Thinking of cutting out dairy products but not sure if you can do it? Check out these amazing dairy-free diet benefits you can look forward to experiencing!
The transition to eliminating dairy can be an overwhelming one. However, not only are the benefits worth it, but once you find your groove a dairy-free diet can be just as delicious as your old one (here are the best dairy-free baking tips).
Whether or not you’re choosing to go dairy-free because of an allergy, intolerance, or personal reasons, there are a ton of benefits you’ll experience (check out this study that goes over some of the risks of dairy and find the answer to: are eggs a dairy product?).
As a Certified Nutrition Coach, I have been dairy-free since roughly 2017.
Initially, I eliminated dairy at the request of my Holistic Nutritionist to aid in getting pregnant.
Once I was pregnant (as well as afterward) I noticed I was unable to tolerate any dairy products.
What Is A Dairy Free Diet?
A dairy-free diet is exactly what it sounds like: a diet that includes no dairy.
This means you’re eliminating milk, cheese, whey protein powder, etc.
Many household staples like crackers, chips, and snacks, contain dairy products (like milk powder) so you’ll need to start checking labels before purchasing anything.
Symptoms of Dairy Intolerance
It's said that roughly %65 of the population is unable to tolerate dairy. Unfortunately, the majority of the time this is simply overlooked.
We live with many of the symptoms because we either don't know better or do not want to know better.
Some of the biggest symptoms of dairy intolerance are:
- Bloating
- Cramping
- Digestive stress/bathroom issues
- Acne
- Eczema, psoriasis
- Headaches
Personally, I get wicked migraines when I eat dairy. If this is you, use this migraine tracker printable to help find the pattern.
Unfortunately, the only way to determine that you have a dairy intolerance is to completely eliminate dairy products from your diet.
Benefits Of A Dairy-Free Diet
Below are the most common benefits people experience when they go dairy-free that I've noticed as a Nutrition Coach.
Keep in mind that you should give any big change 4-6 weeks to notice the best results. However, many people report noticing a few of these benefits within just 2-3 days.
Mental Clarity
For many people, myself included, dairy from cow's milk makes their brain foggy. Once eliminated, people find they’re able to focus more.
Reduced Headaches
This is a common symptom of dairy intolerance and goes hand in hand with clarity. Many people notice the number of headaches decreases when dairy is removed.
For me personally, when I consume dairy now accidentally, this is the first cue. I’ll have a headache within 12 hours of consumption (these headache bath bombs help!)
No More Bloat
This is a big benefit of a dairy-free diet and for many, the reason they will never go back. Given so many people have an intolerance to dairy, we just accept belly bloat.
However, when you remove the cause of the inflammation, your bloat reduces!
Weight Loss
Eliminating dairy can cause weight loss in a few ways. The most common is because it reduces inflammation and belly bloat. But the second way is because most dairy-based foods are high in fat (think cheese). At 9 calories per gram, consuming lots of it racks up the calories!
Cutting out dairy naturally cuts down on a bulk of daily calories (unless you replace them elsewhere of course) so most people tend to experience a bit of weight loss.
Acne Be Gone
A common annoyance of dairy is skin issues Acne, eczema, and rosacea. A lot of them can be drastically improved by rocking a dairy-free diet.
If better skin and getting your glow on doesn’t make you want to cut dairy, I don’t know what will.
Boost Your Immune System
Consuming dairy causes inflammation, and inflammation is the root cause of disease. Eliminating dairy is a simple way to give your gut some love and let it do its job: heal and boost your immune system!
Hot tip: if you’re one who typically experiences Candida issues and symptoms, cut out dairy! It’s one of the biggest causes of yeast production.
How To Go Dairy Free
As mentioned, eliminating dairy can be scary. However, it can be done.
And once you learn some new dairy-free alternatives, it’s downright easy.
Learn more about how to eliminate dairy and the best dairy-free swaps.
