6 low-lactose cheeses
Some people have written off cheeses and their wide variety of flavors since they were diagnosed lactose intolerant.
Several cheeses are, however, low in lactose and can be consumed depending on one’s tolerance threshold! It all depends on the manufacturing process.
The first step in cheesemaking is to coagulate the milk using a starter culture (bacteria) or rennet. The residual whey is a concentrated source of lactose. After molding the cheese, it goes on to aging!
During this key step, lactose is transformed into lactic acid by the bacteria in the starter culture. The longer the aging, the more the lactose content will be reduced.
So ask your cheesemonger for advice or check the labels: the sugar line generally corresponds to lactose.
Relief for cheese lovers, who can enjoy its nutritional properties including protein, vitamin A, and B-group vitamins that are abundant in aged cheeses.
1. Parmesan
Its name evokes the sun: Parmesan, or Parmigiano Reggiano, is one of Italy’s flagship cheeses. When aged for a long time it develops sharp, intense flavors. It is fairly high in fat but also rich in protein. It is one of the cheeses highest in calcium. It contains almost no lactose after the curdling and aging process.
Recipe ideas: you can sprinkle it over a pasta or vegetable dish but also a beet carpaccio, for example. It can be deliciously incorporated into recipes for savory cakes or into an omelet with spring asparagus, for example!
2. Emmental
Its a cheese with a soft texture that is often mistaken for Gruy E8re. Its flavor is fruity and its paste is dotted with holes. It is one of the cheeses highest in calcium and it is a good source of vitamin B12. A large part of the lactose is removed with the whey after curdling. The rest of the lactose is almost entirely broken down during aging.
Recipe ideas: you can use it to gratin soups, like a delicious French onion soup! In a gratin, with eggplant, zucchini and tomato, for example. Emmental will also find its place in a salad, and you can even try it in a sweet/savory version with endives, walnuts and raisins.
3. Gouda
Gouda is the star Dutch cheese! An aged gouda differs from a young one by its sharper flavor and its color will be more orange. There is even a Christmas gouda aged 36 months! It is a good source of vitamin B12 and it contains only traces of lactose. A0
Recipe ideas: it can be incorporated into quiches such as a chard quiche or a spinach quiche. People who are sensitive to lactose can use soy cream instead of dairy cream. To enhance the taste of aged Gouda, you can make colorful skewers with Granny Smith apples and beets. You can also incorporate it into a carrot and cumin loaf cake, an explosion of flavors guaranteed!
4. Mimolette
Originating from the Netherlands, this cheese has a firm texture. Interestingly, it owes its orange color to the use of a natural dye derived from a tropical American shrub, annatto (roucou). In terms of taste, the mimolette displays subtle hazelnut notes. It is a good source of calcium. Aged mimolette is matured for at least 12 months. It contains almost no lactose.
Recipe ideas: to match the colors, you can melt it into soups such as a potimarron-based soup. You can mix it into salads, for example a lamb’s lettuce, shrimp and avocado salad. And why not try it in the creamy recipe of a risotto with mushrooms or asparagus?
5. Cheddar
It is often paired with an orange square in a burger, but it’s a genuine cheese originally from the United Kingdom! The strength of its flavor develops with aging. As with mimolette, annatto (roucou) is sometimes used to give it an orange color. It is a good source of vitamin B12 and of calcium. Its lactose composition allows people who are sensitive to lactose to consume it in small portions.
Recipe ideas : in gratins, with penne, broccoli, poultry and a mustard sauce. In a cod dish with oven-baked gratinated vegetables, or in a parmentier recipe with sweet potato.
6. Raclette
Enough to delight the most indulgent and fans of this convivial winter meal! Its name comes from the way it is traditionally consumed: cut in half, heated near a source of heat, then scraped as it melts. Depending on its aging it will develop more or less intense aromas. It is a good source of vitamin B9 and vitamin A. In small amounts it may be suitable depending on one’s sensitivity to lactose.
Recipe ideas : a staple dish of the cold season; some will enjoy it even out of season! It can be made lighter by swapping potatoes and cured meats for white meat and sweet potato with a lower glycemic index. Be careful about the amounts consumed, as there is a risk of overconsumption! Raclette is also suitable for savory cakes, gratins, etc.
6 ideas for plant-based and vegan lactose-free cheeses
In the composition of these “faux cheeses” you will generally find a plant-based milk made from cereals, oilseeds or tofu. Fermentation can be achieved using lactic ferments or fruit kefir (a drink resulting from the fermentation of fruits). And to shape their flavor, brewer’s yeast is often used. They can be found in specialized vegan cheese shops or organic grocery stores. They can also be easily made at home! A good alternative for vegans or people who are highly lactose intolerant.
