Brand name substitutions for a lactose intolerant diet.

[Randi]

I have only had this nasty condition called lactose intolerance for about 6 months. At age 65, it was a big surprise. I did not realize how much my former diet revolved around milk products.

I use the Lactaid fast acting tablets when I think it will be necessary, but they don't always seem to work. It says to take with the first bite of food. This is hard not to chew down on the tablet. Maybe it isn't working because I have bit into it. ?? Is there a better thing to take?

So far I am using the milk, Earth Balance margarine, Tofutti cream cheese (which has 2gr of trans fat!), but I am looking for a good sour cream substitute. Any suggestions?

I have researched until I am sick of it! All the products mentioned that some people can tolerate, I can't. No chocolate, except I did find chocolate pudding cups from KozyShack that are soy based and are quite good. No butter, which eliminates all baked goodies.

So any help would be much appreciated. Please specify brand names if possible.

 

[EMom]

I buy Finlandia cheeses for DD because they are lactose free and very good. She also uses Lactaid milk. When she does have a serving of dairy, such as ice cream, she uses the Lactaid chewables. They are vanilla flavored. She chews two of them. She is limited to one serving of dairy a day because even with Lactaid, too much dairy will do a number on her.

 

[kacaju]

my DH is lactose intolerant. He has been for over 20 years now. I hope I can help some, feel free to PM me at any time if you have questions.
First off you will find everyone's tolerance level is different. you will have to learn what is best for you and your diet may be completely different then someone else with the same problem.

For right now I would cut back on as much dairy as you can. DH has those tablets, but does not take them at every meal. He saves them more for eating out where he has less control over what is in the food. At home he limits his dairy intake. The soy based products are good, the lactaid products are good, but he can't eat them at every meal.
Kosher products to not have dairy in them... OK I need to go get the kids ready for school 9can't have them late because Mom is Dissing!!)

Seriously, PM me, I would be glad to help you out!!

 

[MELISAZACK]

My DS is 11 and is lactose Intolerant... try Digestive Advantage lactose.
sold otc in most stores even Walmart and Target- DS has been on that now for 2 years. it is a maintenace pill and you must take it EVERY morning. but it really allows you to have freedom to a degree on what you can eat. He can have some choclate, even an ice cream cone.. slice a cheese on a sandwhich if he wants. It takes about 3 days before you experience some freedom and YES there are still limits. He was really bad the slightest product that was off would make him sick and running for the bathroom in less than 20 min.
this is a life save for him - he takes the chewable child version but they have pills for adult you swollow. about 8.00/box for a 30 day supply.
Lacatiad milk is good to taste just like reg. milk and baking shouldn't be a real issue for someitems - if you are cooking the milk and butter in the receipe you are actually taking most of the lacatid out of it. (most) not all unless you are boiling the milk..
good luck.

 

[Tosie]

I have used Smart Balance Light as a butter substitute for a long time now. (My dd is allergic to milk). I have baked cookies with it without a problem. Tofutti also makes pizza, ice cream, sour cream, cheese, etc. It's just hard to find.

http://www.tofutti.com/

 

[ogreenlee]

I drink Stonyfield Lactose Free Organic Milk. I really like how it tastes.

I can tolerate a little like yogurt, scoop of ice cream. Butter and stuff doesn't affect me.

I do drink Silk Soy Creamer in my coffee, but because it tastes good in my coffee, not because it's lactose free. My little girl drinks Almond Milk, and we all love it, especially the chocolate!

Almond milk and cereal is REALLY good.

 

[lovetoscrap]

DD9 and I are both LI-- I have been for as long as I can remember (before they made the pills for it!).

I think you are taking the directions for the pills a bit to litterally. I just swallow one or two before I start to eat--not actually take with the first bite of my food. You just want the enzyme in your stomach and breaking down with every bit of food. If I am having a high dairy meal, like lots of cheese or ice cream I take two, and sometimes take another one or two about half way through. A friend of mine also does this-- and her dr. recommended she take the extra during the meal.

I have even taken them after my meal if I forgot to take it before-- not as effective that way but it does help.

The pills are just the enzyme that our body is lacking in order to break down the milk sugars. Unless you swallow an entire bottle (and probably not even then!) it isn't going to hurt you to take extra. As someone else said, everyone's tolerance and ability to break down the sugar on their own is different. I have no ability to break it down on my own, but haven't substituted anything--just take enough of the Lactaid pills. My friend has found it the same-- the only thing she has substituted is Coffeemate instead of cream for her coffee just because it is easier.

 

[DVCLiz]

Yes, my daughter takes Lactaid "with first bite of food" but she just swallows the pill at the table with a sip of water before she begins eating. You don't have to eat the pill with food in your mouth, OP.

 

[LisaR]

As someone else mentioned, everyone responds differently. You have to find what triggers your problem. My Mom can not drink a glass of regular milk to save her life. She will get sick everytime. However, she can eat a ton of cheese before having a problem. While it doesn't seem to make sense, it is what it is.

