Quick Answer
Yes, it is absolutely possible to follow a keto diet without eating dairy. Dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt are common in many keto meal plans, but there are plenty of dairy-free alternatives you can use instead. With some adjustments, you can still meet your macros and be successful on a dairy-free keto diet.
How Does Keto Work Without Dairy?
The ketogenic diet is a very low-carb, high-fat diet that puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis. In this state, your body switches from using glucose as its main source of energy to using ketones, which come from fat breakdown.
To get into ketosis, most people need to keep their net carbs (total carbs minus fiber) around 20-50 grams per day. The rest of the calories come from protein and fat. Dairy products contain carbs from lactose (milk sugar), so limiting them helps reduce carbs.
You don’t need dairy to go keto. There are plenty of other high-fat, low-carb foods you can eat to hit your macros. Meat, eggs, nuts, seeds, oils, low-carb vegetables, and non-starchy vegetables can all be part of a dairy-free keto meal plan.
Benefits of Going Dairy-Free Keto
Here are some of the main benefits of cutting out dairy on a keto diet:
– Reduce inflammation. Dairy proteins and lactose can cause inflammation issues for some people. Going dairy-free may help reduce overall inflammation.
– Improve gut health. Lactose and casein in dairy are common gut irritants. Avoiding dairy may help improve gut-related issues like bloating, cramps, gas, and diarrhea.
– Avoid potential hormones. Dairy products may contain bovine growth hormones unless labeled hormone-free. A dairy-free keto diet eliminates exposure to these hormones.
– Lose weight. Some people find that cutting out dairy helps promote weight loss. This may be due to inflammation reduction or avoiding liquid calories from milk.
– Better skin. Dairy can trigger breakouts and skin issues in those with sensitivities. Avoiding it may lead to clearer skin for some.
Foods to Eat on a Dairy-Free Keto Diet
While you’ll skip cheese, milk, and yogurt, you can still build delicious and satisfying keto meals without dairy. Here are some of the best dairy-free keto-friendly foods to enjoy:
Meat and Poultry: Beef, pork, chicken, turkey, lamb, bison, eggs
Fish and Seafood: Salmon, tuna, trout, shrimp, sardines, mackerel
Healthy Fats: Olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, avocados, nut butters, nuts, seeds
Low-Carb Vegetables: Leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, peppers, mushrooms, onions, garlic, tomatoes, zucchini
Herbs and Spices: Salt, pepper, oregano, basil, cumin, thyme, rosemary, curry powder, chili powder
Beverages: Water, unsweetened tea, unsweetened coffee
Condiments: Mustard, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar
Tips for Success on Dairy-Free Keto
Making your keto diet dairy-free does take a little extra meal planning. Here are some helpful tips:
– Find new calcium sources like greens, broccoli, sardines, nuts, and fortified non-dairy milk. Calcium-set tofu can also help.
– Use non-dairy milks like almond, coconut, cashew, flax, and soy milk. Always choose unsweetened varieties.
– Take a daily vitamin D supplement since you’ll avoid fortified dairy milk.
– Use ghee or clarify butter to remove milk proteins if you want the flavor of butter.
– Try dairy-free keto creamers made with coconut milk, almond milk, or avocado oil for your coffee.
– Replace cheese with nut-based cheeses or leave it off entirely.
– Use oils, avocado, nut butters, and tahini for smoothies instead of yogurt or milk.
– Read labels since dairy proteins like casein or whey are added to many packaged foods.
– Meal prep your meals ahead of time so you always have keto-friendly dairy-free options on hand.
Keto Macros Without Dairy
To successfully meet your macros (macronutrient goals) on a dairy-free keto diet, aim for:
– 70-80% calories from fat
– 15-20% calories from protein
– 5-10% calories from net carbs
Here’s an example of what a daily 2000 calorie dairy-free keto diet could look like:
Total Calories: 2000
Net Carbs: 25g
Protein: 120g
Fat: 155g
Focus on getting healthy fats from sources like meat, fish, eggs, avocado, nuts, seeds and oils. Measure your macros with a tracker to make sure your ratios are where they need to be.
Keto-Friendly Dairy Substitutes
There are now many keto-friendly products that offer dairy-free versions of milk, cheese, creamer, yogurt, butter, and ice cream.
Some popular options include:
Milk: Coconut milk, almond milk, cashew milk, hemp milk. Always choose unsweetened.
Cheese: Nut-based cheeses made from cashews or almonds, vegan cheese alternatives.
Creamer: Coconut milk, almond milk or cashew milk creamers. Also oil-based creamers and powders.
Yogurt: Coconut milk yogurt, almond milk yogurt, or cashew milk yogurt. Avoid added sugars.
Butter: Ghee or clarified butter has milk proteins removed. Nut butters like almond butter or sunflower seed butter.
Ice cream: Coconut milk, cashew milk or almond milk frozen desserts. Look for low carb and sugar free.
There are also many keto-friendly recipe books focused on dairy-free options for sauces, baking, smoothies, and more. With some substitutions, it’s totally possible to recreate keto versions of recipes that would normally contain dairy.