Please note that European regulations do not allow the use of the term “cheese” for plant-based preparations marketed in the European Union.
Preparations made from oilseeds or vegetable oils will contain lipids such as omega-3 and/or omega-6. Oilseeds are also a good source of B vitamins, calcium, potassium and magnesium. And when we draw from the repertoire of spices, aromatic herbs and superfoods to enhance them, we season them with active compounds that are beneficial to our health!
1. Cashew cheese with turmeric
You can make a tasty recipe using cashew butter, almond milk, turmeric, as well as garlic and cayenne pepper powder to liven up the preparation. Agar-agar (a gelling seaweed extract) will be used to set the texture of the vromage, and nutritional yeast will give it a delicious cheesy flavor.
2. Spreadable vromage with spirulina
Perfect for greening up your toasts! For this, mix soy yogurts with spirulina, a little salt, lemon, a hint of garlic and olive oil. And for a more pronounced flavor you can add nutritional yeast or umeboshi vinegar. It is made from the lactic fermentation of a dried plum and is rich in beneficial properties.
3. Faux-mage ‘parmesan’ style with shiitake powder
From pasta to salads, you can sprinkle it into many recipes! It’s made with cashew nuts, nuts that will add an astringent touch, salt, nutritional yeast, and shiitake mushrooms shiitake to give it character!
4. Vromage in the style of a goat cheese log
This preparation mimics the cylindrical shape of a goat cheese log. You can sprinkle slices of it on pizzas, toasts, or salads (delicious with a little honey). It’s made with cashew nuts, tapioca flour, malted yeast, lemon juice, and salt. You can season it with Herbes de Provence.
5. Fluffy tofu
A light, airy mousse to place on a slice of toasted whole-grain bread! To prepare it, blend tofu, garlic, vegetable oil, lemon, and a pinch of salt. You can sprinkle the toast with fresh herbs, seeds, or spices for a more flavorful result.
6. Plant-based cheese with cranberries
Very rich in vitamin C, cranberries (canneberges) are also a good source of antioxidants. An original recipe with these berries that will add some pep to your plate! It’s made with sunflower seeds, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, vegetable oil, a little salt, and agar-agar.
A closer look at lactose and how our bodies process it
Lactose: the sugar in dairy products
Lactose is a naturally occurring carbohydrate found in milk and dairy products such as yogurt or cheese. It is present in the milk of almost all mammals: cow, goat, sheep, buffalo, and humans, among others!
The lactose content of cow’s milk is about 5 g per 100 g. But it is in whey powder (liquid resulting from the coagulation of milk) that it is found in higher proportion. The lactose content of dairy products decreases during fermentation and ripening. Thus the amount of lactose will be lower in yogurts and cheeses than in milk.
Small amounts of lactose can also be found in preparations such as sauces, soups, biscuits and even some cold cuts! It is sometimes used to give preparations a compact texture or as a preservative.
Lactase, the enzyme essential for lactose digestion
Lactose is called complex because it is composed of two simple sugars: glucose and galactose. An enzyme, lactase, present in the digestive system in the small intestine, enables the breakdown of lactose into its two simple components. It makes them absorbable and digestible by the body. Lactase is among the enzymes whose role is to accelerate chemical reactions in our body.
Lactase is naturally produced by the bodies of newborns to allow them to easily digest breast milk and benefit from its substantial energy content. While some people will produce an amount of lactase close to that observed in infants, in many adults this amount will then decrease.
Some genetic and ethnic disparities have been observed. They are thought to be due to mutations that developed in populations descended from herders at the dawn of agriculture and animal domestication. Indeed, they consumed the milk of their cattle and sometimes used it to turn it into dairy products.
Finally, certain diseases localized in the intestine can cause a deficiency in lactase production activity. This is the case with celiac disease, a chronic intestinal disease linked to the absorption of gluten (a group of proteins found in certain cereals).
Malabsorption or lactose intolerance?
The decrease in lactase activity will lead to poorer lactose absorption because part of it will no longer be broken down into simple sugars that are easy for the digestive system to absorb but will retain its initial, indigestible form. In this case, it is called malabsorption.
When malabsorption causes digestive disorders, it is called lactose intolerance. This carbohydrate will reach the colon where it will be fermented by intestinal bacteria. Gas, bloating, diarrhea and nausea are the symptoms that intolerant individuals most often experience after ingesting too much lactose. The threshold of lactose tolerance varies among individuals and over time.
Note that there is no allergy to lactose.
Precaution: lactose intolerance should be diagnosed by healthcare professionals.
