Symptoms Of Being Lactose Intolerant

If you ever feel bloated, gas or simply ill after eating certain dairy products, you're not alone. Ironically, shortly after I started this gourmet cheese business I found myself to be lactose intolerant. Of course, a cruel hand of fate dealt, or so I thought. Panic, depression and anxiety play with the notion of never being able to participate in some of the most exquisite food. Cheese has become my life and my livelihood. But after doing some research I discovered that all dairy products are equal in the levels of lactose and cheese gourmet can resume its rightful place in my daily diet (phew).

Lactose intolerance is an inherited disorder that affects up to 70% of the world population. Southern Europe, Asia and Africa, people tend to be most afflicted. Lactose is a type of sugar naturally in milk and dairy products. Lactose intolerance occurs when the small intestine does not produce enough lactase to digest the lactose enzyme. Thus, when dairy products are consumed, the large intestine can not easily digest lactose and therefore stomach result. Cramps, bloating, gas and stomach pains are some of the symptoms (less gross) associated with lactose intolerance. The trickiest part in the management of lactose intolerance is that it affects people differently with certain types of dairy products are well tolerated (such as yogurt with live cultures) and in varying quantities. To help determine the right combination of milk products from your body can handle without discomfort, it is useful to know which foods are milk have lower levels of lactose.

Milk, ice cream and yogurt are rich in lactose (10 grams per serving). When it comes to gourmet cheese , the amount of lactose is determined by the production and aging process rather than the type of milk used to produce cheese. It turns out that cow's milk, sheep and goats all contain about the same amount of lactose. Hard, soft cheeses with bloomy rinds and blue less than 1 gram per serving. And most cheeses contain almost no older lactose. How could this be true when cheese is made with Milk? As the cheese ages during the process of making cheese, the lactose is converted into lactic acid.

Thus, cheese and affectionate, lactose intolerance is afflicted gourmet delight! If you were to give cheese to the cold shoulder, to invite back into your life. If you are unsure of all that cheese to extend the invitation (meaning how long the cheese has been aged), take a look at this list of differentiation versus fresh cheeses aged cheeses, listed in the order lactose levels from low to high.

Hard cheese (almost no lactose per serving)
Count
Dry Jack
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Piave

Hard cheese (less than 1 gram of lactose per serving)
Asiago
Cheddar (such as our 3 year cheddar)
Gouda (such as our elderly Gouda)
Gruyere
Manchego
Mobi
Pecorino Romano
Provolone
Switzerland

Blue Cheese (less than 1 gram of lactose per serving)
Our refined blue cave
Gorgonzola
Roquefort
Stilton

Semi-Soft Cheese (less than 1 gram of lactose per serving)
Fontina
Tipsy Goat

Soft-ripened cheeses (less than 1 gram of lactose per serving)
Brie
Camembert
Pierre Robert

Fresh cheese (with higher levels of lactose) - proceed with caution
Burrata
Goat (fresh goat cheese)
Feta
Mozzarella (including buffalo and smoked)
Ricotta

Washed rind cheese (higher.