Why You Should Avoid Lactose
For those with no sensitivity to lactose, dairy is a highly nutritious source of protein, calcium, and other vitamins like A and D. Including dairy in your diet can support your bone health and reduce the risk of obesity.
However, those with lactose intolerance â whether mild or severe â should consider a low lactose or lactose–free diet to reduce symptoms.
Lactose intolerance is caused by a decrease in lactase production, which makes it difficult for the lactose to become properly absorbed. Difficulty digesting lactose affects different populations in varying ways.
Studies estimate that it affects 5-17 %of Europeans, 44 % of Americans, and 60-80 % of Africans and Asians.
For those sensitive to lactose, dairy products can cause severe digestive problems, including:
- Bloating
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
The severity of the symptoms depends on the level of lactose intolerance, as well as how much dairy was consumed.
Even for those with no sensitivity to dairy, cutting down on dairy can offer certain health benefits.”
It can also increase the risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Lactose Intolerance A Sad Realization And An Ode To Kraft
Recently we discovered that my daughter is lactose intolerant. She had been dealing with stomach issues for at least a year. We had several tests run to rule out various other allergies such as wheat/gluten. As for lactose, the doctor just suggested not using it for a couple of weeks and seeing what happens. We did try to be careful but did not fully cut lactose out of her diet at that time as her symptoms seemed to subside.
A few months ago, my daughter got really sick. She was sick to her stomach and kept throwing up. After we ruled out the stomach flu or food poisoning, we narrowed it down to the crazy cheese fondue fest we had one evening. Since then we have really endeavored to change her, and our, eating habits. This has proved more difficult that we originally thought. We have friends that are allergic to all kinds of things and knew how to adjust the meal when they came to visit. Finding lactose-free food for every single day, 3-4 times a day has really been a challenge. Milk is in EVERY thing!
For example, one night she asked for a snack
- Cookies: Milk
- Pretzels: Butter
- Grilled Cheese Sandwich: Cheese
Trader Joes carried some lactose-free cheese and cream cheese so we got some of that. They also have Earth Balance for a reasonable price so I can substitute it for butter in most things. As for the cheeses, my daughter really tried hard but they tasted like plastic. At nine-years-old was my daughter doomed to a life of no milk?
CONTAINS 0G OF LACTOSE PER SERVING
What Affects The Amount Of Lactose In Cheese
“Most cheeses are naturally lactose-free or contain very low levels of lactose since the cheese-making process involves separating milk into whey and curds,” Meyer says. “Most of the lactose is found in whey, which is removed, and cheese is made from curd. Lactose levels are also affected by fermentation and time. Any remaining lactose is transformed into lactic acid via fermentation. The longer a cheese is aged , the less lactose it will have.”
Fineberg adds that the way a cheese is processed and the type of milk used can affect the lactose content in the cheese. “Cheese has much lower lactose levels than other dairy products because much of the lactose is lost in the whey ,” she says. “Aging cheese can further reduce the lactose levels because during the fermentation process, bacteria turns the lactose to lactic acid. Additionally, in terms of the type of milk used, goat’s milk has slightly lower levels of lactose than cow’s milk.”
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Cheddar Provides An Excellent Source Of Protein
Firstly, as previously shown, Cheddar cheese is a protein-rich food that is approximately 25% protein by weight .
The majority of this protein in casein.
Its important to realize that protein is the single most important macronutrient for our health.
While we can get by on carbohydrate or fat for energy, we would quickly waste away if we had no protein source.
Additionally, a higher protein intake brings two major advantages
- Increasing our protein consumption is clinically proven to improve satiety and reduce food cravings .
- Higher protein intakes correspond to increased lean body mass, and increasing protein helps to preserve lean mass during weight loss .
Protein is also incredibly important for elderly people, since the amount of protein we can absorb falls as we age.
This is because the rate of muscle-protein synthesis declines with age.
Key Point:
Cheddar Cheese Is High In Calories
Firstly, it important to remember that a food being high in calories doesnt mean it is unhealthy.
Secondly, there is nothing especially fattening about cheese, and nutrient-density is a much better judge of a foods relative health merits.
That said, if we over-consume high-calorie foods then it is easier to put on weight or stall weight loss.
A portion or two of cheese per day?
That is no problem, and it will provide an excellent source of protein and calcium.
However, melting 200 grams of Cheddar cheese onto your steak? Or a plate of pasta covered in huge amounts of cheese?
Those calories will quickly add up, especially if it is a regular thing.
Key Point:
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Does Cream Cheese Have Lactose
Despite the fact that they in fact have more lactose than their mature partners, they despite everything have very little. For instance, curds contain around 3 grams of lactose for every serving while cream cheddar contains just 1 gramnot substantially more than whats in those harder, matured cheeses.
