Shopping tips for lactose-intolerant people

At first glance it isn’t always clear whether foods contain lactose. So if you have lactose intolerance it can help to check the ingredient information on food packaging. That will show how much lactose the product has.
People with lactose intolerance have trouble digesting lactose. Eating or drinking larger amounts can cause problems like bloating or diarrhea. The reason for this is that there is not enough lactase in the bowel. Lactase is an enzyme that breaks down lactose so it can be absorbed into the bloodstream.
Lactose is mostly found in milk and dairy products. Smaller amounts can also be found in some processed foods, like baked goods, sweets and candies, sausage or convenience foods. You can check the food's label if you want to know whether it has lactose in it.
All packaged foods have a label on them with information such as
- “Best before” date
- All ingredients (including those that can cause allergies or intolerances)
- Nutritional content and calories