Which milk can you use to drink, put in your coffee, or bake with if you are on the low FODMAP diet? In this blog, I discuss the different types of milk and plant-based milk that are low FODMAP and in what quantities you can use them.

I also discuss the types to avoid as they are high in FODMAPs.

Do you want to know more about lactose and the FODMAP diet? Then also read these blogs:

• Lactose and the low FODMAP diet
• What cheeses are low FODMAP? 
• Is butter low FODMAP? 

Low FODMAP milk alternatives

Lactose-free cow’s milk

Lactose-free cow’s milk is regular milk to which the enzyme lactase has been added.

The lactase ensures that your body can break down the milk without any problems and you do not get any complaints.

Lactose-free cow’s milk is low FODMAP in a serving of 1 cup or 250 ml.

Is almond milk low FODMAP?

Almond milk low FODMAP? Yes, it is!

Almonds are only low FODMAP to a limited extent, but because most types of almond milk contain only a very small percentage of almonds, almond milk is low FODMAP. A low FODMAP serving is 1 cup or 240 ml of almond milk.

Is rice milk low FODMAP?

Yes, rice milk is low FODMAP up to 3/4 cup or 200 ml per serving. So you can easily drink a small glass of rice milk or make your breakfast using rice milk.

What about FODMAPs in oat milk?

Oat milk is low FODMAP. But only to a limited extent, up to 6 tbsp or 104 grams per serving. From 1/2 cup or 121 grams of oat milk contains an average amount of fructans and GOS.

And you can get symptoms when you use a larger amount. This means that oat milk is maybe not the best choice to use when making your low FODMAP breakfast.

But you can use some oat milk to make a delicious oat milk latte, as long as you stick to a maximum serving of 1/2 cup of milk.

Macadamia milk

Macadamia milk is, as the name implies, plant-based milk made from macadamia nuts. A low FODMAP serving is 1 cup or 240 ml.

Quinoa milk

Another plant-based milk variety! Unsweetened quinoa milk is low FODMAP up to 1 cup or 250 ml per serving.

Coconut milk

There are two types of coconut milk, coconut milk in a carton for drinking and coconut milk in a can or a small carton for cooking.

Long-life coconut milk from a carton (UHT) is low FODMAP up to 3/4 cup or 180 ml per portion. At a serving of 1 cup or 250 ml, long-life coconut milk contains a moderate amount of sorbitol.

Coconut milk for cooking contains an average amount of sorbitol at 1/2 cup or 120 g. A low FODMAP serving is 1/4 cup or 60 grams.

Light coconut milk for cooking can be safely used up to a serving of 500 ml.

You can read more about coconut products and FODMAPs in this blog.

Is soy milk low FODMAP?

The short answer to this question is: it depends. Soy milk made from soy protein is low FODMAP, but soy milk made from soybeans is not.

Soy milk made from soy protein

Soy milk made from soy protein is low FODMAP up to 257 ml per serving.

Unfortunately, this type of soy milk is very difficult to find. I have never found it in the supermarkets here in the Netherlands.

Most types of soy milk that I have found are made with soybeans and unfortunately, this is high in FODMAPs. See below.

Soy milk made from soybeans

This type of soy milk is high in FODMAPs. Monash University says that a serving of 1/2 cup or 125 ml is high in GOS.

So if the brands of soy milk that are available in your supermarket are made from soybeans instead of soy protein, it is best to avoid them in the elimination phase of the FODMAP diet.

Types of milk that should be avoided on the FODMAP diet

The following types of milk are high in FODMAPs and have no low FODMAP serving or only a very small low FODMAP serving. These can best be avoided if you are still in the elimination phase or when you know you react to lactose:

Cow’s milk

Cow’s milk contains lactose and is therefore only low FODMAP in very small amounts. A serving of 15 ml reduced fat milk is low FODMAP. For regular fat milk, 20 ml is a safe serving.

Goat’s milk

Goat’s milk contains lactose and is therefore only limited low FODMAP. A 30 ml serving is low FODMAP.

Condensed milk

Condensed milk also contains lactose and is low FODMAP in a serving of 1 tsp or 7 grams.

If I want to make something with condensed milk, I usually make it low in lactose myself using lactase drops.

Condensed coconut milk also has a low FODMAP serving of 2 tbsp or 40 grams . You can read more about it in my blog about coconut products on the FODMAP diet.

Is buttermilk low FODMAP?

Buttermilk contains lactose and is low FODMAP up to 16 grams per serving or 1 tbsp.

If you need buttermilk for a baking recipe, you can also make buttermilk yourself with lactose-free milk and vinegar or lemon juice.

For 1 cup or 250 ml of lactose-free milk add 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice. Mix it well and you have lactose-free and low FODMAP butter milk.

High FODMAP ingredients in low FODMAP milk

When you are buying vegetable milk, make sure to always read the label well. I notice that quite often ingredients that are high in FODMAPs are added to these kinds of milk. Such as fructose or inulin.

This makes these brands of vegetable milk unsuitable to use.

These are all types of milk that have been tested by Monash University! I hope the information in this blog will help you to pick a low FODMAP (vegetable) milk.

What is your favorite kind of milk to use? I like using unsweetened almond milk for my breakfasts. In my coffee, I prefer lactose-free cow’s milk or oat milk.

Other blogs about the FODMAPs in foods

Would you like to read more about whether certain foods are low FODMAP and in what quantities? Check out the articles below:

Fruits and vegetables

• Are tomatoes low FODMAP?
• Is coconut low FODMAP?
• Are bananas low FODMAP?
• Are mushrooms low FODMAP?
• Is broccoli low FODMAP?
• Is kale low FODMAP?
• Is spinach low FODMAP?
• Is corn low FODMAP?
• Is avocado low FODMAP?
• Is sweet potato low FODMAP?

Dairy and grains

• Is rice low FODMAP?
• Is quinoa low FODMAP?
• Are oats low FODMAP?
• What cheeses are low FODMAP?
• Is butter low FODMAP?

Other foods and drinks

• What nuts are low FODMAP?
• Is peanut butter low FODMAP?
• Is popcorn low FODMAP?
• Is soy low FODMAP?
• What alcoholic drinks are low FODMAP?
• Is coffee low FODMAP?