Lactose intolerance is a condition where the body does not make sufficient lactase to digest the lactose that is present in all dairy products and many processed foods. This means for those with lactose intolerance they either must do without dairy products or they must find alternatives. For some people a small amount of lactose is tolerable and for other they must eliminate all lactose, knowing their tolerance for lactose will dictate whether they are able to consume dairy that is lower in lactose or whether they must look for products that are completely lactose free.

For those that follow a lactose reduced diet they may be able to consume some cheese and yogurt and possibly even a small amount of milk. There is also lactose reduced milk that has had 70% of the lactose removed that may be suitable for those that can have small amounts of lactose. Most hard cheeses are low in lactose which is removed from the cheese with the whey during the manufacturing process. Most hard cheeses contain 95% less lactose than milk, making it a good way for those that are lactose intolerant to get their calcium.

For those that must be completely lactose free, there are milks that have had 100% of the lactose removed from them. You will need to check the labels because not all lactose reduced milks are 100% lactose free, there are many of them that still have 30% of the lactose in them. Soy milk is another excellent option as it contains no lactose and has calcium and Vitamin D added to it.

More and more lactose free products are making it to the market these days with ice cream, cheese and yogurt making it to the grocery shelf in lactose free forms. Butters, creamers, and hot cocoa mixes can also all be found lactose free. Depending on which route you choose to go there are a huge variety of products that are completely dairy free, which cater to the vegan market, or you can find a number of products that still contain dairy which has simply had the lactose removed from it.