serving: 0g
- Fat Per Serving: .5g
- Flavors: Unflavored
- Vegan: No
- Company Founded: 2006
Bulk Supplements is a great go-to supplement brand when you’re looking for cost-effective products with high quality. This is also true for their egg white protein powder. Their egg white protein delivers 24g of protein at 120 calories. The most important fact is that it’s 100% lactose-free, making it perfect for those on a budget.
I've been a fan of Bulk Supplements for many years now and I often recommend them to my clients that want to save some money while still getting quality supplements. I've used this egg white powder but mainly in cooking. This is great to make protein balls and other delicious healthy snacks.
Bulk Supplements has a good reputation in the industry and this egg white power isn't any different. On Amazon there are over 1,100 reviews with an average rating of 4.5 stars!
Egg White Protein is a pure source of protein that contains all essential amino acids, as well as the branched chain amino acids...
8. Naked Egg
Key Features:
- Protein Source: Egg White Powder
- Container Size: 3lb
- Total Servings: 44
- Serving size: 31g
- Protein Per serving: 25g
- Price: ~$54 (Subscribe & save option)
- Price Per Serving: $1.22
- Calories Per Serving: 110
- Carbs Per Serving: 2g
- Sugar Per Serving: 0g
- Fat Per Serving: 0g
- Flavors: Unflavored
- Vegan: No
- Company Founded: 2014
Naked Egg is one of the more expensive egg proteins on the market, but the quality is worth it if you can shell out some dollars. Its list of ingredients contains 2 sources; egg whites and sunflower lecithin, so you know exactly what you’re eating. It’s also extremely high in protein, with 1 serving offering 25g at 110 calories. And, of course, it’s 100% lactose-free. This is perfect for any trainee who is extremely health conscious and wants only the purest protein powders (Again, only two ingredients!)
I've used a number of Naked Nutrition's products over the years because their products are straight forward when it comes to ingredients used. This is another protein powder I've used in baking. I actually found it to work better than Bulk Supplement's egg white powder when using it as a substitute in various recipes.
Naked has a cult-like following and it shows it you look at their reviews. Regarding Naked Egg on their website they have 5 stars across over 175 reviews and on Amazon you can see more than 600 reviews with an average rating of 4.3 stars.
Egg white protein from eggs raised on US farms and sunflower lecithin. Naked Egg contains no artificial sweeteners, flavors, or colors...
9. Vega One
Key Features:
- Protein Source: Pea Protein
- Container Size: 3.52lb
- Total Servings: 43
- Serving size: 38g
- Protein Per serving: 20g
- Price: ~$90
- Price Per Serving: $2.09
- Calories Per Serving: 140
- Carbs Per Serving: 11g
- Sugar Per Serving: 2g
- Fat Per Serving: 3.5g
- Flavors: Vanilla, Chocolate
- Vegan: Yes
- Company Founded: 2004
Vega One is an excellent choice for those who are looking for a vegan-friendly option. Vega One contains 100% plant protein; their powder also acts as a superfood as it has a full spectrum of vitamins and minerals, all while being lactose and dairy-free. One serving of Vega One packs 20g of quality plant protein with 150 calories and literally just about every vitamin and mineral you need. This is the perfect choice for those looking for a lactose-free protein powder AND is a little worried about getting sufficient amounts of their vitamins.
I have tried the vanilla version of this product and I can't say it's my favorite when it comes to taste. However, this is a good option for those looking for a healthy protein packed drink mix.
This product has generally positive feedback from buyers with over 9,000 reviews with an average of 4.5 stars.
20g organic protein: our plant-based protein powder is multi-source blend of North American organic pea, sunflower seed and pumpkin seed protein...
10. Plant Fusion Complete Protein
Key Features:
- Protein Source: Pea Protein Isolate, Artichoke Powder, Organic Sprouted Amaranth Powder, Organic Sprouted Quinoa Powder, Whole Algae Protein
- Container Size: 2lb
- Total Servings: 30
- Serving size: 30g
- Protein Per serving: 25g
- Price: ~$41
- Price Per Serving: $1.37
- Calories Per Serving: 120
- Carbs Per Serving: 2g
- Sugar Per Serving: 0g
- Fat: 3g
- Flavors: Chocolate, Cookies & Cream, Natural, Red Velvet, Vanilla
- Vegan: Yes
- Company Founded: 2009
Plant Fusion Complete Protein derives its protein powder from different plant sources such as pea, artichokes, and algae. However, their lactose-free protein powder is also infused with additional amino acids to perfect the amino acid profile, which matches whey.
In my experience with this protein powder I found it to be more tolerable compared with other brands I've tried. My favorite flavor was the Cookies & Cream as it wasn't too chalky and had a pleasant after taste. You can look to the reviews on Amazon for more feedback around other flavors but you'll quickly notice that they have over 9,000 reviews with an average rating of 4.2 stars.
One serving brings 25g of their amino acid-infused protein powder and 120 calories. This makes it one of the leaner plant proteins, as they tend to have higher calories. Either way, this is a great option for those looking for a plant protein that meets the amino acid profile of whey but could do without any lactose or dairy.
