Food Recipe Collections & Favorites Popular Ingredients 12 Cheeses You Can Eat Even If You're Lactose-Intolerant Not all dairy is created equal. By Betty Gold, Betty Gold Betty Gold is the former senior digital food editor at Real Simple. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Arielle Tschinkel, Arielle Tschinkel Arielle Tschinkel is a pop culture and lifestyle writer whose work has appeared on Shape.com, Women's Health, Apartment Therapy, USA Today, Scary Mommy, and many others. She specializes in health/wellness content, parenting content, and celebrity/pop culture news, always aiming to provide educational insight from an intersectional, non-judgmental lens. She tackles all topics with sensitivity and care, and enjoys getting insight from doctors about the latest TikTok health trends just as much as chatting with A-listers like Drew Barrymore and Mindy Kaling about their lives as busy working moms. 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Learn More Fact checked by Isaac Winter Fact checked by Isaac Winter Isaac Winter is a fact-checker and writer for Real Simple, ensuring the accuracy of content published by rigorously researching content before publication and periodically when content needs to be updated. Highlights: Helped establish a food pantry in West Garfield Park as an AmeriCorps employee at Above and Beyond Family Recovery Center. Interviewed Heartland Alliance employees for oral history project conducted by the Lake Forest College History Department. Editorial Head of Lake Forest College's literary magazine, Tusitala, for two years. Our Fact-Checking Process In This Article View All In This Article Overview Types FAQs For those who are lactose-intolerant, eating ingredients that have high levels of lactose can cause some very uncomfortable digestive woes, from bloating and gas to cramping and serious stomach pain. Fortunately, not all cheeses are forbidden on a low-lactose diet. In fact, there are several types of cheeses that those sensitive to lactose can still enjoy in moderation. We talked to nutrition experts to gather the best cheeses you can eat if you are lactose intolerant, and here's what they recommend. Catherine Rall is a registered dietitian at Happy V. Steve Carper is a lactose intolerance expert and the author of Milk Is Not For Every Body: Living With Lactose Intolerance. What Is Low-Lactose Cheese? According to Steve Carper, author of Milk Is Not For Every Body: Living With Lactose Intolerance, there cheeses that contain less than 5 grams of sugar per serving clock in at about 2 to 3 percent lactose. For reference, whole milk has around 4.8 percent lactose, making it one of the worst offenders for sensitive tummies. "As a general rule, the longer a cheese has aged, the less lactose it will have; over time, the lactose in cheese will convert to lactic acid," says Catherine Rall, a registered dietitian at Happy V. So those with particularly sensitive stomachs will want to avoid creamier varieties such as ricotta or cottage cheese at all costs. Sugar is the primary component of lactose that makes it difficult to digest, which means that aged, hard cheeses—which have a lower sugar content—are easier on the stomach. Here are some easier-to-digest cheeses to consider. Lactose Intolerance Lactose intolerance is a digestive condition that occurs when the body lacks the enzyme lactase. This makes it difficult to digest lactose, which is a sugar found in milk, cheese, and other dairy products. Lactose intolerance is different from a milk allergy, which is an immune response to milk proteins and tends to cause more severe reactions. Vikif/Getty Images Cheese With Low Levels of Lactose Here's a whole list of delicious cheeses without a whole lot of lactose. Next time you reach in the produce drawer for a slice of cheese, reach for one of these types. Muenster Muenster has a 0-1.1% lactose range. The semi-soft cheese from the United States is mild, slightly nutty, and is typically made with cow's milk. Use it sliced on a sandwich, or in cubes as part of a cheese platter Camembert This popular French cheese has a 0-1.8% lactose range. Camembert is known for its soft, creamy, texture and milky, grassy taste. The cheese's white mold rind is edible, which makes it a popular charcuterie board choice. Brie Though Brie is very similar to Camembert, it has a slightly