Having lactose intolerance is extremely common, but it doesn't necessarily mean excluding all types of cheese from your diet. Did you know that many Italian cheeses are naturally lactose-free or contain only a small percentage of it?
What is lactose?
Lactose is a sugar naturally present in any type of milk of animal origin. During the digestion process, lactose is divided into two components: glucose and galactose. Then, the two parts are digested and absorbed by our body.
This process occurs thanks to the presence of the enzyme lactase in our intestine.
Lactose intolerance – what does it mean?
Lactose intolerance can be interpreted as our body's inability to digest lactose. In other words, the lactase enzyme is no longer properly produced and as a consequence lactose is not adequately assimilated, thus causing some negative effects such as abdominal cramps, gas or nausea.
There are less intense levels of lactose intolerance where some people can eat foods containing small percentages of lactose without experiencing any symptoms. On the other hand, there are cases where lactose intolerance is stronger and the best thing to do is to avoid all products containing lactose (milk, cheese, yogurt and other derivatives).
"The appearance of a mutation, about 7000 years ago, allowed adults to continue producing lactase, and now 35% of people can digest milk as adults – although there are geographical variations (see map below). In China and Southeast Asia more than 90% of people are considered lactose intolerant, a very high percentage compared to what is found in Northern Europe which ranges between 2% and 20% of intolerant people."
Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn27938-everything-you-need-to-know-about-lactose-intolerance/
Forms of intolerance
There are three types of intolerance:
- Primary It is the most common form. Each organism produces lactase from birth precisely because it is necessary for the digestion of mother's milk. However, it can happen that over time there is a progressive reduction in the production of this protein.
- Secondary Intolerance in this case occurs as a consequence of inflammation, irritation or other similar forms that affect the intestine. This damages the production of lactase causing a temporary form of intolerance. By acting on the cause, the intolerance will also be eliminated.
- Congenital It is a rarer form than the others and is linked to the absence of lactase in an individual's body from birth. The newborn being therefore also intolerant to breast milk, will have to feed on artificial lactose-free milk.
Lactose intolerance vs milk allergy.
Milk allergy and lactose intolerance are two totally different things. In fact, a person is allergic to milk when their immune system does not react adequately to the intake of certain proteins contained in milk, such as casein or whey. This can cause both mild symptoms (itching, hives...) and more serious symptoms (difficulty breathing or loss of consciousness).
Individuals with a milk allergy cannot eat any type of food containing milk.
On the other hand, lactose intolerance is the inability of our intestine to digest lactose. In this case therefore, as we have seen previously, the immune system is not involved.
Are "dairy-free" and "lactose-free" the same thing?
It is one of the most common questions among consumers when it comes to choosing between "lactose-free" products and "dairy-free" products in case of milk allergy or lactose intolerance.
- La dicitura “senza lattosio” significa che il prodotto è comunque fatto con latte, ma non contiene lattosio (o ne contiene una minima percentuale). Le proteine del latte sono ancora presenti (a meno che non vengano impiegati altri processi per rimuoverle), per questo motivo tali prodotti posso comunque essere consumati da chi fosse intollerante al lattosio.
- Dairy-free products are completely free of milk or its derivatives and are therefore suitable for people with milk allergies.
Can people with lactose intolerance eat cheese?
Of course! The good news for all those who are lactose intolerant is that they don't necessarily have to give up all cheeses.
Many people don't know that there are several Italian cheeses that are naturally lactose-free. This is possible because they undergo long aging. During this period, lactose is naturally transformed into lactic acid, which is why in hard cheeses lactose is almost completely absent.
Italian cheeses naturally lactose-free.
Several cheeses produced in Italy are naturally lactose-free, especially hard cheeses. The most famous and consumed are the following:
- Pecorino Being produced with sheep's milk, which has a lower percentage of lactose than cow's milk, it is a perfect option for people with lactose intolerance. (To learn more about Pecorino, read another of our articles: Discovering Pecorino Cheeses
- Provolone It is a stretched-curd cheese and can have both a strong flavor and a less marked flavor. There are also some smoked versions.
- Grana Padano
- Parmigiano Reggiano
- Gorgonzola Blue cheese, produced in northern Italy, particularly in the regions of Lombardy and Piedmont. It is widely used in our cuisine: to stir into risotto, served with polenta or as a topping for pizza and much more.
- Fontina It is also produced in northern Italy and has a rich and creamy flavor that intensifies with aging.
Grana Padano and Parmigiano Reggiano.
Grana Padano and Parmigiano Reggiano are the most well-known Italian cheeses worldwide. They may seem similar at first glance both because they are both hard cheeses, and because they both have Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). Abroad they are often (incorrectly) identified with the term "parmesan", but Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano differ in: production area, production process, aging period and much more. If you want to know all the aspects of these two cheeses click here and take a look at one of our previous articles: Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano: what to choose?