Dairy Products You Can Still Eat If You're Lactose Intolerant

Lactose intolerance affects about 65% of people worldwide.

Many will develop an intolerance at some point in their lives as the lactase they were born with gradually decreases. My mother developed an intolerance in her 40s, along with other health problems. She went vegan to help mitigate these problems for two years but has gone back to a regular diet after some research.

If you still enjoy dairy and don’t want to completely cut it out of your diet, consider these options.

If You Have Mild Lactose Intolerance

Certain cheeses naturally have less lactose than others.  Harder and more aged cheeses like gouda contain less lactose and are easier to digest than other cheeses. Here are a few suggestions:

·      Soft Ripened Cheese: Cheeses like Brie and Camembert can be creamy, soft, and buttery. Most go well on a charcuterie board if you are looking for cheeses to add for a holiday party.

·      Cheddars: Mild cheddars can be aged for 2-3 months while extra-sharp cheddars are aged for upwards of 3 years. Hint: the longer the aging process the less lactose it will contain.

·      Blue Cheese: These cheeses contain little to no lactose and range from funky to very mild for those that are hesitant to try. Gorgonzola, Stilton, and Roquefort are the most well-known, but buttermilk blue and original blue are good starters if you’ve never had blue cheese.

Other dairy products you can try are fermented yogurts like Greek yogurt, cultured sour milk, crème Fraiche (goes great with seafood!), and kefir.

Goat and sheep’s milk also contain less lactose than cow’s milk. Goat’s milk is readily available in most grocery stores. If you find goat’s milk too tangy then you can try sheep’s milk which has a milder tang but is still flavorful.

If You Have Severe Lactose Intolerance

If you’re bad with any lactose at all don’t worry you can still consume dairy. Most grocery stores will carry lactose-free labeled options.

Most Alpine or Swiss-style cheeses (no, not the American kind) contain no lactose. Comtè and Gruyère are funkier and commonly used in mac and cheese to add some depth. Jarlsberg and Emmental will more closely resemble classic American Swiss cheese in taste and appearance, while appenzeller is spicey and goes well with potato or pasta dishes; the harder the spicier!

Parmigiano Reggiano is the original parmesan and has a richer taste. It also contains no lactose. You can find it in most specialty stores fresh cut or prepacked at major grocery stores.

If you still crave more common cheeses like cheddar and mozzarella there are a few brands that cater to those with lactose intolerance.

·      Most of the Buf Creamery soft mozzarella has no lactose like the ovoline and the ciliegine. They also carry halloumi which you can fry or grill, ricotta, and yogurt. Note: their burrata is NOT lactose-free. All their products are made from buffalo milk.

·      Cabot Creamery’s cheddars all contain no lactose and range from small cracker-sized slices to shredded cheese.

Conclusion

A lot of people like my mom struggle with lactose intolerance but there are ways to still enjoy foods without going dairy-free or vegan. There are lactose-free or low lactose milk, ice creams, yogurts, and cheeses for you to enjoy.

Take a trip to your local grocery store and see what treasures you can find to add to your next meal or eat as a snack.