Aged Cheese and Lactose Intolerance

Last night my husband and I were driving home from an event and stopped to pick up a quick dinner at a favorite drive-through.  I love their salads, but had to ask them to leave off the cheese, then came home and added some of my own cheese from our refrigerator.  It is necessary for me to do this because I'm VERY lactose intolerant.  It can mean spending a miserable day the next day if I accidentally eat something that contains lactose. I LOVE cheese, whether it be an extra-sharp cheddar or an Italian cheese that you purchase in the store or online to be grated and added to, or put on top of, your favorite Italian pasta dish.Generally, the longer a cheese is aged, the less lactose it contains.  The bacteria used in aging and curing, including Lactobacillus, break down the lactose in the cheese, so naturally the longer the cheese ages, the better.  These cheeses might include your hard Parmesans, well aged cheddar, and similar cheeses. When you visit a site and are interested in a cheese they are offering, and no information is provided regarding lactose intolerance, contact the owner and inquire.  By doing so, more and more sellers of cheese will be be inclined to add this important information to their sites, packaging and advertising material.
Source: Happy Nutritionist's Nuggets - Category: Nutritionists and Food Scientists Tags: Lactose Intolerance Cheese Source Type: blogs