Though milk is the only food that naturally contains lactose, many prepared or packaged foods contain lactose because of the ingredients added to them. This could potentially be very harmful for someone who is lactose intolerant, and it would be equally unpleasant to a person who abides by a strict vegan diet. Here are two surprising sources of lactose that you should avoid.

1. Breakfast cereals. Even if you opt to use a non-dairy milk, like almond or soy milk, on your morning breakfast cereal, you could still be ingesting harmful lactose through the cereal itself. Quite a few brand-name breakfast cereals contain lactose in their ingredients, though it’s not always apparent. Check the label for items like lactate, lactic acid, and casein before you make a purchase.
2. Potato chips and other snacks. While it may seem like the only ingredients in potato chips are, well, potatoes, that’s not always the case. Many brands of snack foods contain small amounts of lactose in either their flavoring or the manufacturing process, which can make those who are lactose intolerant very sick. Once again, check the label before you buy!

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]

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