Lactose is the naturally occurring sugar in milk products. Some people produce very small amounts of the enzyme lactase, which is required to break down lactose during digestion, so they have a difficult time digesting milk and other dairy products that contain lactose. Food companies have responded by providing an assortment of lactose-free products as well as lactase tablets.
Dairy Products
Lactaid brand products are dairy products that have had the lactose removed. The brand offers lactose-free milk, ice cream, cottage cheese and eggnog. It also offers lactase tablets to take if a lactose-free dairy product is not available and you want to eat a dairy product. The website, lactaid.com, allows you to search for the Lactaid products sold in markets near you.
Soy Products
Silk brand products are soy based dairy substitutes. Soy milk comes in a variety of flavors, including regular, light, unsweetened, vanilla, very vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. Other lactose-free soy products that can be substituted for common dairy products are soy cheese, soy ice cream, soy yogurt and tofu sour cream. Soy Dream, 7th Continent, Soy Fusion, Soy Delicious and Tofuti are a few other brands that offer dairy substitutes.
Other Dairy Substitutes
Rice milk and almond milk provide other options. There are now rice-based ice creams, such as Rice Dream, rice milk, and almond milk products such as Almond Breeze. Both rice milk and almond milk are made by soaking the rice or almonds in water, and expressing the juice or "milk" from the kernel. Commercial rice milk and almond milk are vitamin fortified and naturally lactose free.
Foods Lacking or Low in Lactose
Lactose is only present in milk and milk products. Meat, eggs, fish, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables are all lactose-free. In addition, lactose intolerant individuals may still be able to digest certain dairy products that have low levels of lactose. Yogurt, for example, is low in lactose because most of it is destroyed during the fermentation process. Hard cheeses contain very little lactose due to the enzymes used in production. Butter contains only trace amounts. Margarine and other butter substitutes are lactose-free.
Warning
Many protein supplement products contain whey. Whey is a byproduct of milk and does contain lactose. Beware of protein powders, protein bars and other protein supplements; they may contain milk products and lactose.
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