Lactose is a milk sugar and occurs in all kinds of milk and products in which milk is processed, except for Dutch hard cheese. Why does hard cheese not contain lactose? This is due to the separation of liquid whey from the curdled milk (the curds) during the processing of hard cheese. This process removes about 50% of the original lactose content in the milk. The rest of the lactose is almost completely converted into lactic acid during the maturing (ageing) of the cheese. Dutch hard cheeses can still contain traces of lactose. The older the cheese, the longer it has matured (minimum 4 months) and the less the chance that lactose traces remain in the cheese.
In the processing of semi-soft and semi-hard cheeses less whey is removed and the cheese milk contains more lactose compared with the cheese milk in hard cheese. Usually not all the lactose is converted during the maturing of these cheeses.
Due to a shortage of lactase (the enzyme that breaks down milk sugars in the intestines) people may develop complaints such as diarrhoea, abdominal pain, bloating, flatulence and nausea. The shortage can be temporary. Often limiting the intake of lactose (i.e. milk products) is sufficient to correct the complaints. Sometimes lactose-free nutrition is needed. Soya milk and desserts, almond and nut drinks, whole grain drinks, rice drinks and oatmeal milk are lactose-free and are available in our shop.
Soya or soy is a versatile food that has many applications in the West (not just in Japanese cuisine). Soya beans have a high protein content which means they are often used to make meat substitutes. In addition soya beans are also used to make soya milk, soya flakes, tofu (bean curd), tempeh, soya lecithin, soya oil, soya meal and Japanese specialities. In the Natuurwinkel you can find a broad range of NOT-genetically manipulated organic soya products including all the soya milk products of Provamel.
Soya milk products are mainly used by people with an allergy to cow’s milk. A number of products contain added calcium and vitamin B12. Oatmeal cream or soya cream from Provamel is an ideal substitute for ordinary cream because of its favourable fatty acid composition, even if you are not allergic. Ideal for thickening soups and sauces. It can’t be whipped in the way you can ordinary cream.
The German brand Soyatoo offers a whipped cream in a packet which can be beaten and aerosol cans with soya whipped cream. That’s how it can be done.
From the Provamel brand we have a 100% vegetable margarine, suitable for your sandwich and for baking and roasting.
The brand Healthy Planet offers 100% vegetable halvarine, margarine and a baking and roasting oil.
Freshly cut Dutch hard cheeses are ready for you in our refrigerated display unit. From young cheese to old cheese, various varieties of herb cheeses (for instance nettle, cumin, basil/garlic, or fenugreek), but also goat and sheep cheese. We recommend you don’t choose a young cheese if you have a lactose allergy because its lack of ageing means it can still contain some lactose.
We also have a range of bread and spreads that don’t contain milk products, and everything you need for a hot meal and dessert (ice, pudding, yoghurt).
Please ask us for tips and help in making your lactose-free and milk-free dishes.