We start with five different plant proteins concentrated to 21g per serving. Then add critical BCAAs and glutamine for recovery...
5 Types Of Lactose-Free Protein Powders:
There are plenty of lactose-free protein powders on the market. Let's look at the different types of proteins that can be a good fit for people with lactose intolerance.
1. Whey Isolate & Hydrolyzed Whey
To be clear, they are not technically completely free of lactose but they contain little to no lactose, which means they should cause you no issue unless you are very sensitive to lactose.
But it should be noted that not all brands of isolate or hydrolyzed whey are created equally due to other ingredients. The point is, I chose the two on this list for a reason.
If you are still iffy with taking whey protein or just looking for a 100% lactose-free protein, there are many other options. Remember that lactose is only found in dairy, so this just means that you need to consume a non-milk-based protein powder. In other words, you need to use anything else other than whey protein or casein.
2. Beef Protein
The first non-dairy protein powder you could look at is a beef protein. Beef protein powder is simply a protein powder that’s derived from beef…makes sense. This means that it’s definitely 100% lactose-free. Also, beef protein is very low in cholesterol which can sometimes be an issue for some when drinking a milk protein. This means zero lactose and zero cholesterol.
3. Bone Broth
A lot of people consider bone broth protein powder to be one of the healthiest options, and definitely the most gut-friendly, but just to be clear, it's not the best tasting, especially when comparing to whey. It's also not as complete of a protein in terms of essential amino acids. However, it does contain collagen, so you'll get the benefits of that (great for skin and joint health). It's also completely lactose-free, which is actually the main reason people opt for bone broth protein.
4. Egg Protein
Another source of high-quality animal protein that delivers zero lactose is going to be your egg protein. Egg protein powder is derived from egg whites, arguably one of the purest forms of protein found in food. In fact, the amino acid profile of egg white is the standard that other amino acid profiles are judged from.
5. Vegan Lactose-Free Protein Powder
Above were some great options for a lactose-free protein powder for those who still wanted to reap the benefits from eating an animal-based protein. However, the other obvious choice is just going with a vegan protein. Since a vegan protein comes from plants like pea or soy, they are guaranteed to come with zero lactose.
To get the full scoop on the difference between animal protein and plant protein, check out this article.
Lactose-Free Protein Powder FAQs:
Here are some questions regarding protein powder, and more specifically, lactose-free protein powder...
Do I Even Need Protein Powder?
Protein powder is easily the most common supplement on the market. However, protein powder isn’t really a “supplement” as it’s simply protein from real food that has been processed to be easily consumed. And in reality, that’s what protein powder is; it’s an easy way to get your protein in. It's healthy and convenient.
Further, when compared with other food sources, strictly from a stance of their protein content, it’s actually very cheap. Why it’s so popular is resistance training generally eats much higher amounts of protein than their sedentary counterparts. Studies show that weightlifters should eat between 1.6-2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight for optimal results2.
This can be quite a bit to eat from real food, not to mention expensive. Therefore, this is where a high quality protein powder can be very useful. To be clear, you do not need protein powder and you definitely shouldn’t rely on protein powder. However, having 1 or 2 scoops after your workout can be very beneficial and save you a bit of cash (and time).
What Is Lactose?
Lactose is actually pretty unique in the nutrition world as it is the only source of carbs that can be consumed from animals, specifically from dairy. Lactose is found in the milk of most mammals, and it’s what gives the milk a bit of a sweet taste. Even though it’s only found in dairy food, many of our food products contain dairy so you can find lactose in quite a bit of our normal diet.
What’s Lactose Intolerance?
In order to break down lactose properly, the body needs a specific enzyme in the small intestine called lactase. When you drink milk, lactase is responsible for breaking lactose down into glucose and galactose for your body to utilize. No problem there. However, if your body lacks lactase, lactose cannot be broken down into the smaller constituents to be absorbed into the intestinal wall. Therefore, lactose goes straight to the colon and wreaks havoc.
If you are lactose intolerant, you will likely experience some, or all, of the following symptoms.
- Abdominal pain
- Bloating
- Diarrhea
- Gas
- Nausea
None of that sounds fun, and you’re surely not going to want to continue drinking your protein shakes. Unfortunately, there’s little you can do to change course if you find that milk is making you excessively gassy. Your only option is to limit your lactose intake as much as possible which is why we listed the best lactose-free protein powders above.
How Do You Know If You’re Lactose Intolerant?
Finding out if you’re lactose intolerant is pretty easy if you don’t want to go the medical way. The easiest method is to eat dairy products and see your reaction. The only downfall of this is that sometimes the amount of food you eat will affect how bad your response is. For example, a sip of milk probably won’t do much. Therefore, if you try this, eat regular quantities of your food.
Regardless, if you find that you consistently get an upset stomach, go ahead and take products containing lactose out of your diet.
Did the symptoms get better? Worse? Or stay the same? Depending on the answer, you can take a pretty good guess as to where your relationship with lactose falls.
However, this isn’t an exact science as there could be other factors at hand, such as an issue with another food, or you could have an underlying health condition such as Crohn’s disease or coeliac disease.
