Which protein powders are dairy-free?

Which protein powders contain no milk?

Powders made only from pea, soy, beef, egg white or bone broth contain no milk. Whey and casein are milk proteins, so any powder made from them does.

That includes lactose-free whey. Allergy UK says lactose-free products still contain casein and whey, so they aren’t suitable for a milk allergy.

Still check for a “may contain milk” warning. Allergy UK says even vegan-labelled foods can carry one.

No milk doesn’t mean no allergens. The NHS lists eggs, soybeans and peas among the foods that most often cause allergies.

So match the powder to what you’re avoiding. Milk allergy: skip whey of every kind. Lactose intolerance only: lactose-free whey is an option.

Is lactose-free protein powder dairy-free?

No. Lactose is the sugar in milk. A milk allergy is a reaction to milk’s proteins, casein and whey, and lactose-free whey is still whey.

Think of decaf coffee. The caffeine’s gone, but it’s still coffee. If coffee itself made you ill, decaf wouldn’t help.

Goat or sheep milk protein is no way round it. Allergy UK says goat, sheep and buffalo milk shouldn’t be used instead.

Lactose intolerant rather than allergic? You have more room. The EU’s food safety body (EFSA) found most poor lactose digesters cope with up to 12 g at once, with no or minor symptoms.

Some react to less than 6 g, though. And the NHS lists protein shakes among foods that can contain lactose. So check the label before you buy.

Is beef or pea protein as good as whey?

In the trials we checked, about as good. But they’re small, so treat this as early evidence, not proof.

Pea first. In a 12-week trial of 161 men lifting weights, 25 g of pea protein twice a day thickened the biceps as well as whey. The researchers found no difference between the two.

That chart is a later look at part of the group. Across all 161 men, no group clearly differed, not even from the dummy powder.

The catch: the trial only measured the biceps, in men aged 18 to 35, using one brand of pea protein.

Beef next. In an 8-week trial of 41 people, beef, chicken and whey protein each raised lean mass, which is everything in your body that isn’t fat. Strength didn’t differ between the groups.

With about 10 people a group, that’s a hint rather than an answer. Egg white? We haven’t checked a trial that compares it with whey, so we can’t rank it.

Pick the one that suits your diet, then build meals around it with plant protein for strength training.

Is bone broth protein a complete protein?

No. That dairy-free favourite is bone broth protein. It’s usually mainly collagen (check the label), and collagen lacks tryptophan.

Tryptophan is one of the building blocks of protein your body can’t make, so you have to eat it. Missing it makes collagen an incomplete protein.

Picture a flat-pack wardrobe with one screw missing. Every other part is in the box, but you can’t finish it from that box alone.

Other foods in your day can supply the screw. As your only muscle shake, it falls short.

Does that matter for muscle? In a small trial in older women, 30 g of whey twice a day raised the rate of muscle building.

Collagen did much less. Over the 6 days, it didn’t raise it at all, at rest or with exercise.

That was only 22 women. Still, for a muscle shake, pick a powder with trial support, like pea or beef. For collagen’s other claims, see do collagen supplements work.

Do I need a protein powder at all?

Probably not. The UK advice for adults is 0.75 g of protein per kg of body weight a day. That’s 56 g for men and 45 g for women, based on 75 kg and 60 kg.

Weigh 70 kg? That’s about 53 g a day. On average, UK adults already eat more than that.

Cutting out dairy? Swap in beans, lentils, eggs, fish or meat.

The British Nutrition Foundation says most of us don’t need protein shakes. Training hard? Your needs may be higher, but it says food can still cover them.

Going plant-based? You don’t need to combine proteins at every meal. A variety of plant foods over the day is enough.

Start with food. Try these high-protein breakfasts, or see how much protein you need after 40. A powder is a handy extra, not a must.

When to speak to a GP

Call 999 for signs of a serious allergic reaction. The NHS lists sudden swelling of the lips, mouth, throat or tongue, fast or hard breathing, or a tight throat.

Also call 999 for trouble swallowing, skin, tongue or lips turning blue, grey or pale, sudden confusion, drowsiness or dizziness, or fainting.

See a GP if:

• You think you or your child has a milk allergy. See a GP, and don’t cut foods out or swap to goat’s or sheep’s milk before you do.
• Gut symptoms keep coming back after you eat. The NHS says don’t cut foods out without advice from a GP or dietitian.
• You’ve had bloating, discomfort, blood in your poo or a change in your poo for 3 weeks, or weight loss you can’t explain.

More reading: does whey protein affect blood tests and blood tests for vegans.