A lactose-free bland diet can alleviate chronic stomach and digestive issues such as heartburn, gas, diarrhea and nausea. Though the diet won't cure lactose intolerance, ulcers or irritable bowel syndrome, minimizing spicy and difficult-to-digest foods in your diet can lower the frequency of symptoms, according to MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Candidates for a Lactose-Free Bland Diet
Your doctor may recommend a bland diet if you have digestive conditions that worsen when you eat spicy or rich, fatty foods. Those with Crohn's disease, colon cancer, ulcers or irritable bowel syndrome benefit from a simplified diet. Those who have had parts of the small or large intestine or the gallbladder removed are also advised to make dietary modifications. If you are lactose intolerant you may not have a problem with spicy food, just dairy products that contain the sugar found in milk products called lactose.
What You Can Eat
Bland lactose-free diets don't need to be tasteless. You can eat many enjoyable foods. Select nondairy creamers for coffee. Saltines and whole-grain crackers, rice cakes and pasta, potatoes and rice are nonlactose products. You can also find lactose-free dairy products, margarines and shortenings.
Bland diets allow broth soups, weak tea, low-fat diary products, tofu and eggs. Keep in mind that dairy products should be lactose-free, as well. Vegetables should be cooked, canned or frozen. Fruits should also be cooked with skins removed whenever possible. Breads, crackers and pasta or hot grain cereals are also nonirritating bland foods. Eat lean meats such as fish and poultry instead of beef or pork when possible.
What You Should Not Eat
Doing your own cooking gives you control over what goes into each meal. Premade and processed foods often have lactose products or rich, spicy ingredients. Read labels before buying and cooking.
To maintain a lactose-free diet, avoid aged cheeses, all milk products unless they specifically say "lactose free," whey, sour cream, ice cream and sherbet. Many mashed potato, muffin and pancake mixes have dried milk ingredients.
Benefits
Eliminating lactose and rich foods reduces the digestive issues that cause gas, bloating, stomach cramps and diarrhea. Lactose and rich food tolerance varies from person to person. Therefore your doctor or dietitian may recommend a reducing but not eliminating all problematic foods from your diet. Alcohol and caffeine also aggravate the stomach and should not be consumed by those on a bland diet according to MedlinePlus.
Considerations
Read labels and ask questions when eating out to make sure you are not getting a restricted food. Ask servers and chefs to list the ingredients that go into a dish.
Consult with your doctor if your symptoms do not improve.
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