Can you eat greek yogurt if you are lactose intolerant

What can you eat if you’re lactose intolerant?

1. Yogurt. Most people with lactose intolerance can eat yogurt. The good bacteria (live, active cultures) found in yogurt will help digest the lactose for you. Choose a high quality yogurt with very few ingredients or Greek yogurt, which has very little lactose.
2. Kefir. If you haven't had kefir before, it's kind of like drinkable yogurt, but with even more probiotics for even better digestion.
3. Aged cheeses. The harder a cheese, the less lactose it has. Lactose is found in the watery part of milk, and since harder cheeses have less liquid, which means they contain less lactose. Extra sharp cheddar, Parmesan, Pecorino, aged gouda and other very hard cheeses have essentially no lactose.
4. Lactase-fortified dairy products. There now quite a few cheeses, yogurts, and ice creams that are fortified with the lactase enzyme, so people with lactose intolerance can digest them.
5. Low-fat dairy products in small amounts. Low-fat dairy like low-fat milk and cheese tend to be easier on the system when eaten in small amounts and/or combined with other foods at a meal. (These foods are also higher in protein and calcium than their high-fat counterparts). Finding the foods that work for you may just be a matter of trial and error, so start slow.
6. Dairy products eaten with a lactase pill. Some people find lactase enzyme pills more effective than others, but they’re worth a try. Pop a lactase pill 30-60 minutes before consuming dairy to see if this method works for you. (Note: it probably won’t work if you take lactase and then down a huge banana split, but it may be effective for eating a small serving of milk with your cereal).

What foods should be avoided?

1. Large serving sizes of dairy products. Even if you've found a food that doesn’t cause bad symptoms, it's still best to eat it in small portions. Your body is more likely to tolerate dairy if you eat only a little at a time.
2. Very high fat dairy products like ice cream, soft creamy cheeses and cream (or foods made with cream). These actually have less lactose than low-fat products, but tend to be more irritating to those with lactose intolerance or who are sensitive to rich foods. The one exception here is aged cheese, which is high-fat but low-lactose.
3. Whey protein concentrate. This is a doozy, because it's added to a lot of foods to make them seem richer and creamier. But it can wreak havoc on a lactose intolerant person's system (and on a normal person's system), because it often contains concentrated lactose.
4. Soft-serve ice cream/frozen yogurt. This is mostly because of reason #2. Many soft-serve desserts, smoothies, and protein shakes have significant amounts of whey protein concentrate, and will cause major digestive distress. If you love ice cream-style desserts, buy real frozen yogurt from the grocery store or make it yourself.

February is Lactose Intolerance Month and I’m here to discuss how you can still enjoy dairy products, specifically yogurt, if you’re lactose intolerant.

Lactose is the sugar found in milk and milk products. Lactose intolerance, a condition in which some individuals may have difficulty digesting and absorbing lactose, is a fairly uncommon condition with roughly only 1 out of 10 adults reporting it through self-diagnosis.

The good news is many individuals with this condition can still enjoy dairy products in small amounts. One important thing to note is that lactose intolerance differs from a milk allergy. A milk allergy causes an allergic reaction from the protein in milk whereas lactose intolerance is caused by the body not producing enough of the enzyme lactase which is needed to breakdown lactose.

Why Yogurt Is Lactose Intolerant Friendly

Thankfully yogurt is one of the dairy products you likely can enjoy if you’re lactose intolerant. This is because during the production of yogurt the lactose is broken down. The live and active cultures (probiotics) found in yogurt also help you digest the remaining lactose; however, be sure to check the label for “live and active cultures” to ensure you’re getting maximum benefit.

Benefits of Yogurt

Just like milk, yogurt has several essential nutrients including calcium, protein, riboflavin, potassium and magnesium. Of course there is a huge variety of yogurt products including fat-free, low-fat, Greek and regular yogurt. All yogurt has beneficial nutrients; however Greek yogurt has about double the protein, half the carbohydrates and half the sodium as regular yogurt.

Greek yogurt is also a healthy substitute in dips and can be added to baked goods. I personally buy both Greek and regular yogurt. I use Greek yogurt in smoothies and certain baked dishes, but I eat regular yogurt with cereal daily. Personally, I prefer the taste of regular yogurt versus Greek yogurt when eaten plain.

Simple Ways to Add Yogurt to Your Day

Yogurt is one of my favorite lactose-friendly dairy foods and it’s so simple to add into your day. Every morning I add yogurt to my cereal (typically homemade granola or whole grain cereal) and even my kids have followed suit. I started this habit years ago when I studied abroad in Spain and my host parents ate this combination. I’ve been hooked ever since! Of course smoothies are an excellent way to add yogurt to your diet as well. I recently started making smoothies and can’t get enough of them now.

I love that smoothies are incredibly versatile since you can combine so much variety and it still turns out delicious! You can also substitute yogurt for sour cream and use it as a vegetable dip.

Besides yogurt, many other dairy products are considered to be lactose intolerance-friendly, including hard and aged cheese (such as Cheddar, Colby, Monterey Jack, Parmesan and Swiss), and lactose free milk (this is still real milk just with lactose removed).

As you can see, lactose intolerance does not mean you need to avoid all dairy products. Thankfully, there are several options you can choose from while not missing out on the important nutrients dairy provides.

What is the best Greek yogurt for lactose intolerance?

Is there a lot of lactose in Greek yogurt?

What happens if you're lactose intolerant and eat yogurt?

Is there a lactose