Cheese is entirely low in lactose contrasted with dairy items like milk, cream, and yogurt. Most contain under 2 grams for every serving , which is far not exactly the 12 to 13 grams of lactose you get in one serving of milk. Obviously, a great many people dont simply eat 1 ounce of cheddar at a time, so remember that eating the better piece of a cheddar plate will likely mean youre having much something other than 2 grams of lactose.
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How About Cheese Made With Lactose Free Milk
One other way that cheesemakers can produce cheese with no lactose in it is by using lactose free milk. I can hear your thoughts here.
Hold on a second, you said all milk contains lactose!
While that statement is technically correct, there are two types of milk that are completely lactose free. Lets have a look at them.
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Nutritional Yeast No Lactose
Is a product derived from growing yeast. Its dried, yellow flakes are rich in nutrients and are a welcome addition to salads, pasta, and pretty much anything you wish to sprinkle it on. This is because it is full of vitamins, minerals, protein, and antioxidants. It has a cheesy, nutty, salty flavor. If you have not yet discovered this product, it is worth investigating.
Which Cheeses Are Lowest In Lactose
According to Meyer, cheese lovers may be able to rejoice with cautionâit turns out most cheeses, particularly the hard ones, are relatively low in lactose. “Also, this study shows that most people with lactose intolerance can tolerate 12 to 15 grams of lactose,” she says. “For reference, a cup of milk has about 12 grams of lactose, while cheddar cheese has < 0.1g/ounce.”
“Hard, aged cheese tends to be lowest in lactoseâthink Parmesan and aged cheddar,” Fineberg says. “Goat cheese also typically sits well with my lactose-intolerant clients. Overall, though, since cheese is much lower in lactose than say a glass of milk, small amounts of any kind are typically tolerated well. That being said, if you’re still having issues, it could be helpful to look at the serving size of cheese you’re consuming or investigate if perhaps there is something else to blame for the digestive distress.”
If you want to be particularly careful about your lactose consumption, here’s a handy guide to some of the most popular low-lactose cheese options:
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What Is Cheddar Cheese
Cheddar is a pale-yellow, medium-hard cheese made from cows milk.
Occasionally you may also find orange varieties of the cheese due to the use of the food coloring annatto.
The origins of the cheese lie in the town of Cheddar, a small town in the region of Somerset, England.
However, Cheddar cheese is now made throughout the world.
This popular cheese has a very long history in fact, the earliest records go back to the 12th century.
The first reference to Cheddar comes in 1170 in a pipe roll showing King Henry II purchasing 4,640 kg of the cheese .
Alongside Wensleydale cheese, Cheddar is one of the oldest English cheese varieties.
Cheddar Is A Source Of Fermented Dairy
While nutritions dark ages demonized all sources of fat, we now understand that there are good fats and bad fats.
On this note, systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials strongly suggest that dairy fat is nothing to worry about.
Notably, several studies find that high-fat dairy foods are neutral or possibly even protective against a variety of chronic diseases
- A systematic review of 18 studies found that cheese is inversely associated with stroke risk in Asian populations .
- High-quality evidence shows a clear reduced risk of hypertension as dairy intake increases. Additionally, the weight of the evidence suggests that fermented high-fat dairy has a favorable effect on stroke risk, with neutral effects for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease .
- A systematic review of 52 clinical studies investigated how dairy consumption affected markers of inflammation. The data across all 52 studies strongly indicated dairy including fermented dairy like cheese had anti-inflammatory activity in subjects, except for the minority who had a milk allergy .
Key Point:
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Side Effects Of Eating Too Much Cheese According To Experts
We get it: cheese is one of your favorite foods. We don’t even blame youit’s delicious any way you slice it , whether it’s melted, shredded, or just cubed onto a charcuterie board full of salami and bread.
But, like so many other things that taste good, cheese has to be consumed in moderation. Yes, it’s hard to stop eating it once you get started, but not stopping means you’re consuming a lot of fat, calories, and sodium. That’s not only less-than-healthy for you in the short-term , but can be unhealthy for you in the long-term, too .
What’s more, an awful lot of people can’t even process dairy foods like cheese all that well. If you’re even a little lacking in the enzyme needed to properly digest lactose, loading up your meals with creamy, tangy, gooey cheese is going to leave you with a very unhappy belly.
We asked three dietitians to tell us what happens when you eat too much cheese, for the lactose tolerant and intolerant alike. Here’s what they said. Read on, and for more on how to eat healthy, don’t miss 7 Healthiest Foods to Eat Right Now.
Why Does It Matter Whether A Food Product Contains Lactose Or Not
Actually, a small percentage of humans dont produce a substance called lactase. You might have guessed its role from its name. Indeed, lactase breaks down the lactose we consume into a form that our body can digest.
Consequently, people who cant produce lactase are said to be lactose intolerant. The symptoms of this intolerance can include loose bowel motions, wind and a general feeling of being bloated and uneasy.
