Lactose is a type of sugar found in milk. If your gut is unable to digest lactose, you may suffer from abdominal pain, gas, bloating, diarrhea and nausea. Lowering your intake of foods containing lactose--or avoiding them completely--may help to ease these symptoms. According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, 1 in 10 people in the U.S. are affected by lactose intolerance. It is not always clear from food labels if the product contains lactose or not. The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse says any food that has milk, lactose, whey, curds, milk byproducts, dry milk solids and non-fat dry milk powder on its ingredients list will contain lactose.
Dairy Products
Lactose is found in milk, so other dairy products also contain it. Milk is the basis of yogurts, cream, ice cream, butter, cheese and custard, so avoid all of these if you suffer from lactose intolerance. There are many lactose-free or lactose-reduced alternatives available in supermarkets. Try soy or rice milk as an alternative to lactose-free products.
Processed Meats
Many processed meats have lactose added to them. Check the labels of sausages, bacon, hot dogs and sandwich meats to see if this is the case. It is common for milk to be added to chicken and turkey products, so always check these.
Bakery Products
Lactose is often found in bread and other bakery products. Foods to look out for include cookies, doughnuts, cakes, biscuits, pancakes, pastries and waffles. All of these will have either milk or butter in them. Supermarkets stock a range of lactose-free bread and bakery products along with their gluten-free ranges.
Soup
Milk or cream is added to many soups to make them thicker and richer. Chicken, mushroom and cream of tomato varieties are the most likely to contain lactose. Broth-type soups or "healthy" varieties are more likely to be lactose-free but you should always check. Almost every type of powered, instant soup contains lactose.
Chocolate and Sweets
Milk is an essential ingredient in chocolate, especially milk chocolate and white chocolate. If you can tolerate a small amount of lactose, you may find some varieties of dark chocolate more suitable. Choose one with a high percentage of cocoa. Sweets also contain lactose, and often unexpectedly, so always check the label first.
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