I have done a ton of research in this area over the years due to my grandfather’s celiac disease, and the lactose intolerance of both my husband and father in law.
It’s quite a common question as milk and other dairy products are very much part of most people’s day to day lives. We know that celiac disease requires that you avoid gluten, which means grain products in general, but it can be a chore to follow along with what products have gluten in them.
So then is milk a gluten free food? The answer is yes. Milk does not contain gluten, it is gluten free. Gluten is a grain protein in wheat, rye, and barley, that is not found in milk. It does not matter if the milk is from a cow or other animal, and it does not matter how the milk is processed, be it low fat, skim, whole and so on. A person with celiac can drink milk with no issues.
Of course it should be noted that you may have lactose intolerance, or in some rare cases, an allergy to milk in itself, along with your celiac disease which is separate subject we will discuss further below.
What Is Gluten?
The first thing we should do is define gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat products. It is made up of proteins that provide structure and binding power. If you really want to get into the technical science of gluten, there’s a really good read here.
Different people have different reactions to these proteins. Some people are fine with it, and some people have major issues processing it. For the people in the latter group, if it’s severely bad, then they have what is known as Celiac Disease.
Cow milk and other animal milk you find at the local grocery store will not contain any gluten, so you are safe if you have Celiac disease or on a gluten free diet.
Of course, we are only talking about regular milk with nothing added. You will need to pay attention to sweetened and flavored milks, and other general additives.
Is Powdered Milk Gluten Free?
Yes. Powdered milk is also considered gluten free, as it is essentially the same as the regular milk but in a dry powdered form.
What Types of Milk Contain Gluten?
I’m obviously not going to sit here and state as a matter of fact that there is no such thing as a milk with gluten in it, as I have never researched every single product known to mankind. But as far as any common main stream milks go, there are none that contain gluten unless it is a special flavored product that has a gluten based ingredient added to the milk.
At this point, some people may be asking “what about Oat Milk? Aren’t oats grains?”. Technically yes, but oats are in a separate special category of grains that are gluten free as they do not contain that protein. Some products exist that use Oats and Oat milk as an alternative for Celiac, and gluten free diets. The only caveat to some of these products is the fact that many of them process the oats in the same machines that have gluten based products run through them like wheat. My guess would be that this risk of cross contamination would be exceedingly rare, but you never know. Read more about Oat Milk here.
Ok, so now “what about rice milk?”. Rice milk is also technically gluten free, but there have been questions raised regarding extra ingredients that are put into the rice milk that contain small levels of the gluten protein in them. It has been pointed out though, that the quantity of gluten is in such small trace amounts that they do not show up in any testing for it. Do your own research on this matter and proceed with caution. Read more about this rice milk conundrum here.
Almond milk is gluten free in general, however, just like regular milk, you need to pay attention to labels if they are sweetened, flavored, etc. If you don’t trust labels, you could make your own almond milk with this recipe here.
Other Dairy Products
Much like the milk issue, a person with celiac disease will be safe with the vast majority of cheeses and cheese products as they are mostly gluten free. Especially your most common “main stream” varieties. For a more detailed list of safe gluten free cheeses, visit this site here.
A brief summary of the list. Gluten Free Cheeses include the following: Brie, Cheddar, Cottage, Cream, Feta, Goat, Mozzarella, Parmesan, Provolone, Ricotta, and Swiss.
Once again it should be noted that you will still need to be cautious when it comes to other packaged cheese related foods as they may have other non gluten free ingredients added to them. For example, anything breaded or anything with wheat starch, or other similar additives.
Why is Gluten Bad for Celiac Disease?
So why is it a problem for people with celiac disease to have gluten in the first place? Other names for Celiac Disease are gluten-sensitive enteropathy or celiac sprue. In some parts of the world, you may see it spelled “coeliac” disease.
Gluten is a protein that can cause the immune system go awry and cause digestive issues and long term damage.
What Would Happen if a Person with Celiac Disease Eats Gluten?
The severity of the disease can vary from person to person, and the damage caused by gluten can be something that gets worse and worse as time goes on. It’s not advised that someone with “milder” symptoms continues to consume small amounts thinking it’s ok for them. It can get worse over time.
However, on the off chance a person with celiac disease consumes gluten, there a huge list of possible issues. Some symptoms can occur within a few hours of consuming gluten, and others may take a few days. Some people call this “gluten poisoning” or “being glutened”.
While there are 100s of negative reactions that result from taking in gluten when you have a sensitivity to it, here is a short list of the most common ones:
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Nausea/Vomiting/Stomach Pains
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Ulcers
- Skin Rashes
- General Inflammation and Joint Pains
The Celiac Disease and Lactose Intolerance Connection
So with all we have discussed so far, it may seem as though milk and other dairy products get a free pass, as they don’t contain gluten. This is true for most people struggling with the complications of Celiac Disease. However, I would urge a bit more caution in proceeding and take notes before and after consuming milk products, as you may also find that you are Lactose intolerant as well.
Research has shown a strong correlation between people with Lactose Intolerance and Celiac Disease. More research is being done, and we can’t say for certain. However, the premise seems to be that Celiac Disease may affect the production of Lactase, which in turn causes the body to be unable to properly “handle” the protein Lactose.
So whether we conclude there is a link between the two or not, it should be stated that a person struggling with one or both of these issues, could potentially benefit by cutting out both gluten and dairy altogether. That being said, I understand it’s a very difficult thing to avoid gluten as it is, let alone an entire food group of dairy.
Gluten Free vs Low Carb
Now that we have addressed the issue of avoiding gluten in milk for a gluten free celiac friendly diet, we now need to question motive. If you are asking “Is Milk Gluten Free” because you are on a low carb diet, then we have a more complex answer. While in my view, low carb diets tend to be the best way to go for most people in a general sense, I have also noticed that there has been a massive mainstream mix up when it comes to the phrases “gluten free” and “low carb”. Some people have been using these phrases interchangeably and incorrectly.
Milk does not contain gluten, so if you have a gluten intolerance or have celiac disease, you are safe to drink it. On the other hand, if you are simply counting carbs, you will want to pay attention to sugar content.
In Conclusion
I’m a huge advocate of testing your own body to see what works best for you, within safe parameters of course, and with the advice of a medical professional.
Be sure to track your dairy consumption and the results both immediately, and long after you eat them. You can do this on paper and keep it simple. It does not have to be a complex spreadsheet.
Every human being is different, and you should always take it upon yourself to see what works best in your own world.
