Lactose-free cheese is made from dairy products with reduced lactose or non-dairy sources. It’s an option for lactose intolerant people, but different levels of intolerance can affect reactions. Hard cheeses are almost lactose-free, but sharp cheese may be too powerful for children. Non-dairy products like almond, soy, and hemp milk can be processed to make cheese-like substitutes. Lactose-free products, including ice cream and milk, offer an alternative for those who can’t eat milk sugar.
Lactose-free cheese is a cheese that has been processed to contain less lactose or a cheese-like product made from non-dairy sources, so it doesn’t contain lactose. Lactose is the sugar that appears naturally in milk and most dairy products and a component of milk to which a relatively large number of people have a negative reaction. Some cheese brands advertise their cheese as naturally lactose-free cheese because the aging process of the cheese can reduce lactose levels to levels that some people can tolerate.
People who have a negative reaction to the lactose sugars in dairy products are called lactose intolerant and usually take a low-lactose or lactose-free diet to improve their symptoms. Different people have different levels of lactose intolerance which can affect how they react to some types of lactose-free cheese. Most lactose-free cheeses made from milk are not completely lactose-free, but contain such a small percentage of lactose that it rarely causes reactions.
Many hard cheeses are almost lactose free. This may help adults with relatively low levels of lactose intolerance, but lactose-free sharp cheese is generally too powerful in flavor for children’s tastes. For the most part, the sharper the cheese, the less likely it is to contain lactose.
Lactose-free cheese made from dairy products that has been treated to remove lactose is an option for those on lactose-free diets. Another option is non-dairy products, which are naturally lactose-free because they aren’t made with dairy milk. Nondairy replacements for dairy products are as diverse as lactose-free products and even include products made to look like cheese, milk, and yogurt.
Non-dairy milk replacement choices are many and include almond milk, soy milk, and hemp milk. Any type of non-dairy milk can be processed to make cheese-like substitutes, especially those that resemble soft cheeses such as those used to make dips and creams for chips and crackers. Lactose-free cheese that is not made with any dairy products is the best option for people who are highly sensitive to the presence of small amounts of lactose. In addition to lactose-free cheese, there are many other lactose-free products, including ice cream, milk and milk powder that are lactose-free or have reduced levels of lactose. While not always exactly the same in flavor and texture as their dairy counterparts, lactose-free products can offer an alternative for people who can’t eat milk sugar without negative consequences.
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