If you are like me, I grew up drinking milk ever since I could walk. Wait… actually before that… during the times I can’t remember as an infant.
Is milk a keto friendly drink?
Ever since I started my keto diet, I have not been drinking milk. This wasn’t a decision based on it’s effect on the keto diet, but I wanted to find out if I could start drinking it again.
I did some research which I have provided below. I also have given you a quick answer to this question if you were in a hurry.
Milk isn’t keto friendly, but there are keto friendly milk alternatives which I will give more information about throughout the post.
What ingredients are in liquid dairy milk?
According to milkingredients.ca: Milk is a complex biological fluid consisting of seven main components: water, fat, protein, sugar (lactose), minerals, vitamins and enzymes. I will breakdown each of the main components
Water
Water, otherwise known as H2O, is very important for any diet, but is especially important on a keto diet. You will want to make sure you are hydrated at all times. This ingredient does not factor into the question at hand.
Fat
Fat is the main fuel source for someone in a state of ketosis, so the fat, in this case, would be ok to have on the keto diet.
Sugar (Lactose)
The natural sugar found in dairy, also known as lactose, is one of the factors that make dairy milk a difficult drink to drink on the keto diet. It adds a large number of carbohydrates per serving of whole milk.
Minerals
Vitamin D, also known as calcium, is the main mineral in dairy milk.
% Daily Value*:
- Calcium 21%
- Iron 0.8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
According to the National Institutes of Health: The body needs calcium to maintain strong bones and to carry out many important functions. Almost all calcium is stored in bones and teeth, where it supports their structure and hardness.
If you aren’t drinking milk, you can also get calcium through an over the counter supplement.
Here’s My Vitamin D Supplement on Amazon
Vitamins
You can find some beneficial vitamins in 2% milk.
% Daily Value*:
- Vitamin A 7.9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Enzymes
“Some of the native enzymes in milk are alkaline phosphatase, lactoperoxidase, lysozyme, lipase, proteinase, cathepsin D etc. Many processing technologies including heat treatment destroy many of these enzymes in milk.” – Feedstuffs.com
How many carbs are in whole milk?
There are 13 grams of carbohydrates in 1 cup of milk. – Nutrionix.com
How many different milk TYPES are there?
- Whole Milk
- 2% Milk
- Low Fat Milk
- Organic Milk
- Skimmed Milk (Fat Free Milk)
- Raw Milk
- Lactose-Free Milk
- Flavored Milk
- Full Cream Milk
- Soy Milk
- Almond Milk
- Rice Milk
- Buttermilk
- Ultra-Filtered Milk
- Evaporated Milk
- Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Oat Milk
- Goat Milk
- Hemp Milk
- Coconut Milk
- Cow Milk
- Buffalo Milk
Are all types of milk keto friendly?
As you can see from the list above, there are plenty of milks out there, but not all milks should be treated the same.
This is true for a general diet, but especially true for the keto diet where you need to make sure you are not ingesting anything that can kick your body out of ketosis.
I will go through a couple of the most popular milk types below to see if the milk is keto friendly.
Keep in mind that you should be using the unsweetened versions of these milk types if you want to drink them on the ketogenic diet.
Is Whole Milk keto friendly?
No
Is 2% Milk keto friendly?
No
Is Low Fat Milk keto friendly?
No
Is Soy Milk keto friendly?
No
Is Oat Milk keto friendly?
No
Is Almond Milk keto friendly?
Yes
Is Hemp Milk keto friendly?
Yes
Is Coconut Milk keto friendly?
Yes
Is Macadamia Milk keto friendly?
Yes
Is milk unhealthy for you?
No, milk is not unhealthy. It is certainly healthy and a very good source of vitamins and minerals. It is also a vital part of a newborn’s diet for most new parents.
Just because it is healthy does not mean it will be ok for you to drink milk while trying to practice a keto diet.
Where can you buy milk?
You can buy milk in your local grocery store, and even in a gas station.
You can also get some milk types on Amazon. Check out the link below.
Is milk ok on the keto diet?
To answer the question of “Is milk keto friendly?” I would say… yes… if you are drinking a keto friendly type of milk.
There are some keto options for you to choose from.
- Almond Milk
- Hemp Milk
- Coconut Milk
- Macadamia Milk
What are some alternatives to milk?
Here are some of the alternatives to milk currently out there. They may not all be keto friendly so beware.
