Feta cheese is made with sheep's milk and is very low in lactose. It's a good choice for people who are lactose intolerant because it is lower in lactose than other types of cheese.
Feta: 4.1% average lactose.
Hard, aged cheeses like Swiss, parmesan, and cheddars are lower in lactose. Other low-lactose cheese options include cottage cheese or feta cheese made from goat or sheep's milk. Certain types of cheeses -- especially soft or creamy ones like ricottta and cream cheese -- are higher in lactose.
Some of the best cheeses for lactose intolerance are muenster, brie, camembert, and gouda. Cheddar cheese, parmesan, and provolone are also relatively low in lactose. However, Velveeta, feta, ricotta, and American cheese are the worse for lactose intolerance.
Hard cheeses such as cheddar, colby, Swiss, mozzarella and Monterey Jack “are virtually lactose-free,” Cifelli explains. Additionally aged cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano are virtually lactose free. At less than 1 mg lactose per 100 grams even the Italian Ministry of Health allows it to be labeled as such.
Feta cheese is made with sheep's milk and is very low in lactose. It's a good choice for people who are lactose intolerant because it is lower in lactose than other types of cheese. Lactose is a type of sugar that is found in dairy products.
Younger, moister, softer cheeses that are aged for only a short amount of time (such as brie), fresh cheeses (like mozzarella and feta), and processed cheeses (hello, Velveeta) have higher levels of lactose, so they're more likely to produce unpleasant effects.
Halloumi – Halloumi contains a low amount of lactose. The halloumi that I found contains 2 grams of lactose per 100 grams. A low FODMAP serving is 40 grams. At 60 grams halloumi contains a moderate amount of lactose and at 220 grams it is high in lactose.
Greek Yogurt is Lactose Intolerant Friendly
If you are sensitive to dairy products with lactose, you can most likely still enjoy Greek yogurt. During production, Greek yogurt is strained several times to remove the whey products. This process gives Greek yogurt its thick and creamy texture.
Does Greek yogurt have lactose? The answer is yes. But thanks to its unique makeup, many people with lactose intolerance can enjoy it too. Because of its straining and fermentation processes, Greek yogurt has less lactose than regular yogurt, milk and even ice cream.
You can develop secondary lactose intolerance suddenly as a result of damage to your small intestine. Injury, surgery, infections or chronic diseases may damage the cells that produce lactase. This can cause sudden lactose malabsorption and intolerance, even if you could previously digest lactose.
The amounts of lactose vary between brands of yogurt, but plain Greek yogurt contains about 5g of lactose per serving, while regular plain yogurt contains about twice as much. Monash University uses a 1g lactose threshold to determine portions of dairy products that are low FODMAP.
Feta cheese has bacterial cultures that are good for immune, intestinal and anti-inflammatory health. Besides that, it contains histidine, which, when combined with vitamin B6, produces histamine. Histamine is known for its anti-inflammatory effects.
Most dairy foods contain the natural sugar lactose, however some dairy foods contain very little or no lactose. Hard cheeses, such as cheddar and Parmesan, as well as matured cheeses such as brie, camembert and feta contain virtually no lactose because of the way they are made.
As a result of our authentic straining process, most Chobani® Greek Yogurt products contain less than 5% lactose per cup and Chobani® Greek Yogurt drinks contain less than 8% lactose per bottle.
Can you eat McDonald's cheese if you're lactose intolerant? Because processed cheese contains high levels of whey and milk proteins, they tend to be very high in lactose. Indeed, the lactose levels can be as high as 15g/100g which is well beyond the 12g that most lactose intolerant people can safely consume.
Dairy is off-limits for many IBS sufferers, although lactose-free dairy (found in cream cheese, half and half, hard cheeses like cheddar, parmesan, and Swiss, and soft cheeses like brie, feta, and mozzarella can be tolerated by many of us.
Low-lactose dairy products include butter, hard cheese, yogurt, kefir, sherbet, and sour cream. In addition, some lactose-free dairy products have the enzyme lactase added during processing to break down the lactose and can be safe for people with lactose intolerance.
On its own, chocolate itself is lactose intolerant-friendly since it doesn't inherently contain milk. It is made from the fermented, roasted, and processed beans of the cacao tree. Those beans are then ground down into a cocoa powder, which is then used to make the sweet chocolate products we're familiar with.
If someone with a lactose intolerance continues to consume too much lactose, they may experience worsened symptoms, lower mood, and a reduced quality of life. Chronic diarrhea may lead to complications such as malnutrition, unexplained weight loss, and anemia.
OTC products, probiotic supplements, and natural remedies like having a walk after meals are quick ways to end lactose intolerance pain. If you find that these strategies are not helping or your symptoms are getting worse, talk to your provider.