Make Better Cheese Choices 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.
Aged cheeses
The bacteria in cheese break down some of the lactose as the cheese ages, meaning Parmesan, sharp cheddar, Manchego, and similar varieties can often be tolerated by those with dairy intolerance.
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.
Typically, probiotics are in cheeses that have been aged but not heated afterward. This includes both soft and hard cheeses, including Swiss, provolone, Gouda, cheddar, Edam, Gruyère, and cottage cheese.
Goat cheese
“This is because the casein protein in goat cheese doesn't cause inflammatory effects as associated with other kinds of dairy,” Neumann says. Goat cheese is also high in selenium, a nutrient that helps protect the body against inflammation.
So far, the research hasn't drilled down to say which components of which dairy products might be most healthful (or harmful). The most consistent evidence so far centers on yogurt. “Yogurt is associated with decreased inflammation, decreased insulin resistance and it may prevent type 2 diabetes,” Dr. Hu says.
Cheese For Ibs Sufferers
Other types of cheese, such as Camembert, Cheshire, Pecorino Style, Swiss, Brie, Blue Cheese, Harvati, and Parmigiano, have been shown to help with IBS symptoms.
Don't Eat: Dairy
Milk, cheese, and ice cream are all no-no's with an upset stomach. They're hard for your body to digest, in part because they're high in fat. Plain, nonfat yogurt may be OK sometimes, but start with a little and see how it goes.
Lactose intolerance is a common digestive problem where the body is unable to digest lactose, a type of sugar mainly found in milk and dairy products. Symptoms of lactose intolerance usually develop within a few hours of consuming food or drink that contains lactose. They may include: flatulence (wind)
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.
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.
Heavy cream, cheese, ice cream, and other dairy products contain lactose, a sugar in cow's milk. Too much lactose can be difficult for your intestines to digest. High amounts of lactose can often lead to diarrhea and other IBS symptoms.
"Coconut milk is a great option for those with digestive issues as it is easy to digest and is rich in lauric acid, which has antimicrobial properties that can help support a healthy gut microbiome," Parsad tells us. Sabat suggests going one step further and trying coconut kefir.
Feta is lower in fat than many other cheeses, however, and is considered a reasonable option to eat in moderation. Because it's not traditionally made from cow's milk, but with milk from sheep and goats, it's also easier to digest.
Although Yoghurt is one of the most significant sources of these bacteria, other products like feta cheese also have them. Researchers found that the good bacteria in feta cheese can survive in the stomach's low pH environment. Hence, feta cheese aids digestion even when you have an empty stomach.