Recently, I found out why my stomach always feels like it's about to implode after I eat certain foods: lactose. However, the hardest food items for me to find without lactose have been yogurt, ice cream, and cream cheese. If you're lactose-free or dairy-free, the three products below are some great options that will satisfy your taste buds while fulfilling your dietary restriction needs.
1. Forager Project: Dairy-Free Cashewgurt
Not only does the Forager Project make dairy-free "cashewgurt," they also make probiotic smoothies, cashew milk, and "cheezy greens" pressed vegetable chips. This plant-based yogurt has sugar content ranging from 1 gram (unsweetened, plain) to 12 grams (flavored options). You can add fresh fruit to the minimal taste of the plain yogurt for the perfect afternoon snack, or you could try adding the yogurt to a smoothie for extra thickness and creaminess. Of the seven flavor options, my personal favorite is blueberry – 10/10 would recommend.
#SpoonTip: Check out some more info on Forager Project.
2. Green Valley Organics: Lactose-Free Cream Cheese
Green Valley Organics makes the best lactose-free cream cheese I have yet to discover. Using real organic cream, sea salt, lactase enzyme, and live cultures, their cream cheese is almost better than regular cream cheese. The use of goat milk for those of us who are lactose-intolerant is one of the newest ways for us to get our real dairy fix. Spread it on bagels and eat it with lox, or scoop it into your cheesecake recipe – you won't regret it. This farm, focused on goat products, also makes other lactose-free products.
3. Halo Top Creamery: Dairy-Free Ice Cream
If you're not on the Halo Top craze yet, you should hop on the train real quick. This ice cream is labeled by calories per pint, and if you look at their "Us vs. Them" page, you can see the huge difference in their nutritional content compared to other ice cream brands. After taking this protein-packed treat out of the freezer, let it sit out and melt a little before enjoying.
#SpoonTip: Here's a definitive ranking of the best dairy-free Halo Top flavors.
With these three products, lactose can't ever stop you again from eating the dairy products you love. Check them out and enjoy your life, stomach ache-free.
#SpoonTip: In case you've made it this far and do not happen to be lactose-intolerant but are curious about the difference between lactose-free and dairy-free, check out this guide. And if you aren't lactose-intolerant, but are wondering why you should eat vegan ice cream, check out these benefits.