Lactose Free Protein Powder Sources for Lactose Intolerant

What is lactose intolerance?

Lactose intolerance occurs when the body is unable to digest a type of naturally occurring sugar called lactose. It is present in many dairy products, such as milk, cheese, and yogurt.

Lactose intolerance develops when the small intestine can no longer produce enough lactase enzyme to digest and break down the lactose. Because of this, lactose travels into the large intestine undigested.

The gut bacteria in your large intestine (that are supposed to be there) react with the undigested lactose and cause uncomfortable symptoms including bloating, gas, and diarrhea. You may also hear lactose intolerance referred to as lactase deficiency.

Unfortunately, lactose intolerance is terribly common in adults. At least 30 million people in the United States are lactose intolerant. People with Asian, African, and Hispanic ancestry tend to be more susceptible to lactose intolerance.

Those with lactose intolerance might want to avoid dairy products or consider taking a lactase enzyme prior to doing so.

If you are lactose-free, try our homemade almond milk recipe!

Lactose-free food sources

There are many food sources of protein that are lactose-free. To add more protein to your diet from the foods you eat, try these homemade no-bake protein balls and protein oatmeal and add more meat, poultry, eggs, beans, and legumes. Try to get most of your protein from the food sources first, then use these lactose-free protein supplements to fill in the gaps.

4 Great Lactose Free Protein Powders

Whey isolate protein powder

Whey isolate protein is one of the best protein powder supplements for building muscle. Strength training and the consumption of high protein foods, like whey protein powder, have been shown to increase muscle mass and prevent muscle loss in aging adults.

Whey protein is an easily-digested and highly bioavailable protein. It provides all the essential amino acids. However, it is derived from dairy. If you are lactose intolerant, you may want to opt for whey isolate protein powder instead of whey concentrate.

Whey isolate undergoes more processing than whey concentrate, eliminating most if not all lactose from the final product. Liquid whey is separated and goes through additional processing to increase its protein content. It is then dried to a powder called whey isolate, which contains about 80% protein. Some methods of processing can produce a product that contains up to 90% protein by weight.

Naked Nutrition’s whey protein isolate powder, Clear Naked Whey provides 15 grams of complete, lactose-free, 100% whey protein isolate. It is a fast-absorbing protein, making it ideal for a post-workout shake to help support the recovery process. Because whey protein isolate is lactose-free, it is also an excellent option for those trying to reduce or avoid lactose.

Pea protein powder

Pea protein powder is made by isolating the protein found in dried yellow peas. It is a source of high-quality protein, including all nine essential amino acids. Although, it does have a somewhat low level of methionine. You can get methionine from other foods in your diet, like eggs, fish, poultry, and beef.

Pea protein is also a good source of iron. Most pea protein products have about 5–7.5 mg of iron per serving. Providing approximately 28–42% of the reference daily intake (RDI) for premenopausal women and 62–94% of the RDI for men and postmenopausal women.

In addition to providing high-quality protein and a significant source of iron, pea protein is also vegan, hypoallergenic, and one of the plant-based proteins that are considered easily digestible.

Therefore, pea protein powder is a great option for people with lactose intolerance.

Egg protein

Eggs are a significant source of protein and other nutrients, including many minerals. No time to scramble eggs? Egg white protein powder offers a more convenient option for protein on the go.

Using a high-protein supplement like egg white protein powder provides a good amount of amino acids to help support muscle gain and increased strength.

Egg white protein powder is somewhat unique from other protein powders in that it doesn’t contain any fat. Egg whites only contain protein and a small number of carbohydrates. Because the yolk is omitted from this protein powder, it is a significant source of protein without adding calories from fat.

Egg white protein is lactose-free and a good option for people with lactose intolerance.

Bone Broth Protein Powder

Bone broth protein powder is an excellent source of lactose-free protein, and it contains many nutrients that have been shown to provide health benefits including better gut health, strong hair and nails, healthy joints, and healthy skin. Among the nutrients contained in bone broth protein are:

• chondroitin
• glucosamine
• glycine
• glutamine
• proline
• hyaluronic acid
• glucosamine
• glycine
• glutamine
• proline
• hyaluronic acid

Bone broth is high in protein and low in calories, so it can help you supplement your protein intake without adding many calories. It is perfect for those who are lactose intolerant or need to avoid dairy.

You can also try making your own homemade chicken bone broth to sip on throughout the day.

Conclusion

Many protein supplements are derived from milk, including whey and casein. Consuming lactose-containing products if you have lactose intolerance can cause unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms. If you are avoiding lactose, there are plenty of lactose-free food sources of protein. You can also try whey protein isolate or other lactose-free protein powders.