Overview
About Butter
Butter is a dairy food, so it is flagged high for lactose, but the real amount is small: it is almost pure milk fat with only a little milk sugar and protein left in it.
That is why many people who react to milk or cream still tolerate butter, and why clarified butter (ghee) removes almost all of what remains. The steadier concerns are the traces of casein and whey it keeps and the fact that, as a saturated animal fat, it is graded pro-inflammatory.
Sensitivities
How Butter scores
Watch for
What trips people up
- Flagged high for lactose as a dairy food, though it is mostly fat and holds only a little milk sugar, which is why it is often tolerated when milk is not
- Still contains casein and whey traces, enough to bother a strict dairy or milk-protein avoider
- Graded pro-inflammatory and not Mediterranean, paleo or vegan friendly, being a saturated animal fat
Diet fit
Where it fits
Swap ideas
More alternatives
FAQ
Common questions about Butter
Is butter high in lactose?
Butter is classed as a high-lactose dairy food, but the real amount is small: it is mostly milk fat with only a little milk sugar left in it. That is why many lactose-intolerant people tolerate butter, and clarified butter or ghee removes almost all of what remains. If you are very sensitive, treat it as dairy and test your own tolerance.
Can I eat butter if I am dairy free?
It depends on why you avoid dairy. If the issue is lactose, butter is usually fine because so little is left in the fat. If the issue is a milk-protein allergy or sensitivity, the trace casein and whey in butter can still be a problem, and a plant fat such as olive oil is the safer choice.
References
Read the background
Ratings reflect the Triggerbites ingredient database and may vary with portion size and preparation.