Facts About Lactose Free Milk

Giving up milk is a challenging process for people with lactose intolerance. You may find it difficult to give up that morning bowl of cereal, glass of milk with lunch or the homemade baked goods that require milk as an ingredient. The good news is that you can buy lactose-free varieties of milk to satisfy your cravings and vitamin needs, without suffering any ill effects.

Lactose-free Cow's Milk

Scan your local grocery store's refrigerated dairy section to find lactose-free milk. Manufacturers add lactase, the enzyme that dissolves lactose, to regular cow's milk to create these lactose-free versions. Choose between whole milk, 2 percent, and fat-free varieties. Many organic and major chain grocers carry their own house brand of lactose-free milk that is substantially cheaper than the specialty brands.

Lactose-Free Alternatives to Cow's Milk

Soy milk is a common nondairy, lactose-free alternative to cow's milk, and it is often used in infant formulas to avoid stomach upset. Soy milk has a distinctive taste from cow milk, and is typically made with flavoring like vanilla, chocolate and coffee to make it more palatable.

Try rice, almond and other nut milks for another lactose-free option. Like soy milk, almond milk has a thicker consistency. Rice milk is the sweetest tasting option, but the more watery composition makes it less useful for cooking and baking.

Goat's milk and acidophilus milk have less lactose than regular milk, but can still cause ill effects. Before trying these milk varieties, consult with your doctor about how much lactose your system can handle.

Lactase Drops

Create your own lactose-reduced milk by adding liquid lactase drops to your choice of regular cow's milk. Follow the manufacturer's instructions on how much lactase to add. Typically, you must wait 24 to 48 hours for the lactase to break down the lactose in the milk. Small amounts of lactose may remain, so choose another milk option if you have severe lactose intolerance.

Considerations

Look for fortified versions of soy, rice and nut milks to get needed calcium and vitamins into your diet. Lactose-free cow's milk provides the closest alternative to regular milk for calcium and vitamins A and D. It also is the closest in taste.

Soy milk is the cheapest beverage, followed by generic versions of lactose-free cow's milk. Comparison shop online for the least expensive versions of rice and nut milks.

Warning

Raw milk is often suggested as a lactose-free option. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns that raw milk contains just as much lactose as pasteurized milk, and can contain "dangerous disease-causing germs."

Beware of soy and nut allergies when considering dairy-free milk options. Soy can also interfere with hypothyroidism medication, and Columbia University notes that women who have had breast cancer should also avoid potential harmful effects from an excess of soy.