I don't eat any dairy now but when I did, I couldn't handle any yogurt at all yet I could eat one slice of cheese on a sandwich. They say most people that are lactose intolerant can handle yogurt. If I was that sensitive, you would think I wouldn't be able to tolerate a slice of cheese but I could. Two slices would put me over the edge though. Go figure.

Try to find out what is causing your problem. You may find you are perfectly fine with butter or a spoonful of sour cream. Good luck.

 

[debknight]

The "Lactaid" tablets ARE meant to be chewed. As for products made with "soy", they can also give a person problems with "gas". So you may need to be careful with soy too.

 

[DVCLiz]

The "Lactaid" tablets ARE meant to be chewed. As for products made with "soy", they can also give a person problems with "gas". So you may need to be careful with soy too.

I wonder if there are different kinds - my daughter doesn't chew hers, just swallows with water before she eats.

 

[lovetoscrap]

The "Lactaid" tablets ARE meant to be chewed. As for products made with "soy", they can also give a person problems with "gas". So you may need to be careful with soy too.

I wonder if there are different kinds - my daughter doesn't chew hers, just swallows with water before she eats.

There are. Some are chewable and some are only to swallow.

 

[Imzadi]

Try Pacific (brand) Almond Milk as a substitute for milk or soy milk with cereals. ALMOND Milk - not almond flavored soy milk. ALMOND Milk made from pressing the "milk" out of almonds. Just as soybeans are pressed and olives are pressed for oil, almonds are pressed for almond "milk."

I prefer the vanilla flavor. It has a slightly nutty flavor. It tastes like milk at the bottom of cereal bowl, once you've finished Grape Nuts or a high wheat cereal. It is very high in calcium, vitamin B12 & the other nutrients found in almonds.

I prefer it as a substitute for soy milks, which are a bit thin on consistency, for my tastes. A PP stated soy can also be a bit gassy, depending on the brand and processing. PACIFIC brand soy milk and their almond milk, I don't have a problem with.

As a die-hard coffee connaisseur, I will not put soy mik in my coffee. There are now plenty of flavored liquid Carnation non-dairy creamers. There is a whole, current thread for the different flavored creamers, like pumpkin spice, peppermint, gingerbread, etc.

I actually prefer the basic Carnation non-dairy powdered creamer. I find most of the cheaper, generic brands as good.

 

[vgrandy]

Some info on yogurt, cheese and butter:

Most cheeses are lactose free. 98% of the lactose is drained out with the whey and the remaining 2% is consumed in the fermentation process. So most hard or aged cheeses do not contain lactose and can be eaten with abandon by those who are intolerant.

Apparently all Cabot cheeses are lactose free.

http://www.cabotcheese.coop/pages/your_health/faqs.php#diet

All Cabot cheeses contain zero (0) grams of lactose. Eating any aged cheese should not affect those with lactose intolerance, regardless of how much is eaten, because lactose - the major carbohydrate of cheese - totally disappears within 3 to 4 weeks after the cheese is made.

http://askdrsears.com/html/4/T045700.asp
Yogurt is easier to digest than milk. Many people who cannot tolerate milk, either because of a protein allergy or lactose intolerance, can enjoy yogurt. The culturing process makes yogurt more digestible than milk. The live active cultures create lactase, the enzyme lactose-intolerant people lack, and another enzyme contained in some yogurts (beta-galactosidase) also helps improve lactose absorption in lactase-deficient persons. Bacterial enzymes created by the culturing process, partially digest the milk protein casein, making it easier to absorb and less allergenic. In our pediatric practice, we have observed that children who cannot tolerate milk can often eat yogurt without any intestinal upset. While the amount varies among brands of yogurt, in general, yogurt has less lactose than milk. The culturing process has already broken down the milk sugar lactose into glucose and galactose, two sugars that are easily absorbed by lactose-intolerant persons.

* Butter has little lactose since it is almost pure fat and should be well tolerated.
* Avoid products containing whey, which is a milk product that contains mostly lactose.
* Many processed cheeses are higher in lactose due to additives.
* Eat non-lactose foods with your dairy to slow digestion and reduce symptoms.
* Nondairy substitutes such as soy milk and rice milk are good alternatives.


Most people with lactose intolerance can tolerate milk chocolate. If you have trouble with the small amount of lactose in milk chocolate try semi-sweet or dark chocolate which contain no lactose.

 

[turkeymama]

I have used Smart Balance Light as a butter substitute for a long time now. (My dd is allergic to milk). I have baked cookies with it without a problem. Tofutti also makes pizza, ice cream, sour cream, cheese, etc. It's just hard to find.

http://www.tofutti.com/

I also have a dairy allergic DD.

Just wanted to add another butter substitute that we use is Blue Bonnett light. Works great in my Hershey's brownie recipe. I use shortening when I bake cookies though. How does the Smart Balance hold up in cookie recipes? I would love to quit the shortening.