By Introduction
If someone drinks milk and has feelings of weight, gassiness or bloating they aren’t imagining it. Oftentimes that person is experiencing Lactose intolerance and as a result experiences bloating, gas, diarrhea, and/or stomach pain after drinking dairy.
Thus, the gut healthy milk for you is not necessarily the most popular choice at the grocery store. Whether your gut reacts to lactose, dairy proteins or other ingredients added to plant-based milks will help you determine what type of milk to consume.
Just like knowing your trigger, checking labels on milk bottles is also important. Flavored or highly processed milks might seem like a good choice based on the front label of the carton but if you check the back side of the carton you will see that they also often have added sugar, thickeners or a lot less protein than their counter parts do.
Therefore, going with the simplest version of each kind of milk available (dairy/plant-based) is typically going to result in less bloating and calmer guts.
Reasons Why Milk May Cause Bloating
When we lack enough lactase enzyme produced by the small intestine, we cannot properly digest the lactose in milk. Instead, bacteria in the colon ferment undigested lactose, resulting in gas and water that result from the fermentation of lactose; hence milk being one of the most searched foods when people experience bloating.
Other conditions, such as IBS, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), may produce symptoms identical to those of lactose intolerance, warranting further evaluation if you experience persistent bloating.
7 Best Milks for Gut Health and Bloating
1. Lactose-Free Milk
For those who still want dairy in their diet, lactose-free milk is primarily a good place to begin because it has had lactase added to it to help with digestion. According to the NIDDK, using lactose-free and lactose-reduced milk products can help limit how much lactose a person ingests without making them give up milk altogether.
Most readers will find lactose-free milk works the same as regular milk and offers a good source of lactose-free milk and the main choice for gut health would be lactose-free milk and the best milk to drink with coffee, cereal and smoothies. It is a good first step toward becoming totally dairy-free.
2. Kefir
Kefir (fermented milk) can also help if you are experiencing digestive issues because of its probiotics from the fermentation process. A Harvard study indicated that fermented dairy products contain less lactose than regular milk and have gut-friendly probiotic bacteria; therefore, plain (non-flavored) kefir is a very good choice for gut-friendly milk.
Always choose plain or unsweetened kefir if possible, as flavored kefir has a large amount of sugar, which can increase bloating.
3. A2 Milk
A2 milk has been marketed as a gentler form of dairy, and there is mixed reviews regarding its ability to help with digestion and provide relief for those who are lactose intolerant or have other types of dairy intolerance; therefore it may only be a reasonable option for some individuals versus being a remedy for all people.
If regular dairy causes problems for you but you are not yet ready to be totally dairy free, you may want to try A2 milk for a brief time. Drink only A2 milk for three to five days to see if it actually provides a better digestive experience than regular dairy milk.
4. Almond Milk
Numerous people have found that unsweetened almond milk is exactly what they need in terms of having a dairy free option for gut health as it has zero lactose. Great news – According to Harvard, plant based milks might have a better chance of being tolerated over dairy milk for those who cannot digest lactose. Remember, however, that some companies use different processing methods when creating their plant based milks resulting in various nutrient content.
Almond milk is light and many individuals enjoy using it in smoothies or coffee and really, you want to find an almond milk that has the least amount of ingredients without any added sugars and fillers as these may undermine your digestion goals.
5. Coconut Milk Beverage
Coconut milk beverage is another great dairy free choice as it has a creamy texture but is not as heavy. Coconut milk beverage is mild and works very well in smoothies, oatmeal and warm drinks.
As with all plant based milks, you want to ensure you uses the unsweetened coconut milk beverage. Harvard has pointed out that plant based milks can have a vast difference in brands and often the simplest formula will offer you the greatest chance of success.
6. Rice Milk
Rice milk is another straightforward dairy free option for individuals looking to avoid dairy, soy and/or nuts, and also qualifies per Harvard’s low-FODMAP guidelines for an individual with IBS who is able to tolerate rice milk as a dairy alternative.
Rice milk is low in protein but may allow you to reset while you determine your trigger. For individuals with a sensitive stomach, this is one of the benefits of using rice milk.
7. Lactose-Reduced or Ultra-Filtered Milk
If you enjoy dairy yet find it hard on your stomach, then lactose reduced or ultra filtered milk could be a great option for you as it will give you the protein from regular dairy products while allowing you to avoid most of the digestive issues associated with consuming regular dairy.
According to the NIDDK, consuming lactose free and lactose reduced dairy will help you lower your overall lactose consumption and there are other options available at Harvard University as well which are ultra filtered dairy products that are another way to obtain protein from dairy without having to deal with any potential stomach problems.
If you are also interested in trying to find more protein sources than what is offered by many plant-based milks, these options could work well for you because they are close enough to the consistency of regular dairy that they provide you with additional protein.
Helpful Tips for Finding the Best Milk for Your Gut Health
To determine which type of milk would best support your gut health you should only try one type of milk at a time. Only consume that same milk consistently for three days and note any changes you experience in bloating. If you continue to experience bloating the problem may not be with the milk alone.
Here are several simple guidelines that may help:
- Select unsweetened versions when possible
- Look for added gums or sugar on labels
- If you wish to use Plant-based milks on a regular basis, select those that are fortified
- If lactose appears to be causing you problems, try using lactose free, kefir, or plant-based milks first and then slowly transition back to regular dairy products.
Final Words
The best milk for a healthy gut is any that you can digest well. Lactose-free milk is an easy option for most individuals, kefir provides the benefits of fermentation, and almond, coconut, and rice milk may provide the necessary nutrition if dairy is your offender.
Knowing which type of milk is difficult to tolerate (lactose, dairy proteins, or added ingredients) will make selecting the right milk for bloating much easier and less irritating.
FAQ
1. Which milk is best for gut health?
Lactose-free milk is often the best choice to start because it contains the nutrients of dairy without the lactose, the most likely trigger for bloating.
2. Is dairy free milk for gut health always better?
Not necessarily. Plant-based milks are typically easier for most people to digest than dairy when dealing with lactose intolerance, but they may not always contain the same or even equivalent amounts of nutrients as dairy milks. So whether or not you can tolerate fortifying and modifying ingredients and whether an ingredient is needed would influence your decision.
3. Will milk still cause bloating if I’m not lactose intolerant?
Yes. There are many reasons for developing bloating symptoms, and some of those reasons can mirror symptoms of lactose intolerance. If you suffer from frequent episodes, you may want to assess your diet to identify the cause.
4. Which type of milk is the most easily digested at night?
Because their ingredient content is simple and straightforward, many people report being able to drink both plain unsweetened plant-based milk and lactose-free milk before bedtime while experiencing less discomfort than they would with regular cows milk.