The 12 best lactose-free products (recommended by intolerant people)

Lactose intolerance is not a disease, but rather a condition. It is a disaccharide composed of glucose and galactose, so it is identified as the main sugar in milk. Those who are lactose intolerant have an inability to digest it, and by consuming dairy products in which lactose is naturally present, they may experience gastrointestinal discomfort such as nausea, abdominal swelling or diarrhea.

The specific enzyme that acts on lactose has the original name of lactase, and if it is not present in the small intestine, or is at very low levels, then intolerance occurs: the digestive system does not know not what to do with the lactose it contains .inside and reacts negatively.

Some studies estimate that more than 50% of adults in Chile have some degree of lactose intolerance. For this reason, it is increasingly possible to find a wider variety of non-dairy products in supermarkets and food stores.

There are currently many brands and varieties, and to find out which are the best or preferred by those who cannot eat them, we asked lactose intolerant people their favorite products. Plus, we review some recommendations for lactose-free products on TikTok that promise to be as delicious or more delicious than the traditional ones.

Kate Gronholm, for example, is hereditarily lactose intolerant. That is, it is a genetic disease that he received from his mother. “She can’t eat lactose, but she spent her whole life without knowing it, until she was big. Now that he knows, his life has changed for the better,” he said.

When she was little, her mother took milk for breakfast out of obligation, “but I spent the whole day feeling bad”. Also, Gronholm thought he wasn’t intolerant, as he didn’t feel that kind of discomfort. However, as he got older, he began to realize that he actually felt discomfort.

“Although it’s not so bad compared to my mother,” he says. For a long time, they had a diet oriented towards fewer foods containing lactose. “My sister and I eat foods with cheese or whole milk more often, but we almost always regret it,” he admits.

“Lately I haven’t been drinking milk, but before I was always drinking lactose-free and skimmed,” he says. His favorite is Surlat, an opinion that coincides with that of Fabián Montiel, another lactose intolerant, who had to wait long periods for this type of product to reach the shelves of Punta Arenas, his city.

And when they finally did, things appear by Magellan in small amounts. Also, due to low supply and high demand, prices can become exorbitant. “When I find lactose-free Surlat milk, I buy a lot, like a box of twelve milks for example,” he says. This brand, he says, “is the one that most closely resembles normal milk and is the most consistent.”

Fabian suffered from chronic headaches and in 2016, during a medical check-up, after doing blood tests, it was discovered that the headaches were linked to lactose intolerance. “Since then, I’ve been avoiding dairy products, at least those that contain lactose,” he says.

“Before, I lived in Conce, and there I always found Surlat products in the supermarket, the brand with the most lactose-free products. Here, in Punta Arenas, this does not happen, because the supermarkets do not offer such a variety of products,” he explains.

Isabel Silva was diagnosed with this intolerance a few months ago. “I just test products to see what I like, what I don’t like, in addition to considering the prices, which can sometimes be high,” he says.

Her favorite milk to cut her morning coffee is almond milk. “Almost every day I get a mini cut. I usually buy Vilay almond milk, because I like it and it doesn’t have that sweet vanilla taste that others have. “, she specifies.

In addition to Surlat milk, Kate was once a consumer of Colún lactose-free skimmed chocolate milk. “I feel like it’s not worth drinking without flavors,” he says, because the taste of milk changes a lot.

Cheese is one of Fabian’s favorite foods, and although he is not lactose intolerant, he continues to consume it. “I continue to eat cheese, crossing my fingers so that nothing happens to me,” he admits.

As for brands, he prefers Surlat, but he also buys Colún when he finds some. An important point to mention is the labeling of the cheese: it always appears explicitly somewhere on the packaging whether the product is “lactose-free” or not.

“When it comes to cheese, we prefer the Colún brand, because of all of them it’s the one we don’t like,” shares Kate. It also highlights the great flavor they have. “Actually, we chose Colún more for the taste. The fact that it is lactose-free is a plus,” he points out.

Isabel favors Quillayes lactose-free farmhouse cheese. It is one of the essentials of your refrigerator, since it can be used for breakfast as well as for salads, lunches or snacks. “I love eating it with rice, avocado or ham crackers,” he says.

Another staple for Isabel’s breakfasts is fruit with oatmeal and yogurt. One of his favorites is the natural skimmed Artisan, which also has no added sugar. “I like it. And since it’s a big pot, you can add a little with a spoon,” he explains.

In one tik tok video With more than ten thousand reproductions, nutritionist Camila Gajardo has analyzed some yogurts. There, he comments that one of the alternatives he likes the most is Colun’s natural smoothie. “It’s a new one, which I really like because it has no sugar, it has no sweetener and it’s made with skimmed milk,” he says in the video. Although it is not lactose free, it is not that heavy.

“Mayo no, we always eat it as a family”, explains Kate. According to him, it doesn’t completely replace the flavor, but “it’s quite similar, as well as being natural.” This mayonnaise is vegan, as it does not contain any ingredients of animal origin. In fact, the main raw material for its preparation is chickpeas. “92% of those who consume our mayonnaise are not vegetarians. People don’t even realize the difference,” its creators said in an interview with BBC World .

For many lactose intolerant people, giving up ice cream is the most painful. Giving up that sweet creaminess that accompanies hot afternoons or movie nights will always be sad. But luckily, plenty of substitutes – which manage to look a bit like milk ice cream – are popping up, bringing joy back to those who have stopped eating it.

One of the most successful is that of Not Company. “This company is dedicated to creating plant-based products that simulate the aroma, texture and flavor of food in its original version,” says nutritionist and therapist Dani Muñoz. in a TikTok video .

“Every day they are innovating more cruelty-free products, also lactose-free, gluten-free and egg-free. They are perfect for people with intolerance, vegans or people with food allergies,” he says. Of course, it’s worth noting that just because they’re made with only vegetables doesn’t imply that they’re low-calorie or fat-free.” I’d say Not Ice Cream is the one I consume the most. “, details Fabián. Obviously, when you can find them in Punta Arenas.

“I recently tried Yogen Früz blueberry, raspberry and guarana ice cream, and it was amazing,” says Isabel. “I like citrus flavors, and despite the high price tag, this fully met my expectations.”

“I miss that supermarket aisle with lactose-free products,” says Fabián. In addition to the cupcakes and brownies he found there, he liked to try different brands of cheese or butter.

“I was choosing different products from time to time,” she says, which Isabel currently does. “I feel that I have a lot to try. When I go on vacation, I want to go see the supermarkets and the products that arrive from elsewhere,” he shares.

“I tried ghee a long time ago, in a bagel with seeds from a natural restaurant, when I was a university student. I liked it a lot, but I never looked for it in the supermarket,” says Isabel. Ghee is clarified butter, as explained in Cleveland Clinic which is heated to the point where manufacturers can remove remaining water and caramelized milk solids.

“What’s left, the ghee, is even more concentrated fat,” they explain. However, they warn that it has a presence of lactose, but with “extremely low” levels, so its ability to tolerate it depends on each organism.

Macaroni and cheese also have a lactose-free version. Annie’s Vegan Mac and Cheese is one of favorites on tiktok . There are many reaction videos and Comments of this delicious pasta. “How come no one is talking about Annie making a vegan macaroni and cheese that tastes like heaven on earth…go try it now!” they say in one of the videos. In others, they define them as an “interesting” flavor. In any case, a key element is the choice of milk for stirring the cheese powder. Think carefully before using it.

*Prices for products in this item are updated as of February 1, 2023. Values ​​and availability are subject to change.