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What Cheeses Are Low Fodmap
The good news is that the low FODMAP diet is not a dairy-free diet and you can enjoy low FODMAP cheese. However, you do need to avoid cheeses that contain high amounts of lactose. This means the trick is to choose naturally low lactose cheeses and to control your portion size.
Which Milk Should I Use For Which Recipe To Replace Goats Milk
If you are going to be baking and looking for an alternative to goats milk, its best to first use any unsweetened milk. Almond milk has a good flavor for sweetened baking dishes, though rice milk has a much milder flavor more similar to goats milk. Try a few different alternatives in your baked goods and find out what works best for you.
Rice milk doesnt have the same thickness as goats milk, its quite watery in comparison. For savory dishes, soy milk has a more similar thick texture and can produce a thick and creamy sauce similar to dairy products. Another advantage of soy milk is it has a high heat capacity. While some vegetable and nut based milks might break down under high heat, soy is very resistant to scorching so is preferred when cooking sauces.
If your recipe has goats milk and also an acid, like lemon juice or vinegar, you need a high protein milk alternative. Soy milk is also useful here, but oat and hemp milk are also high in protein and can be used in these recipes.
It can be quite cumbersome and complicated, but you can find dairy-free alternatives that can be used to substitute goats milk in nearly any recipe. It can take some trial and error, and you can also connect with other lactose-intolerant people and share strategies for staying healthy.
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Does Cheddar Cheese Have Lactose
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Considering this, what cheeses are naturally lactose free?
Here are the nine most popular cheeses with the lowest lactose ranges:
- Muenster. 0-1.1% lactose range.
- Blue. 0-2.5% lactose range.
- Parmesan.
Furthermore, does lactose intolerance include cheese? 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 sheeps milk.
Similarly, you may ask, how is lactose free cheese made?
During the cheesemaking process, the milk is thickened and the whey is drained from the curds . Whey typically has more lactose in it than curds do. Since the whey is drained from the curds before the cheese is made, this removes quite a bit of lactose. As cheese ages, it loses even more moisture.
Does goat cheese have lactose?
Goats milk does contain lactose and it has almost as much as cows milk. These fermented milk products include yogurt and aged cheeses , such as cheddar. Cheeses made from both cows milk or goats milk will have a reduction in the amount of lactose due to the fermentation process.
Probiotics For Lactose Intolerance
For some people, probiotics can ease symptoms of lactose intolerance. Probiotics are live microorganisms, usually bacteria, that restore the balance of “good” bacteria in your digestive system. They can be found in foods like yogurt or kefir — probiotic-rich milk — as well as dietary supplements. Check with your doctor to see if probiotics might help you.
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Heres What Determines The Amount Of Lactose In Cheese
Cheese is actually quite low in lactose compared to dairy products like milk, cream, and yogurt. Most contain less than 2 grams per serving , which is far less than the 12 to 13 grams of lactose you get in one serving of milk. Of course, most people dont just eat 1 ounce of cheese in one sitting, so keep in mind that eating the better part of a cheese plate will probably mean youre having way more than just 2 grams of lactose.
Interestingly, the cheesemaking process contributes to the amount of lactose. Every cheese goes through a slightly different process, but in general, making cheese basically involves removing whey from milk and then acidifying and salting the remaining curd, says Andy Hatch, cheesemaker and owner at Uplands Cheese. The manner in which each of these three steps occurs will determine the character of the resulting cheese, including how much lactose is or isnt in it, Hatch says.
For example, soft cheeses like brie as well as hard ones like cheddar or Monterey Jack are low in lactose, but they go through two totally different processes, he says. Harder cheeses have the whey drained out of the cheese vat before the curds are packed into cheese forms for pressing. But softer cheeses, like brie and Camembert, dont have their whey removed until after the curds are put into cheese forms, where they will slowly drip out of the newly formed cheeses, Hatch says.
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Does Goat Milk And Cheese Qualify As Dairy What About Sheep Milk Products
Q:Rachel I was wondering if goat and sheep products, such as milk, cheese and yogurt, were considered dairy? Are they ok to eat or not?
A:Alisa This is one of our most frequently asked questions on Go Dairy Free. In general, all mammal milks and their related products are classified as dairy. In fact, if you look up goat milk and sheep milk online, you will probably come across the American Dairy Goat Association and the Wisconsin Sheep Dairy Cooperative.
So, why all of the confusion? The milks from different mammals have slightly different compositions, which is why some people may be allergic to cows milk but able to tolerate goats milk. Human milk is obviously the least allergenic milk for humans, as it is designed specifically for our bodies. The closer a milk is in composition to human milk, the lower the probability of allergenicity.
I elaborate on this in Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living. Here is an excerpt from the section in that book on goat milk:
Nonetheless, there are some additional benefits and pitfalls when looking at goat milk versus cow milk products. I discuss these in Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook as well as the upsides and downsides of sheep milk, camel milk, mare milk, and even donkey milk. You will likely be quite surprised by some of the information on each, as they are not identical by any means.
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