Aged, natural cheddar cheese is allowed on the FODMAPS Elimination Diet.
Have you noticed lactose-free label claims on some brands of cheddar cheese, including Cabot and Kraft? The labels I have before me state "Contains 0 g of lactose per serving."
Today I had the opportunity to speak with a representative of Cabot Creamery Cooperative at a meeting of the Maine Dietetic Association. She explained that during the cheddar cheese-making process, the curds and whey are separated. Lactose is present in the whey, and is therefore drained off. The cheddar cheese is then aged. During aging, bacteria ferment and break down any lactose that remains. The resulting cheese is lactose free. (The same is less true of softer, un-aged or less-aged cheeses, which may contain more whey and have undergone less bacterial fermentation.)
When you are looking at the Nutrition Facts for any cheese, check the "Sugars" line. Any lactose (milk sugar) in the cheese would show up on that line. If it says "Sugars 0g", then the cheese is essentially lactose free. Enjoy!
Hi Patsy,
Thanks for posting such good information. When I first started working for Cabot, I was surprised to learn that cheddar (and most hard cheese) has no lactose. I never knew why milkshakes gave me a stomach ache, but cheese dip didn't! lol
Best,
Jen
cabotblog.com
Posted by: Jen | October 17, 2008 at 12:18 PM