Is Milk Gluten Free?

When you think of milk, you probably picture a pure white drink you pour from a carton or jug. It’s the perfect complement to a bowl of cereal or a light flavor additive for bitter coffee. While we all know the  milk we drink typically comes from cows, what exactly is it?

The term milk is applied to the liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals – even humans. While most people refer to cow’s milk simply as milk, it can more specifically be referred to as dairy milk. Keep in mind, however, that dairy milk can also come from goats, sheep, or even buffalo.

Milk is a naturally gluten-free beverage. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s safe for celiac sufferers.

Here’s what you need to know about milk, especially if you’re on a gluten free diet.

Does Milk Contain Gluten?

Given that milk is simply the liquid produced by mammary glands, it doesn’t naturally contain any gluten. Gluten is a protein found in certain grains, but casein and whey are the primary proteins found in milk. If you’re following a gluten free diet, milk is a safe inclusion as long as you don’t have an allergy.

Though milk is gluten free, you should be careful about flavored milks and other dairy products derived from milk. These have the potential to contain hidden sources of gluten.

Chocolate milk, vanilla milk, and strawberry milk are usually safe. What you need to be careful of is milk products that contains thickening agents, malt, or modified food starch.

As a final note, if you are extremely sensitive to gluten, you may want to avoid milk that comes from cows fed on gluten grains – cows are often fed barley. Unless you’re lactose intolerant, however, you should be fine drinking milk from grass-fed cows.

Celiac Disease and Lactose Intolerance

While milk may naturally gluten free, that doesn’t mean that everyone with celiac disease can tolerate it. An article released in January 2022 suggests that 1 in 10 (10%) of celiac disease patients are lactose intolerant, though the incidence may be as high as 50% in patients diagnosed with malabsorption.

Lactose intolerance is not an allergy. If you are lactose intolerant, it simply means that your body doesn’t have enough of the enzymes needed to digest lactose or that your digestive symptom isn’t able to absorb it properly. This condition is incredibly common, affecting roughly 75% of the world’s population. It is also often a symptom of untreated celiac disease.

The link between celiac disease and lactose intolerance has everything to do with the small intestine. When a person with celiac disease consumes gluten, it triggers an autoimmune response which results in damage to the small intestine – specifically the villi lining the intestinal wall. Villi are small hair-like projections that help absorb nutrients.

The villi also contain lactase, the enzyme needed to digest lactose, the sugar found in milk. When the villi become damaged by celiac disease, it impairs the body’s ability to digest dairy which results in symptoms of lactose intolerance.

Dairy-Free Milk Alternatives

If you have celiac disease and also experience symptoms of lactose intolerance, you might want to consider dairy-free alternatives to milk.

Popular options include:

• Almond milk
• Soy milk
• Oat milk
• Coconut milk
• Cashew milk
• Rice milk

Another option, of course, is to purchase lactose-free milk. It’s simply milk made with lactase enzymes added to it which makes it easier to digest.

5 Gluten Free Recipes to Enjoy Milk

Milk is full of essential nutrients like calcium and potassium and contains moderate amounts of vitamin B6, cobalamin, magnesium, and vitamin B12. It can be a nutritious addition to any diet, even if you’re lactose intolerant and need to drink lactose-free milk.

Here are 5 simple recipes featuring milk for you to try at home:

1. Homemade Yogurt

Servings: 8 cups

Ingredients:

• ½ gallon milk (2% or whole)
• ½ cup yogurt with active cultures

Instructions:

1. Warm the milk in a Dutch oven over medium heat while stirring gently until it reaches 200°F.
2. Set the milk aside to cool to a temperature of 115°F – stir occasionally to keep a skin from forming.
3. Scoop a cup of milk into a bowl then whisk in the yogurt.
4. Pour the thinned yogurt back into the Dutch oven gradually while whisking.
5. Cover the Dutch oven and place in the oven (turned off) for at least 4 hours – wrap the Dutch oven in a towel or leave the oven light on.
6. Taste the yogurt after 4 hours – it will become thicker and more tart the longer you let it set.
7. Drain off any whey that formed or whisk it into the yogurt when it’s done.
8. Spoon into storage containers and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

2. Hot Milk Cake

Servings: 16

Ingredients:

• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 ¼ cups Schär Mix It! Universal
• 2 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 ¼ cups milk (2% or whole)
• 10 tablespoons butter, chopped

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
2. Beat the eggs in a large bowl until thick and yellow then gradually add the sugar, beating until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in the vanilla then combine the Mix It! Universal and baking powder in a separate bowl.
4. Add the dry ingredients a little at a time, beating on low speed until smooth.
5. Warm the milk and butter in a small saucepan until the butter is just melted.
6. Gradually stir the wet ingredients into the batter.
7. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

3. Toasted Marshmallow Milkshake

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

• 8 marshmallows
• 2 cups vanilla ice cream
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla ice cream
• Pinch salt
• Whipped cream to garnish

Instructions:

1. Spread the marshmallows on a foil-lined tray and broil until toasted.
2. Scoop the vanilla ice cream into a high-speed blender.
3. Add ¼ cup milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.
4. Add six of the toasted marshmallows and blend until smooth and creamy.
5. Pour into glasses and garnish with whipped cream and the remaining marshmallows.

4. Stovetop Mac & Cheese

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups milk
• ¼ cup water
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and pepper
• 1 box Schär Fusilli Pasta
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions:

1. Combine the milk, water and butter in a large saucepan.
2. Stir in the onion powder, garlic powder and the salt and pepper then bring to a boil.
3. Add the pasta then reduce heat to low.
4. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the noodles are cooked.
5. Add extra milk ¼ cup at a time if the liquid evaporates too quickly.
6. Stir in the cream cheese then remove from heat.
7. Add the cheddar cheese and stir until thick and creamy.
8. Cover for 3 minutes before serving.

5. Sour Milk Biscuits

Servings: 12

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Schär Mix It! Universal
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup sour milk

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 475°F.
2. Combine the Mix It! Universal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and stir well.
3. Pour 1/3 cup oil into a 1-cup measuring cup.
4. Fill the cup the rest of the way with milk and pour into the dry ingredients – do not mix first.
5. Stir until it forms a dough and knead a few times until it comes together – do not over knead.
6. Roll the dough to ½-inch thick and cut using a biscuit cutter or a small glass.
7. Place the biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet.
8. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the biscuits are golden brown.

If you’re going to include milk in your diet, it’s wise to consider the nutritional differences between the different types. Skim milk has the lowest calorie content at 90 calories per cup while whole milk contains closer to 150 calories per cup. The calorie content is even higher for other dairy products like half-and-half and heavy cream.