Top 10 Lactose free Cheese for Lactose Intolerants, Ingredients
As a cheese lover, you always look for delicious and tasty cheese. But if you are lactose intolerant, then you have to avoid normal cheese intake. However, there are many other yummy options available in the market regarding lactose free cheese. So, for a lactose intolerant person, such cheese is the best option to satisfy his cravings for cheese and also keeping his diet and health in check and balance.
In this article, we will discuss the various types of lactose free cheese, their ingredients, and how these various kinds of cheese taste.
What is a Lactose Free Cheese?
Lactose free cheese is basically cheese that does not have any sign of lactose. People who have diabetic health issues and intolerant to lactose can have this cheese in their normal diet without worrying about the sugar content. In such cheese, the amount of lactose is just 1 mg per 100 grams of cheese. Because this amount of lactose is acceptable for intake for lactose intolerant people.
Moreover, this is also a standard parameter that the food authorities and health organizations set for the lactose in cheese. However, other ingredients of this lactose cheese are also properly checked and included according to the food and health standards.
Ingredients of Lactose Free Cheese:
In general, a lactose free cheese consists of the following ingredients and their amount to make that cheese.
- Lactase Enzyme
- Live & Active Cultures
- Pasteurized Cultured Cream (Milk)
- Sea Salt
In any cheese that is lactose free, you can find the above ingredients as an essential part. However, different kinds of cheese may include other ingredients to enhance and make their taste unique.
There are different nutritious elements and compounds that this cheese serving carries. However, the amount of these nutrients may vary from one type of cheese to another type. But most importantly, you will find nutrients like Proteins, Saturated Fats, carbohydrates, Trans Fats, Sodium, cholesterol, Dietary fiber, Calcium, Iron, Vitamin D, and Potassium.
10 Types of Lactose Free Cheese:
Let us now discuss the various types of lactose free cheese that are widely available and people really love to try them out.
Brie Cheese:
Let us discuss the Brie-style cheese. While there are many different flavors and types available, we’ll be focusing on authentic French brie. This tasty dairy delight hails from the Brie region. This place is located about 40 miles east and southeast of Paris. It is a buttery, soft cow’s milk cheese with a mild flavor.
Furthermore, it boasts an edible white rind that feels soft to the touch. However, Some even say it tastes like mushrooms. This lactose free cheese is properly aged for just 4 to 10 weeks. Further, you should serve Brie Cheese at room temperature when ripe so that you can fully savor its taste and flavor.
Gouda Lactose Free Cheese:
Gouda is another type of cheese that you may find smoky. In addition, it has an average lactose level of 0-2.2%. It is slightly sweet in taste and works great in grilled cheeses, on cheese platters, or even baked into cheesy pastry puffs. However, With so many options available at different levels of lactose content, you can definitely include it in your food.
Parmesan:
If you are a pasta lover, you will be delighted to know that Parmesan cheese has a lactose range of 0-3.2%. This popular lactose free cheese adds a tangy flavor to spaghetti. Moreover, it is also delicious on pizza, mixed into scrambled eggs, or sprinkled over breaded chicken cutlets to make Chicken Parm.
Goat Cheese:
Goat cheese is a versatile cheese that comes in different varieties. It is made from goat’s milk. Chevre is the French term for goat cheese, and some popular French chevre include Valencay, Tommes, and Selles sur Cher. It is worth noting that you can also make Feta cheese and Edam cheese from goat’s milk. So, it is best to check labels to determine lactose content before buying.
Swiss Cheese:
Swiss cheese originated in Switzerland and boasts a yellow color with a medium-hard texture. It contains 0-3.4% lactose which makes it tolerable for many people with lactose intolerance. Swiss lactose free cheese tastes great in sandwiches or wraps, omelets, and chicken bakes.
However, if you’re one of the unlucky few who cannot tolerate any milk products without experiencing discomfort. So, it is best to avoid dairy altogether. But do not worry. Non-dairy options are available as well.
Cheddar Lactose Free Cheese:
Cheddar cheese comes in mild and sharp varieties that hail from England. It contains a lactose range of 0-2.1%. This lactose free cheese has a nutty flavor and it suits perfectly with macaroni and cheese dishes as well as inside cheesy puffs.
Monterey Jack:
Monterey Jack is another mild, creamy, and lactose free cheese that melts exceptionally well. People mostly use them in quesadillas, burritos, casseroles, and even macaroni dishes. It is also an excellent source of protein and calcium containing 12% of your daily protein intake and 20% of your daily calcium intake per 28-gram serving.
Although we don’t know the exact lactose content in Monterey Jack, it only has one gram of carbohydrates per serving. Therefore, it means there can be no more than approximately 3.5 grams of lactose per every 100-gram serving. However, always check labels to be sure.
Muenster Lactose Free Cheese:
Muenster is a soft processed cheese identifiable by its orange outer coating. This cheese is made from pasteurized cow’s milk. Furthermore, this lactose free cheese has a pale yellow color and very little taste but melts exceptionally well. The name Muenster derives from the French Munster cheese. Its mildness makes it popular among children. They love eating it cubed or melted on dishes like grilled cheeses, burgers, baked pasta casseroles, or pizza toppings.
Colby Cheese:
Colby cheese hails from the USA and you can find them commonly in supermarkets. It has a solid orange texture and a semi-hard texture with a deep orange color. You may confuse this lactose free cheese with cheddar but milder than cheddar itself. Colby lacks rind but melts extremely well, making it an excellent choice for sandwiches or burgers. Colby Jack contains part Monterey Jack as well and can be low in lactose.
Paneer:
Paneer is an Indian cheese with a firm texture that crumbles easily made from either cow or water buffalo milk. This lactose free cheese has a fresh milky aroma with a subtle flavor perfect for use in gravies or curries where it’s cubed before being added to the mix. However, always check labels to ensure you’re buying low-lactose paneer. Because it’s lactose content varies widely depending on how you make it.
FAQs
What cheeses have no lactose?
There are various types of cheeses that are available in the market and are lactose free. Hard cheese, Monterey Jack, Mozzarella Cheese, Swiss Cheese, Brie, and Colby Cheese are among the lactose free cheeses.
What cheese is the most lactose-free?
The following list describes the percentage amount of various kinds of cheese that are lactose free cheese. So, you can select the one among them that is most lactose free and suitable for your food.
- Brie: 0-2% lactose
- Camembert: 0-1.8% lactose
- Parmesan: 0-3% lactose
- Cheddar: 0-2.1% lactose
- Edam: 0-1.4% lactose
- Gouda: 0-2.2% lactose
- Blue: 0-2.5% lactose
From the list, it is clear that Edam cheese has the least amount of lactose as its ingredient.
What cheeses prevent lactose intolerance?
The person needs to avoid processed cheeses like Swiss and American cheese. Such cheese carries a significant amount of lactose. Moreover, the extra amount of lactose is there to make the cheese melt faster and aesthetically. Similarly, fresh cheese also tends to have more lactose than older or aged cheese.
Does Jack cheese have lactose?
Yes, Monterey Jack, Brie, Swiss, Cheddar, Gouda, Camembert, Colby, and Blue cheese are among the cheeses that have a low amount of lactose in them. So, the person having diabetic issues and is lactose intolerant can consume these cheeses as part of his food without worrying about the health consequences.
Bottom Line:
There are various lactose free cheese available in the market that can satisfy the cravings one can have for the cheese but are not allowed to consume lactose. Therefore, such cheese tastes like normal cheese but contains a very low amount of lactose. Moreover, we already discussed the various types of lactose free cheeses and the ingredients and nutrients they carry with themselves.
