Lactose Intolerance: 7 Ways to Still Love Dairy

Does lactose intolerance mean you deny your love of dairy?

Lactose intolerance is characterized by symptoms like abdominal pain and bloating that may happen after some people eat or drink dairy products. These symptoms occur from an inability to break down the milk sugar lactose, a natural sugar in milk and other dairy foods. The body digests lactose using lactase, a natural enzyme. Similarly, lactose-free milk is made by either filtering out the lactose in real cow's milk or breaking down the lactose into its two simple sugars like your body would with lactase.

The body’s ability to break down lactose can lessen with age, meaning those with lactose sensitivity may develop it later in life. The ability to digest lactose as an adult is a genetic trait, and individuals often tolerate varying amounts of lactose with no or minor symptoms.

Lactose intolerance is not an allergy, so those with lactose intolerance do not have to completely avoid dairy products. The amount of lactose a person can tolerate depends on the individual. Luckily, this means there are tactics one can take to continue enjoying dairy foods without the uncomfortable symptoms. Depending on the level of sensitivity, those with lactose intolerance can choose low-lactose dairy products or lactose-free products. Here are seven ways those with lactose intolerance can still love dairy.

1. Eat Dairy as Part of Meals

Having milk with food helps slow digestion, which improves tolerance. Try small amounts of milk in coffees or smoothies or with meals and build up your dairy intake until you find the right amount of dairy for you.

2. Grab Lactose-Free Milk

You can still choose dairy milk while avoiding milk with lactose in it. Lactose-free milk is real cow’s milk with the same nutrients and rich taste, just without the lactose. It is a great option for those with lactose intolerance wanting to reignite their love of real milk.

Rather than choosing plant-based alternatives, choose naturally nutritious milk. When compared side-by-side, real milk contains fewer ingredients and more naturally occurring nutrients than many plant-based alternatives.

3. Drink Flavored Milk

Chocolate milk is sometimes better tolerated than unflavored conventional milk for those with lactose sensitivity. One 8-ounce serving of chocolate milk has 8 grams of protein.

4. Choose Live, Active Cultures

While yogurt has lactose in it, its live and active cultures help digest the lactose and can make it easier to tolerate. You can also try Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt has less lactose than traditional yogurt thanks to its straining process. It also has live and active cultures that help you digest this lactose. Like lactose-free milk, there are lactose-free yogurt options made with dairy.

5. Pick Hard Cheeses

Most of the lactose is broken down during fermentation and aging, so natural hard cheeses like Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Gouda, and Parmesan are low in lactose.

6. Share Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese is trending again, which is great news for the lactose intolerant. You can use low-lactose cottage cheese as a base for dips. You can also use ricotta cheese. While soft cheeses typically have more lactose than hard cheeses, ricotta cheese has low lactose. Your Italian nights won’t suffer!

7. Scoop Up Ice Cream

Traditional ice cream is okay in small doses for many people who are lactose intolerant. If you are someone who believes “small” and “ice cream” don’t belong in the same sentence, lactose-free ice cream is also available.