Are Eggs Dairy? Here's What to Know | Nellie's Blog (2024)

FAQs

Are eggs considered a dairy? ›

Eggs are often mistakenly categorized as dairy, but eggs are not dairy products. Eggs are laid by birds, which do not have mammary glands. Dairy products are items like yogurt, cheese and milk. You can eat eggs if you follow a dairy-free diet or if you have lactose intolerance.

People may think eggs are dairy because retailers often sell the two products close together, and people may group them together because they are both animal products and sources of protein. Additionally, a vegan diet excludes both eggs and dairy, which may cause people to think they are the same type of product.

Eggs are still a part of a dairy-free diet. Even though they are found in the dairy section of the grocery store, eggs do not contain milk sugar and milk proteins. Eggs are safe to eat in a milk-free diet.

Eggs are typically found in the dairy aisle alongside butter and milk, but they come from chickens so it makes sense that many of us aren't sure how to classify them. A spokesperson for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) tells TODAY.com that eggs are considered a poultry product.

What Food Groups Are Eggs In? Eggs belong to the protein food group. Seafood, meat, poultry, and beans are other common foods belonging to the protein food group.

It's true that we typically tend to lump them together, but eggs are not considered dairy products. That's because the term “dairy” is usually associated with products made from the milk of mammals, such as cows, goats, or sheep. Dairy products include milk, cheese, yogurt, and butter, among others.

Mayonnaise doesn't have any milk products in it, so that means it doesn't have dairy. Eggs aren't considered a dairy product, even though they are an animal product. That means if you have a dairy allergy or lactose intolerance, it's safe to eat eggs, as well as mayonnaise, because they don't contain any lactose.

Despite the name, peanut butter does not contain any dairy butter. Also, peanuts, being nondairy products, don't contain any lactose themselves. Most natural peanut butter is safe to eat if you're lactose-intolerant.

Almond milk – especially fortified almond milk – has these health benefits: Almond milk is dairy-free. Almond milk has no lactose (a type of sugar found naturally in dairy milk) since it's not an animal product. As a result, it's a good milk substitute for people with lactose intolerance.

Vegans and those with certain allergies and sensitivities may cut out all animal products from a diet, but if a dairy-free diet is all you are seeking, you can safely consume eggs.

Why am I suddenly lactose intolerant? ›

This form of lactose intolerance occurs when your small intestine decreases lactase production after an illness, injury or surgery involving your small intestine. Diseases associated with secondary lactose intolerance include intestinal infection, celiac disease, bacterial overgrowth and Crohn's disease.

Butter is a solid food most frequently made from cow's milk. Goat, buffalo, or sheep milk is also used to make butter. Since these are all mammals, butter is a dairy product. The dairy group is commonly the chief source of calcium in your diet.

Eggs are not a dairy product. It's as simple as that. The definition of dairy includes foods produced from the milk of mammals, such as cows and goats ( 1 ). Basically, it refers to milk and any food products made from milk, including cheese, cream, butter, and yogurt.

While eggs may be stored in the dairy aisle and are often grouped with dairy, they're not a dairy product. Eggs are not a dairy product, as they're not produced from milk.

There are a number of reasons for this, dating all the way back to the early days of the corner grocer. Both are animal proteins, so they make a logical pair in that respect. Both are required to be refrigerated in the United States, so there's a practical reason to co-locate them in the cooler.

The Dairy Group includes milk, yogurt, cheese, lactose-free milk and fortified soy milk and yogurt. It does not include foods made from milk that have little calcium and a high fat content, such as cream cheese, sour cream, cream, and butter. Visit the Dairy Group page for examples of specific foods in the Dairy Group.