Is "Lactose-Free" cheese a marketing gimmick?
If you’ve ever stood in the dairy aisle of a major supermarket, scrutinising a block of "lactose-free" cheese, you’re not alone. For anyone following a low FODMAP diet or managing gut health issues, the term "lactose-free" can feel like a beacon of hope. But what does it really mean? And - more importantly - should you pay more for lactose-free cheese?
Let’s break down the lactose content of supermarket cheeses, compare them to low FODMAP guidelines, and expose why "lactose-free" cheese might just be a clever marketing ploy rather than a gut-friendly necessity.
But first… should you avoid lactose on the low fodmap diet?
Lactose is a type of sugar found in dairy products. For your body to absorb lactose, an enzyme called lactase must break it down into simpler sugars - glucose and galactose - in the small intestine. If your body doesn't produce enough lactase (which is common in many adults), lactose travels to the large intestine, where gut bacteria ferment it. This fermentation process can cause bloating, gas, stomach cramps, and diarrhea - a condition known as lactose intolerance. And let’s face it, when you’ve got IBS these are exactly the symptoms you want to avoid!
Lactose intolerance affects different populations at different rates. In Australia, about 6% of the population experiences lactose malabsorption.
The good news is that if you have IBS and following a low FODMAP diet, you only need to limit lactose if you suffer from lactose intolerance.
So should you buy lactose-free cheese?
The short answer: probably not.
Most hard cheeses, like cheddar, parmesan, and Swiss, naturally contain little to no lactose. The cheese-making process removes most of the lactose as whey is drained away, leaving behind a solid curd with minimal sugar content. The longer a cheese is aged, the lower its lactose content. This means that a regular block of matured cheddar can already be low FODMAP - no need to pay extra for a special "lactose-free" label.
But here’s where it gets tricky: in Australia, food labelling laws don’t require brands to disclose exact lactose amounts so it’s impossible to compare lactose content across different brands. If a manufacturer opts to market a product as "lactose-free", it has to contain less than 0.1% lactose (according to the Australian Food Standards Code, Schedule 4, S4-3 or 2g of lactose per 100g if it’s labelled “low lactose”. What IS listed on the nutritional information panel of Australian products are sugars (of which lactose is one) so you can use sugar content as a proxy for lactose.
The hidden truth behind popular Australian cheddar cheeses
Let’s compare the actual lactose content of common supermarket cheddar cheeses in Australia:
Woolworths Australian Tasty Cheddar Cheese – Contains less than 0.1g of sugar (lactose) per 100g, making it naturally low lactose.
Hillview Tasty Cheese (Aldi) – Similarly, has less than 0.1g of sugar per 100g—again, essentially lactose-free.
Devondale Tasty Cheese – Contains 0.2g of sugar per 100g, which is still well within low FODMAP limits.
According to the Monash FODMAP App, cheese with less than 1g of lactose per serve is considered low FODMAP. Since all of the above cheddar cheeses contain virtually no lactose, you don’t need to shell out extra cash for "lactose-free" versions.
What about soft cheeses?
While hard cheeses get the green light, soft cheeses like ricotta, cream cheese, and fresh mozzarella retain more lactose. According to the Monash Fodmap App:
Ricotta (40g serving) – high in lactose so the recommended serving size is 2 tablespoons according to the Monash Fodmap App.
Cream Cheese (40g serving) – moderate lactose, best in small amounts. The recommended serving size is 2 tablespoons.
Brie & Camembert (40g serving) – Naturally low lactose due to the fermentation process.
If you love soft cheeses but struggle with lactose, consider taking a lactase enzyme tablet before eating or opt for lactose-free versions
Verdict: Do You Need "Lactose-Free" Cheese?
So do you need to pay extra for lactose-free cheese? For hard cheeses like cheddar, parmesan, and Swiss, NO—they’re naturally low in lactose. For soft cheeses like ricotta or cream cheese, MAYBE—if you have strong lactose intolerance, it might be worth choosing lactose-free versions or using lactase enzymes for added protection if you want to exceed the recommended serving size.
And here comes the added complication… the Monash Fodmap App and the FODMAP Friendly App use different cut offs for lactose. The Monash App uses a cut off of 1g while Fodmap Friendly allows for a more generous cut off of 4g of lactose. It also appears that their method of testing picks up greater variety in lactose content between different cheese types This diagram shows the spectrum across soft (generally high lactose) to hard and mature cheeses (generally low lactose).
The reality is that whilst the apps are very useful, the low FODMAP serving sizes are just “recommendations” from both Monash and FODMAP friendly. You know your body best so a bit of trial and error with different cheeses might be necessary to work out your individual tolerance levels.