Simple swaps like almond milk, homemade hemp milk, or coconut milk for regular milk, using coconut yogurt in place of traditional, and opting for dairy-free cheese can get you pretty far.
Dairy-Free Recipes To Help You Get Started
- One pot chicken alfredo
- Slow cooker Tuscan chicken
- One pot sausage and tomato pasta
- Dairy-free brownies
- Chocolate peanut butter protein cups
- Dairy-free chicken fajita bowl
- Peanut butter protein ice cream
- Vanilla collagen donuts
- Dairy-free egg casserole
- Dairy-free cream cheese frosting
Frequently Asked Questions About The Benefits Of A Dairy-Free Diet
No. All dairy has lactose in it unless it has been manually removed. This means people who have lactose intolerance (which is when you’re allergic to a type of sugar in milk) can still tolerate foods in which the lactose has been removed. For people who are allergic to dairy, lactose-free foods will still cause them symptoms.
Though you may see some benefits by just cutting back on dairy, for your body to actually heal and you to experience benefits like less bloat, reduced headaches, weight loss, and better skin, you need to stop consuming dairy products completely for at least four weeks.
The easiest way to find out how your body reacts to something is by completing an elimination diet. To do this, eliminate all dairy products for six weeks. Then, introduce one dairy product back into your diet one at a time and make note of how you feel and what you experience.
Many crackers and chips use “milk powder” in the ingredients. To have a completely dairy-free lifestyle, make sure to check the back of boxes for dairy products.
Though some people who don't tolerate dairy in general can get away with drinking milk from another animal (like goat's milk), people who are lactose intolerant can't. This is because even milk from other animals contains lactose in it as lactose is a sugar found in the milk.
Gen says
I've always struggled with headaches and had no idea dairy might be a culprit! Looking forward to seeing if this provides some relief. Thanks Shelby!
fitasamamabear says
Ah so that one is my big thing, I get the worst headaches when I have dairy, it was a huge game changer.
Ksenia says
I’ve been struggling with making the switch, but this has actually convinced me! I’m going to try it in the new year
fitasamamabear says
Ekkk! The first bit is hard but when you nail it down it's worth it. If you have questions feel free to send them over!
Lisa says
I've been trying to go dairy-free but have really been struggling. I'm going to keep these benefits in mind as a motivator.
fitasamamabear says
It's definitely a struggle at first- a big one. But keep going! It's worth it once you nail down a system. If you have questions, feel free to shoot them over!
Jenn says
Dr told me to cut out dairy so your article came at the right time! Loved all your tips!
fitasamamabear says
Ohh I love when stuff like that works out!
Kris says
This was so helpful and informative! One of my kids struggles with dairy and this really helped a lot. Thank you!
fitasamamabear says
Glad it gave some insight!
Jere Cassidy says
Great info here. I do eat dairy without a problem, but I like to know what other people face with their food intolerances.
fitasamamabear says
Totally fair.
MacKenzie says
This article was so helpful. Thank u
Greta says
I have cholesterol and my doctor said to go dairy free...so this article definitely was helpful for me. Thanks x
fitasamamabear says
That's amazing! Thanks for giving it a read over.
fitasamamabear says
So happy to hear it!
Devy says
Thank you for sharing this beneficial info.
I once did a full-year dairy-free diet due to the eczema that my baby suffered. Since I was nursing him, I put myself on a very restricted diet of seafood free, wheat-free, and dairy-free. I am glad I did it because my baby became free from eczema. And now he is 12 years old boy with beautiful skin. So I think a dairy-free diet is good too when you have an allergy issue.
fitasamamabear says
You are a rockstar!! It makes such a huge difference to eczema but it's a hard switch at first. Way to freaking go.
Brooke says
What great information. I have been toying with the idea of going completely Dairy free. Some things bother me but some don't. I think I will go completely now and should see even more improvements. Thank you for this informative article!
fitasamamabear says
It's definitely a huge step, but you could always try just starting with some easy swaps and dip your toes in!