Being lactose intolerant and having a milk allergy are two very separate things. People who have milk allergy can still digest dairy products but people who are lactose intolerant cannot digest any form of dairy product. Lactose intolerant people lack the enzyme lactase, present in the small intestine that is responsible for breaking down and digesting lactose.
So, before you make any health and food changes, Allergy Test recommends you get a proper allergy test to know your exact level of intolerance, if you have it. Sometimes you can be just sensitive to certain food products or in certain quantities. So, before we go on to talking about the cheese and other alternatives for lactose intolerant people, it’s important to ascertain the need for proper testing and diagnosing.
Lactose Free Diet: Cheese and Alternatives
If you are lactose intolerant, you probably can have no quantities of regular milk. But don’t worry there are many alternatives to regular milk that are equally healthy. Two most common natural and healthy milk alternatives are:
- Soy Milk
- Almond Milk
The third and commonly consumed alternative is milk with added lactase. It is regular milk that has added lactase to break down the lactose. This milk is slightly sweeter than regular milk but equally healthy.
Other alternatives for people with lactose intolerance are:
- Yoghurt (depending on level of intolerance)
- Seafood; especially sardines, tuna and salmon
- Fresh leafy green vegetables like spinach, kale and broccoli
Lactose intolerant people often suffer from lack of calcium in their body that can result in weak bones. Thus choose alternate natural food options that are rich sources of calcium. The one thing that a lot of lactose intolerant people crave and miss the most is cheese! Yes, cheese a dairy product can cause health problems for lactose intolerant people but the good part is that there are cheese alternatives too. Fermented cheese have a lesser amount of lactose as compared to other kinds of cheese. If you are lactose intolerant opt for fermented cheese like Blue Cheeses, Parmesan and Swiss.
At Allergy Test we offer different test packages for you and your loved ones. You can know your exact allergies, diseases and accordingly make the right food choices that keep you healthy and fit. Your body requires a wide variety of essential nutrients and a good balanced diet is necessary. Managing lactose intolerance is easy when you know the right alternatives.
