Lactose-free and casein-free are both labels meant to assist people who have trouble consuming dairy products. Lactose is a type of sugar present in milk and other dairy products, while casein is a type of milk protein. A lactose-free diet may be required if you are lactose intolerant, while a casein-free diet may be necessary if you have a casein allergy.
Lactose Intolerance
Your body needs an enzyme called lactase in order to properly digest lactose. If you are lactose intolerant, your body only produces limited amounts of lactase. Consuming lactose may cause you to suffer unpleasant symptoms such as gas, diarrhea, nausea and abdominal pain. People with lactose intolerance may need to partially or completely omit lactose-containing foods in order to avoid experiencing symptoms.
Casein Allergy
While lactose intolerance is a digestive problem, problems with casein stem from a casein allergy. If you have a casein allergy, your immune system regards casein proteins as dangerous substances and launches an allergic response whenever you consumer dairy products, resulting in reactions such as skin rashes, respiratory symptoms like wheezing and sneezing and digestive symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea. In rare cases, consuming casein may also lead to anaphylaxis. If you have a casein allergy, you must follow a casein-free diet to avoid suffering allergic reactions.
Lactose-Free Diet
Many people with lactose intolerance are able to tolerate small amounts of lactose in their diet, particularly of dairy products with naturally lower amounts of lactose like yogurt and hard cheeses. If you are severely lactose intolerant, you may need to adhere to an entirely lactose-free diet, but this doesn't mean that you won't have plenty of food options. With the exception of dairy products, all whole foods are naturally lactose-free. Many grocery stores now also carry lactose-free versions of dairy products like milk, yogurt and cheese. Lactose is, however, often added to processed foods, so become adept at reading food labels for dairy ingredients. Lactose may also be present in medications or nutritional supplements.
Casein-Free Diet
You need to avoid all dairy products to adhere to a casein-free diet. Other than dairy products, however, all other whole foods are naturally casein-free, so your diet needn't be lacking in variety. Like lactose, casein is present in many processed foods as well as medications and supplements, so always read food labels before consuming anything. If you are severely allergic, you may also need to avoid any foods processed in the same facility as dairy products.
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