Are Creamers Dairy Free?

Last updated on October 5th, 2022 at 08:46 am

Coffee is one of the things that get people out of bed in the morning. Its smell and taste are addicting and the caffeine it contains helps to wake you up. 

If you love to drink coffee, chances are you have a bottle of creamer sitting in your refrigerator. You can buy creamer at the store in powder or liquid form. 

Creamer adds some sweetness and flavor to the coffee and is used as a substitute for milk. But, if you are wanting to stay away from dairy products you could be wondering, are creamers dairy free?

Creamers are generally dairy-free and don’t contain milk products. It is made with sugar or sugar substitutes, oil, and thickeners.

Creamer is added to coffee to make it taste sweeter and more flavorful. It is similar to milk or half and half in its texture but doesn’t contain lactose. Most coffee creamers are labeled as being “dairy free”. They do not contain any real cream or lactose, however they may contain a milk derived protein. 

This means it is dairy free but not necessarily vegan. If you are wanting a vegan creamer option make sure you check out the labeling saying it is a vegan product. Some creamer companies do make vegan creamers.

Creamer is similar to half and half in the fact that it thickens the coffee and makes it taste less bitter. However, half and half is made of equal parts of milk and cream while creamer is not made with milk products but rather a lot of sugar, oil, and thickeners. 

Creamer can be purchased in powder or liquid from and is available in a variety of flavors. If you are choosing to eat dairy free then most creamers are okay to use. 

Just be sure to inspect the label to see if it specifically says “dairy free”.

Are Creamers Non-Dairy?

Eating dairy free can be difficult if you aren’t sure a product is indeed non-dairy. If you love to drink coffee but need a little sweetness added in, you probably would like to use some creamer. Are creamers non-dairy?

Most creamers are dairy free but someone that is lactose intolerant should know that there is a lot of sugar and sometimes a milk protein in creamer that may be hard for them to digest.

As a coffee lover you need something extra to put into it to sweeten it up a bit. But you are lactose intolerant meaning you are allergic to milk. Creamer seems the way to go since most coffee creamers say that they are “dairy free”. 

Unfortunately, some creamers labeled as being “non-dairy” can contain a milk protein called casein. This milk protein can trigger reactions just like milk can in someone with a milk allergy. 

Even some “non-dairy” creamers contain casein which those with bad allergies to milk should stay away from. This ingredient is listed on the label of the creamer so if you are unsure check out what the creamer is made of and decide if you should use it or not.

MedBroadcast explains about “dairy-free ” creamer in one of their articles entitled, 7 things you need to know about non-dairy coffee creamer. In this article they say, 

“Calling it “non-dairy” isn’t always true. You would think that a product called “non-dairy” would be safe for those who avoid dairy in their diet, right? But vegans and those with lactose intolerance or a milk allergy be warned:…while the label may say “non-dairy” or “lactose-free,” it does not mean it contains no dairy-derived ingredients. Vegans can opt for soymilk-based “creamers,” though soymilk may still be problematic for those with milk allergies.” 

So, if you have a milk allergy, check out the label the next time you’re searching for a dairy-free creamer to make sure it is safe for you to use.

What Is The Healthiest Non-Dairy Creamer?

Looking for a non-dairy creamer? It can get frustrating trying to figure out which creamers are actually dairy free and okay for someone who is lactose intolerant to drink. What is the healthiest non-dairy creamer you can get?

There are some non-dairy creamers you can purchase at the store if you are lactose intolerant. These include creamers made with oat milk or almond milk.

Creamers made of oat milk and almond milk will be very healthy alternatives to creamer that has dairy in it. Ultimately you will have to try them out to see which flavor you prefer. 

Instead of just using a non-dairy milk like oat milk or almond milk to put in your coffee you can also buy creamers that are dairy free. These can taste similar to half-and half and not contain any milk. 

So you can enjoy your coffee and not worry about your milk allergy. Or if you are vegan you can still enjoy adding creamer to coffee and still be using animal-free products. 

There are alot of non-dairy creamer or creamer substitutes to choose from if you are wanting a dairy free version. Many of these can be found at your local grocery stores. Know what the healthiest options are so you can pick some up the next time you are buying creamer.

Here is a list of some of the healthiest non-dairy creamers:

1. Nut Pods Original Unsweetened Oat Creamer
2. Califia Farms Original Better Half Coconut Cream & Almondmilk Creamer
3. Vital Proteins Vanilla Collagen Creamer
4. Nutiva Organic MCT Creamer
5. New Barn Barista Almondmilk Creamer
6. Silk Original Dairy-Free Soy Creamer
7. So Delicious Organic Dairy-Free Coconutmilk Creamer
8. Ripple Original Plant-Based Half & Half
9. CoffeeMate Natural Bliss Vanilla Oat Milk Creamer
10. Original Oat-Ly Oat Milk Barista Edition
11. Silk Oat Yeah Oat Milk Creamer
12. Forager Organic Dairy-Free Half & Half
13. Coffee-Mate Natural Bliss® Unsweetened Plant-Based Half-and-Half
14. Malk Organics Unsweetened Almond Milk
15. Trader Joe’s Coconut Creamer
16. Silk Vanilla Almond Creamer

Final Thoughts

Most coffee creamers are dairy free and are labeled as such. If you have a milk allergy, it is a good idea to check the ingredients to see if the creamer is made with a milk protein since this can be hard for you to digest. 

There are many great dairy-free creamer products that are healthy and taste good, too. So, you can still use creamer in your coffee and enjoy one that is entirely dairy free.