Lactose-Free/Low Lactose Diet
Keeping you healthy is our main aim here at The GI Center. As your physicians, it is our aim to provide the best guidance of diet as well as medicine. In doing so, also please remember that it is not possible to mention each and every food component that is available in this world. Our instructions are designed to serve as guidance only. If you have any specific question regarding anything not fully addressed here, please call your physician.
Purpose: This diet plan will help prevent bloating, gas, cramps, and diarrhea caused by milk and milk products. The substance lactose, which is a type of sugar found in milk, causes these problems in patients who cannot digest milk. This condition is called “lactose intolerance”. People who cannot digest lactose do not make enough of the enzyme lactase. If your body makes some lactase, you may be able to eat small amounts of foods containing lactose. By trying small amounts of the foods with lactose, you will learn how much you can tolerate. The amount of lactose each person can handle is different. Some may tolerate a low lactose diet, while others will need a strict lactose free diet. You can buy lactase enzyme tablets such as Lactaid from the drug store to help your body digest dairy products. Chew or swallow 1 to 6 tablets when starting to eat foods containing lactose.
| Food Group | Foods Allowed | Foods to Avoid |
| Beverages | Soy milk fortified with calcium & vitamin D | Milk; whole, low fat, skim, buttermilk, chocolate, condensed, evaporated, dried |
| Lactose-reduced milk such as Lactaid, if tolerated | Cream | |
| Lactose-free beverages such as soy, nondairy cream | Eggnog, malted milk, Ovaltine | |
| Cocoa prepared with soy milk or nondairy cream | “Instant” breakfast beverages | |
| Carbonated beverages, coffee, tea | Milk shakes and cocoa prepared with milk or milk products | |
| Meats & Meat Substitutes | Plain meat, poultry, fish and shellfish | Meat, poultry, fish and shellfish prepared with milk or milk products such as white sauce or cheese sauce |
| Dry beans and peas | Luncheon meats, sausage and hot dogs that contain lactose or milk filler | |
| Peanut butter | Cream cheese, cottage cheese | |
| Soybean and textured vegetable protein, tofu | Mozzarella, ricotta | |
| Kosher hot dogs | Processed cheese, cheese spreads | |
| Yogurt with active cultures | Eggs prepared with milk or milk products | |
| Hard and fermented cheese such as cheddar, Swiss, gouda, edam and parmesan | ||
| Eggs prepared without milk or milk Products | ||
| Vegetables | Canned, fresh or frozen vegetables without sauces | Any prepared with milk or milk products such as cream sauce or cheese sauce |
| All vegetable juices | Any with lactose added in processing | |
| Fruits & Fruit Juices | All are lactose-free | |
| Grains & Starches | White potato, sweet potato, pasta and rice, prepared without milk or milk products | Mashed or escalloped potatoes or any other potato substitute prepared with milk or milk products |
| Breads and rollls prepared without milk products | Instant potatoes if milk or lactose is added | |
| Crackers, melba toast, pretzels, matzos, rye wafers | Breads or rolls prepared with milk or milk products | |
| Pancakes, waffles, biscuits | ||
| Muffins, donuts, sweet rolls | ||
| Prepared mixes | ||
| Soups | Broth, bouillon and consomme soups prepared with allowed foods | Cream soups or any other soup prepared with milk or milk products |
| Cream soups made with nondairy cream or soy milks | ||
| Desserts | Sugar, honey, jams, jellies | Chocolate, cream-filled and caramel candies |
| Molasses, syrup | Frostings prepared with milk or milk products | |
| Marshmallows, hard candies, gumdrops, jellybeans, pure sugar candies | Sherbet, ice cream | |
| Carob powder, baking chocolate | Custards, puddings | |
| Gelatin, angel food cake, fruit pies, fruit ice | Cream pies, cheesecake | |
| Homemake cakes and cookies prepared without milk or milk products | Commercial cookies, desserts and mixes | |
| Any desserts prepared with milk or milk products | ||
| Miscellaneous | Cereals prepared without milk or milk products | Cereals prepared with milk or milk products |
| Milk-free margarine; oil; mayonnaise | Cream, whipped cream, sour cream | |
| Salad dressing prepared without milk, cream or cheese | Creamy salad dressing or salad dressing made with cheese or butter | |
| Herbs, spices, seasonings, extracts | Sauces, gravies or snack “dips” prepared with milk or milk products | |
| Vinegar, catsup, mustard, pickles, relish | Sugar substitutes made with lactose | |
| Popcorn | Foods containing the fat substitute Simplesse | |
| Sauces or gravies prepared from allowed foods | Sugar substitutes made with lactose (Equal) |
