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The Dairy-Lover's Travel Guide

Pack light, eat well

The Dairy-Lover's Travel Guide

Some of the world's great food trips are basically dairy pilgrimages. Here's how to enjoy cheese country with a plan, using cited lactose numbers and a few practical habits.

Before you go: keep your usual routine. If you use a lactase product, pack enough and follow its label. Lactaid's Fast Act directions, for example, say to take a caplet with your first bite or sip of dairy. [6] Many people with lactose malabsorption can handle up to about 5 g of lactose at one time, especially with a meal. [1]

Italy

  • Cheese: Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano and Pecorino Romano each test below 0.01 g of lactose per 100 g. Gorgonzola is below 0.1 g, which meets Italy's limit for calling a cheese "naturally lactose-free." [1]
  • Fresh cheeses: ricotta has about 3.5 g per 100 g and mozzarella about 0.7 g. Buffalo mozzarella has about 0.4 g. [1]
  • Gelato: we couldn't find a cited lactose figure for gelato. For comparison, USDA lists strawberry ice cream at 4.43 g per 100 g. [2] Treat a big cup as a big dose.
  • Local genes: measured lactase persistence ranges from about 82% in a Central Italian study to 46% in a Southern Italian study and 15% in a Sardinian study. [3]

Switzerland

  • Emmentaler and Gruyère (both PDO) each test below 0.1 g of lactose per 100 g. [1] Fondue night might be friendlier than you'd think. The bread is doing the heavy lifting anyway.

Greece

  • Feta: USDA lists 0.61 g per 100 g, about 0.2 g per ounce. [2]
  • Greek yogurt: USDA lists plain whole-milk Greek yogurt at 2.61 g per 100 g, about 4.4 g in a 170 g serving. [2] Smaller bowls are your friend.
  • Local genes: one breath-test study measured 25% lactase persistence among Greeks. [3]

Northern Europe

  • Lactase non-persistence is lowest in people of Northern European descent, around 5%. [4] Measured persistence was 96% in an Irish study and 83% in a Finnish study. [3] Translation: expect milk everywhere, in everything.

Anywhere: practical habits

  • Learn the words. NIDDK lists label terms that signal lactose: milk, lactose, whey, curds, milk by-products, dry milk solids and nonfat dry milk powder. [5] Look up the local-language versions before you go.
  • Lean on aged cheese and enjoy fresh dairy in smaller portions. [1][5]
  • Eat dairy with meals rather than on its own. [1][5]

Plan your board with the low-lactose cheese guide, see regional data in Lactose Intolerance by Ancestry, or check How Much Lactose Is In That?.

What the research found

65% lower combined daily symptom scores with the studied strain versus placebo over two weeks.*

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study of 21 lactose maldigesters (Ramakrishnan et al., 2025). [7] The study tested the strain, not the finished Holy Cow! product.

One capsule a day to support lactose digestion*

Holy Cow! is a once-daily probiotic + prebiotic. Take once daily in the morning, ideally on an empty stomach, with water. Keep your regular lactase routine for the first 21 days. We recommend continued daily use for best results.

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Sources

  1. Facioni MS, Raspini B, Pivari F, Dogliotti E, Cena H. Nutritional management of lactose intolerance: the importance of diet and food labelling. J Transl Med. 2020;18:260. PMC7318541
  2. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central (SR Legacy and Foundation Foods). Lactose (g per 100 g) from the entry linked on each row. fdc.nal.usda.gov
  3. Itan Y, Jones BL, Ingram CJE, Swallow DM, Thomas MG. A worldwide correlation of lactase persistence phenotype and genotypes. BMC Evol Biol. 2010;10:36. Table 1. PMC2834688
  4. MedlinePlus Genetics. Lactose intolerance. U.S. National Library of Medicine. medlineplus.gov
  5. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Eating, diet, & nutrition for lactose intolerance. niddk.nih.gov
  6. Lactaid. LACTAID® Fast Act Caplets: directions and product information. lactaid.com
  7. Ramakrishnan M, et al. Gut Microbes Reports. 2025. doi:10.1080/29933935.2025.2508199. PMC12940102

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

This page is general information, not medical advice. Lactose intolerance is not the same as a milk allergy; if you have a milk allergy, talk to your doctor. Lactaid® is a registered trademark of its owner. Holy Cow! is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Lactaid or its owner.