higher lactose range of 0-2%. The soft cow's-milk cheese with a creamy taste has plenty of uses, including baked in a pastry, paired with apple slices, and the star of a charcuterie board. Cheddar (mild and sharp varieties) The cheese with English origins boasts a 0-2.1% lactose range. Cheddar is a nutty, crumbly cheese that works well in macaroni and cheese, as a cheese sauce, or nestled inside a cheese puff. Provolone Use buttery provolone in sandwiches, casseroles, and on homemade pizza. With a 0-2.1% lactose range, it's suitable for people who are lactose-intolerant. Gouda This cheese, which is often sold smoked, has a 0-2.2% lactose range. Gouda, which can be slightly sweet, is great in a grilled cheese, as part of a cheese platter or in a cheese puff. Blue Blue cheese has a 0-2.5% lactose range. Crumbled, the pungent, salty cheese is great in a salad or grain bowl, and can be used to make a cheesy dipping sauce. Parmesan Pasta lovers, rejoice! Parm has a 0-3.2% lactose range. The popular cheese adds tanginess to a bowl of spaghetti and is also great on pizza, mixed into scrambled eggs, or blanketed over a breaded chicken cutlet to make chicken Parm. Swiss Swiss boasts a 0-3.4% lactose range. The yellow, medium-hard cheese originated in Switzerland and shines in a sandwich or wrap, in an omelet, and in a chicken bake. Of course, some people with lactose intolerance simply cannot tolerate any milk products without discomfort. It's always best to err on the side of caution, so if that sounds like you, avoid cheese entirely and go for one of the varieties of non-dairy options instead. Havarti Havarti has a low to non-detectable level of lactose, making it a great choice for lactose-intolerant people. It has around a 0.1% and 2% lactose. range. It's mild in flavor, similar to jack cheese, and goes great on a sandwich or melted on an omelet. Limburger "Limburger is another good cheese choice for the lactose intolerant," Rall says. "Its strong smell and flavor isn't for everyone, but it's got a smooth, creamy texture that goes great on crackers and bread." Limburger is a soft, washed-rind cheese. It contains only a moderate amount of lactose, about 2%. Feta Not only is Feta practically lactose-free (with only between 0.5% and 1.5% lactose), it's also lower in fat than many cheeses, says Rall. "It's also a great source of some essential vitamins and minerals, including riboflavin, phosphorus, and selenium," Rall explains. Frequently Asked Questions Can I eat ricotta cheese if I am lactose intolerant? While some people may be able to safely eat ricotta cheese in moderation, ricotta cheese isn't the friendliest for anyone with a lactose intolerance. While it has less lactose than many other types of cheese (it contains between 1% and 5% lactose), you should generally avoid creamier cheeses and stick to fresher varieties. Stick to the cheeses on this list instead. What happens if you eat cheese that isn't low lactose? If you're lactose intolerant and eat cheese that isn't low in lactose, your body will have a tough time digesting it. That's because your body lacks lactase, which is the enzyme that's needed for the digestion process. It's therefore likely that you will experience symptoms like bloating, gas, and diarrhea. What should I do if I accidentally eat high-lactose cheese? If you accidentally consume high-lactose cheese and are lactose-intolerant, there are some steps you can take to alleviate your symptoms. For example, over-the-counter lactase supplements—taken shortly after consuming dairy—may help. Drinking plenty of water and avoiding more lactose can also help manage the discomfort. 6 Grocery Chains With the Best Cheese Department Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources Real Simple is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts in our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy. Gille D, Walther B, Badertscher R, et al. Detection of lactose in products with low lactose content. Int Dairy J. 2018;83:17-19. doi:10.1016/j.idairyj.2018.03.003 Facioni MS, Dominici S, Marescotti F, et al. Lactose residual content in PDO cheeses: novel inclusions for consumers with lactose intolerance. Foods. 2021;10(9):2236. doi:10.3390/foods10092236 Food Standards Australia New Zealand. F002405: Cheese, blue vein. Accessed February 9, 2023. "Lactose." Food Intolerances Diagnostics.