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.
With lactose intolerance, you can still eat cheese, but choose carefully. 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.
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.
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.
Greek yogurt is one of the most popular dairy products at the moment, and just like all natural dairy products it contains lactose.
Best cheeses if you're lactose intolerant
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.
Whilst regular milk is high in lactose, many common cheeses such as cheddar, feta and even soft cheeses like brie and camembert contain virtually no lactose in a typical serve.
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.
ALDI MOZZARELLA SHREDS DAIRY-FREE
Since I shop at Aldi regularly, it's so handy to be able to grab vegan cheese shreds there, too! Kiddo likes the taste, they do melt well, and they are affordable.
Butter is also very low in lactose, as it is primarily composed of fat rather than lactose-containing milk solids. Softer cheeses, cottage cheese and conventional yogurt are moderate in lactose, and may be tolerated by some people with milder forms of lactose intolerance or in small portions.
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.
Did you know…? 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.
If you are lactose intolerant, getting the right amount of important vitamins and minerals can prove difficult. This may lead to unhealthy weight loss and put you at increased risk of developing the following conditions.
Cottage cheese contains a moderate amount of lactose with about 9 grams in 1 cup. 3 So, cottage cheese is higher in lactose, but some people with lactose intolerance may still tolerate it.
Ice cream products are dairy-based foods, and they usually have high levels of lactose and thus should be avoided. There are some types of ice cream that are fairly low in lactose. You can consume cream-based or lactose-free ice cream as an alternative to milk-based ones.
Our Lactose Free Salted Butter is the first lactose free butter available on the market*! We prepare it simply, using only two ingredients: lactose free cream and sea salt.
Pizza is known for containing cheese, making it quite often, not dairy-free friendly. But you may be surprised to know that in our modern world where eating dairy-free and plantbased is more normalized than ever, there are quite a few options for 100% dairy-free, pre-made cheeses and pizzas on the market.
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.
Yogurt and Cheese
Greek yogurt supplies less than 6.8 grams of lactose per 6-ounce serving, compared to less than 8.5 grams in whole-fat yogurt or 14 grams in non-fat yogurt. Hard cheeses such as cheddar have even less lactose, between 0 to 2 grams per ounce. Milk, in comparison, has approximately 11 grams in one cup.