Sample Dairy-Free Keto Weekly Meal Plan
Here is an example one week dairy-free keto meal plan with recipes and macros:
Monday | Breakfast: Veggie Omelet with Avocado Lunch: Tuna Salad Lettuce Wraps Dinner: Baked Chicken Thighs with Zucchini Noodles Snack: Macadamia Nuts |
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Tuesday | Breakfast: Keto Yogurt Parfait Lunch: Leftover Baked Chicken Thighs Dinner: Salmon Sheet Pan Dinner Snack: Green Smoothie |
Wednesday | Breakfast: Spinach & Mushroom Frittata Lunch: Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps Dinner: Bunless Beef Burgers Snack: Celery with Nut Butter |
Thursday | Breakfast: Chia Seed Pudding Lunch: Cobb Salad Dinner: Meatballs over Zoodles Snack: Seaweed Snack Pack |
Friday | Breakfast: Mushroom & Goat Cheese Omelet Lunch: Chicken Caesar Salad Dinner: Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Radishes Snack: Avocado Toast |
Saturday | Breakfast: Egg, Ham & Cheese Breakfast Muffins Lunch: Taco Salad Dinner: Sirloin Steak with Asparagus Snack: Keto Fat Bombs |
Sunday | Breakfast: Baked Eggs in Avocado Lunch: Chicken & Cucumber Lettuce Wraps Dinner: Baked Salmon with Lemon Butter Sauce Snack: Homemade Trail Mix |
As you can see, there are endless tasty meal options on a dairy-free ketogenic diet. With some adjustments, keto can still be achieved successfully without milk, cheese, or yogurt.
Potential Challenges of Dairy-Free Keto
While dairy-free keto is totally doable, you may face a few potential challenges:
– Lower calcium intake. Make sure to incorporate plenty of calcium-rich foods as mentioned earlier.
– Decreased vitamin D. Monitor vitamin D levels and supplement if needed since you’ll avoid fortified milk.
– Lower electrolytes. Milk contains electrolytes like calcium, potassium and magnesium. Focus on getting enough from other foods and supplementing if needed.
– Missing out on probiotics. Yogurt and kefir contain probiotics. Consider taking a probiotic supplement and eating fermented foods.
– Higher grocery bills. Some specialty dairy-free substitutes cost more than dairy products. Shop sales, buy store brands, and make your own to save money.
– More meal planning and prep. It does take more time to plan and prep dairy-free keto meals. Make big batches and freeze leftovers to save time.
– Potential social challenges. Most social gatherings include dairy-based options that you’ll need to avoid. Offer to bring a dairy-free side or dessert to share.
Tips for Eating Out Dairy-Free Keto
Dining out keto and dairy-free just takes a little planning ahead. Here are some tips to make it easier:
– Review the menu online and decide what to order ahead of time. Call ahead if needed with questions.
– Ask for modifications like leaving cheese off a burger or taking croutons off a salad. Most restaurants are happy to accommodate.
– Ask for a sauce, dressing, or marinade to be served on the side so you can control the amount.
– Substitute steamed veggies or a side salad for ones cooked with butter or heavy cream.
– Check that sides don’t contain hidden dairy ingredients like milk solids.
– Choose meat, seafood, or veggie-based dishes cooked simply in olive oil, not butter.
– Skip creamy soups and chowders, pizza, pasta, sandwiches, and breaded fried foods which typically contain dairy.
– Say no to post-dinner coffee drinks and desserts as they often have sugar and dairy.
Is Dairy-Free Keto Healthy Long Term?
Cutting out dairy can be maintained as part of a healthy keto lifestyle long term for most people. However, there are a few things to keep in mind:
– Monitor calcium intake and supplement if needed to support bone health.
– Get enough vitamin D from sun exposure, food, and/or supplements.
– Consider occasional consumption of full-fat fermented dairy like yogurt, kefir or aged cheese if tolerated. These provide probiotics.
– Watch for signs of low electrolytes like muscle cramps. Supplement sodium, magnesium, and potassium.
– Include plenty of fiber from low-carb vegetables, nuts, and seeds to support a healthy gut.
– Drink enough fluids daily and stay hydrated. Include mineral water or bone broth.
– Focus on anti-inflammatory foods to manage any inflammatory issues aggravated by dairy.
As long as you are meeting your nutrition needs from non-dairy sources or supplements, dairy-free keto can be maintained lifelong for most people without health risks. Get regular bloodwork to monitor vitamin levels.
Conclusion
Avoiding dairy completely is doable on a ketogenic diet. With some simple substitutions and proper meal planning, you can still meet your macros successfully without milk, cheese, yogurt or butter.
Focus on getting healthy fats from meat, fish, eggs, avocados, nuts and oils instead. Monitor vitamin and mineral intake and supplement if needed. Read labels carefully to avoid hidden dairy in packaged foods.
It does take extra effort to plan dairy-free keto meals. But the potential benefits like reduced inflammation, improved gut health, better skin, and avoiding hormones make it worthwhile for many people.
With the wide variety of dairy-free foods and keto-friendly products now available, restricting dairy doesn’t mean you have to miss out on delicious high-fat, low-carb meals on the ketogenic diet.