If you’re not sure and want to know for sure about health concerns, you need to see a gastroenterologists. They can run several more in-depth tests to verify whether or not you are lactose intolerant or perhaps have another issue going on.
What Protein Powders are Lactose-Free?
Basically any protein powder that's not whey will be completely lactose-free. This includes egg protein powder, beef protein powder, bone broth protein powder, and any type of vegan protein powder.
That said, even some whey protein powders are ok for people with lactose intolerance...
Does Whey Protein Contain Lactose?
Because lactose comes from dairy products, the most obvious question about protein is; “does whey have lactose in it?” For those that aren’t aware, whey protein is produced straight from mammals milk, specifically cows. In fact, the milk from a cow is made up of 80% casein protein and 20% whey. Therefore, because whey protein is derived from dairy, whey protein powder MIGHT consist of lactose.
The amount of lactose found in whey protein will depend on what type it is as there are generally 3 versions
- Whey Concentrate: Whey protein concentrate is the most basic type of protein powder and the most popular. When the whey is extracted from milk, it’s heated “as-is” without further processing. This is whey protein concentrate. It’s basically whey protein “as-is”. Being so, the vast majority of whey concentrate protein powders will have a protein concentration of 80-85% and lactose around 4-8% lactose. It contains about 5-10g per 100g
- Whey Isolate: Whey isolate is a purer form of protein powder as it undergoes another step in the filtration process called cross-flow microfiltration. This basically strips some of the extra filler from whey protein concentrate. This leaves you with a protein concentration of 90% protein and a very low lactose percentage of around 0.8g per 100g.
- Whey Hydrolyzed: Whey hydrolyzed is basically whey isolate that has been pre-digested. This means that the protein content is about the same as whey isolate (90-95%), but your body can absorb it much faster. It will contain the least amount of lactose.
So, as you can see, whey protein does contain lactose, but it greatly depends on what variation you get. Your reaction to drinking each type of whey protein can also depend on how sensitive you are to lactose. For example, if you have a very mild case, you could probably get away with drinking normal whey protein concentrate (assuming it’s at least 80% protein). At the same time, drinking the purest form of hydrolyzed could be too much if you are extremely sensitive.
That being said, most people should be OK with drinking either a whey isolate or whey hydrolyzed.
Note: A lot of protein powders on the market contain a mix of isolate and concentrate, which is fine, but something to consider. So, be sure to check the label for ingredients.
What’s The Best Lactose-Free Milk?
One of the worst things you could do is spend all of this time looking for a lactose-free protein powder only to go and mix it with dairy milk. That will obviously make everything you just did pointlessly. However, the protein mix only makes the perfect protein shake; the other half is the liquid. Sure, you could use water, but that’s just not the same. Here are some great milk options for those who are lactose intolerant.
- Goat Milk: To be clear, goat milk does still have lactose in it. However, it tends to be easier on the stomach, and many people who can’t drink dairy milk experience no issues when drinking goat milk. Further, many people claim to like the taste better as well. Therefore, if you want to try an animal milk whose lactose won’t have as large an effect, give goat milk a try.
- Almond Milk: Almond milk is simply made by grinding up almonds and mixing with water. Therefore, no lactose. In fact, all plant milk will be lactose-free but we like almond milk due to the taste and the fact it contains a ton of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin E. There’s a reason almond milk is extremely popular among vegans.
- Flax Seed Milk: Our other favorite plant-based milk is made from flaxseed. For one, many brands of flax-seed milk will contain decently high levels of protein by themselves, such as Good Karma. Good Karma offers a flax seed milk that delivers an excellent 8g of protein which is relatively high. If you were to make a protein shake using this and an essential protein powder, you’d definitely be above 30g of protein.
You can also skip the milk altogether, and instead elevate your morning java by creating a nutritious protein coffee.
Lactose Intolerance Won’t Stop Your Gains
Being lactose intolerant isn’t always the most fun, but there’s really nothing you can do about it. However, the good thing is that there are actually plenty of choices for lactose-free protein powders. We listed a good number of lactose-free proteins from different sources, giving you many options to start trying. Some of these protein powders can taste much different than whey protein, so you may need to experiment with a couple brands before you settle on your favorite. While being lactose intolerant can keep you away from a lot of foods, it won’t keep you away from your favorite protein shake. And just remember, don’t mix it with dairy milk!
Now that you've got a lactose-free protein picked out, you just need to figure out the best timing for your protein shake so you can see optimal muscle building results!
More "best" protein roundups:
- Best Overall Protein Powders
- Pea Protein Powders
- Hemp Protein Powders
- Egg White Protein Powders
- Gluten-Free Protein Powders
- Casein Protein Powders
- Whey Isolate Protein Powders
- Best Meal Replacement Shakes
- Built Protein Bars Review
References:
- Fischer M. Gainful. gainful.com. https://www.gainful.com/blog/whey-protein-and-lactose-intolerance/
- Jäger, Ralf, et al. “International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Protein and Exercise.” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, vol. 14, no. 1, 20 June 2017, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8.
Garett Reid
Author