If you’re lactose intolerant or a strict vegan, you likely already avoid food products with lactose in them. This is a fairly simple way to cut lactose out of your diet, but did you know that there are quite a few other products that contain hidden lactose in their ingredient lists? Here are three surprising sources of lactose.
- Medications. It may seem hard to believe, but your prescription medication or that over-the-counter pain reliever may contain lactose. The most common culprits are birth control pills, quick-dissolve Vitamin D tablets, and digestion remedies, but there are often others on the list as well. Because many brands use the sugar as a filler or base, it’s a common ingredient in many medications that come in pill form.
- Grain mixes. Pre-packaged items like waffles, cookies, potato chips, and granola bars may contain lactose in the same what that medications do. The lactose sugar is used as a filler that helps the rest of the ingredients to stick together, and even if you purchase a boxed mix that you bake yourself, it’s often difficult to avoid the lactose.
- Processed meats. It may seem strange that meat products would contain lactose, but it’s often found in processed types like hot dogs, sausages, and lunchmeat-style cold cuts. To avoid the lactose, purchase kosher or an openly lactose-free brand instead.
8 Surprising Sources of Lactose [Best Health]
Lactose Intolerance [NIDDK]
Learn to Detect “Hidden” Lactose [Cornell Women’s Health]
Hidden Sources of Lactose [Lactose Ninja]
What is “Hidden” Lactose? [Lactaid]
Equal Housing Opportunity