Elimination Diet
The Elimination Diet will help you to establish if you are lactose intolerant by simply removing lactose from your diet for 14 days and with Lactofree, you can still have the foods you love without the digestive discomfort.
Most people can successfully undertake an elimination diet without the help of a doctor, however if you have any concerns whatsoever, you should consult your GP or a health care professional.
Diet Overview
Remove milk, dairy products and other lactose containing food products for 2 weeks replacing milk, cheese and yogurt with Lactofree.
Reintroduce lactose gradually to establish your lactose tolerance levels or simply continue to enjoy a real dairy diet with Lactofree.
Improvement in symptoms
- Enjoy the full Lactofree range
- Ensure adequate calcium & vitamin D intake
- Check food labels
- Establish personal lactose intolerance levels
No improvement/worsening of symptoms
- Consult your GP or a health care professional
Step 1 Eliminating Lactose
To establish your lactose intolerance, you need to remove milk, dairy products and other lactose containing food products for 14 days. But remember you can replace milk, cheese and yogurt with Lactofree – real dairy, just without the lactose.
Sign up for our Daily Support Guide so we can help you through these 14 days with tips, recipes and advice.
It’s not easy to know the contents of everything you eat, so it will help you to download the food and ingredient tables below to carry with you or stick on your fridge. We’ve also created the Lactose Detector Tool for you to double check any food items you’re still unsure about, and you can also email us at Lactofree@outsideline.co.uk with any queries.
To help you keep track of the foods you are eliminating and to monitor your symptoms, it may be useful for you to keep a food diary, or why not visit the Lactofree Forum or Facebook page to discuss your progress with others in the same situation.
After successfully undertaking Step 1, how do you feel?
My symptoms have reduced
Reduced symptoms indicate that you possibly have lactose intolerance and can continue to enjoy the benefits of the Lactofree range.
If you wish to further investigate and understand your lactose intolerance we can help you to discover how much lactose you can comfortably have in your daily diet by slowly reintroducing lactose in Step 2 of the diet.
My symptoms have remained the same
Unchanged symptoms indicate it is unlikely that lactose is the cause of your discomfort and you should speak to your doctor or dietitian for further advice.
Please note that the Lactofree range is not suitable for those with a cows’ milk allergy and those with Galactosaemia.
Step 2 Discovering Your Tolerance
Part 1
This part of the diet helps you to discover how much lactose your body can comfortably digest at one time.
Download the lactose content table below for your lactose per gram guide. And remember you can consume as much as you like from the Lactofree range as our products do not contain lactose.
You should stop the reintroduction process as soon as you start to feel symptoms, either on Day 1 or Day 7.
Regardless of the day you stop, you can then go on to Part 2 of the diet to discover how much lactose you can digest over one day.
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Day 1
In the morning, eat a portion of food containing 1g lactose.
- If you experience discomfort, this is your lactose limit.
- If you don't experience discomfort, eat another 1g lactose meal on the morning of Day 2.
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Day 3
In the morning, eat a portion of food containing 2g lactose.
- If you experience discomfort, this is your lactose limit.
- If you don't experience discomfort, eat another 2g lactose meal on the morning of Day 4.
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Day 5
In the morning, eat a portion of food containing 5g lactose.
- If you experience discomfort, this is your lactose limit.
- If you don't experience discomfort, eat another 5g lactose meal on the morning of Day 6.
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Day 7
In the morning, eat a portion of food containing 10g lactose.
- If you experience discomfort, this is your lactose limit.
Part 2
Within this final stage of the diet, we'll help you to discover how much lactose your body can comfortably digest over one day.
You'll still need to use the lactose content table as a per gram guide, and can continue to consume Lactofree products during this part of the diet.
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Day 9
In the morning, eat a portion of food containing the amount of lactose you established as your limit in the previous stage.
Repeat again in the evening. If you experience discomfort, this is your daily lactose limit.
If you don't experience discomfort, you should repeat this again for Day 2. -
Day 11
In the morning, eat another portion of food containing the amount of lactose you established as your limit in Part 1.
Repeat again at midday and in the evening.
End of the diet
We hope our Elimination Diet has helped you to learn more about your lactose intolerance. By understanding your lactose intolerance you will be able to control the amount of lactose you consume, avoid digestive discomfort and begin to reintroduce some of the foods you have missed!
Living lactose free or within your tolerance level can help you to control the symptoms of lactose intolerance, stopping you from feeling restricted by what you eat whilst still maintaining a healthy balanced diet.
Ensure you eat a wide range of calcium-rich foods such as:
- Fish with soft bones (canned sardines, salmon and anchovies)
- Calcium fortified fruit juices
- Green leafy vegetables (kale, broccoli, spinach, turnip greens, collards)
- Cereal, nuts, seeds, pulses and dried figs
- Lactofree whole and semi-skimmed, fruit yogurt, semi hard cheese and soft white cheese.
- And don’t forget to stock up on Lactofree portion packs to ensure you can have the perfect cup of tea wherever you go!
Visit the Lactofree Recipe Club to share and search for delicious meal ideas for all the family, to your GP or a health care professional.