Which foods contain lactose?
Lactose intolerance is a prevalent digestive condition. Those living with lactose intolerance cannot create enough of the digestive enzyme lactase to break down lactose, a sugar found in a variety of dairy products.
One of the common complaints in lactose intolerance is that it’s difficult to know what you should and shouldn’t eat apart from obvious things. For instance, most people know that lactose is in milk …but what is milk in?
Let’s take a look at a few of the most obvious places where you can find lactose in a regular diet.
What foods have lactose?
There are many different foods that come with a hefty dose of sugary lactose. Let’s start with the obvious items:
- Milk
- Yogurt
- Cheese
- Butter
- Whipped cream
These are all classic dairy products — and they all contain lactose. But the list doesn’t stop there. There are many other products containing lactose, such as:
- Cookies
- Cakes
- Ice cream
- Milkshakes
- Custard
- Quark
- Bread
- Protein powders
- Coffee creamers
- Processed meats
Understand that these don’t exclusively contain lactose. However, it is often included if you look closely at the label.
In addition, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) points out that you don’t want to fully avoid all of these foods, as that can lead to a lack of calcium and vitamin D in your diet.
Easing lactose dietary pressure with Intoleran
If you’re asking yourself, “what can I eat without lactose then?” we hear you. When you take the list as a whole, it’s easy to wonder what is lactose not in.
Fortunately, there are ways to work around lactose without cutting all of these delectable and healthy items from your pantry. Remember, the problem isn’t dairy itself, but an inability to digest the lactose enzyme.
The good news is there are Lactase supplements, including several clean, high-quality options from Intoleran, that can remove or at least minimize the presence of lactase in a product or food.
If you buy a gallon of milk, add some Lactase Drops before you drink it. If a meal at a restaurant contains dairy, take an Enzyme Tablet or Capsule beforehand. If the intolerance is bad enough, you can even take our Once-a-Day Capsules to provide comprehensive support throughout each and every meal.
Whatever your situation, don’t forget to utilize all of the tools at your disposal. From healthy food choices to enzyme supplements, there are plenty of ways to still enjoy your food without suffering from symptoms after the fact.