Did you know the cheddar cheese you already know and love is naturally lactose-free? It’s true! We promise!

And it’s all made possible through the time-honored tradition of naturally aging cheddar…something we, at Cabot, know a lot about.

What makes Cabot cheeses naturally lactose-free?

To start, it’s important to know that lactose is simply the natural sugar found in milk. To understand how cheese becomes lactose-free, first look to the cheesemaking process. To begin, curd is separated from whey (whey is where most of the lactose is). The curd eventually becomes cheese and the whey is removed (and along with it goes most of the lactose). The small amount of lactose that remains in the curd breaks down over time as the cheese ages, resulting in an aged cheese that’s naturally lactose-free. So, cheeses that undergo this natural aging process — like cheddar — contain little to no lactose.

Still don’t believe us? Look at the label!

On every Nutrition Facts panel, you’ll find the amount of sugar in that food. If it says 0g, that means there’s no sugar… and no sugar in Cabot cheddar cheese means no lactose!

Want variety from your favorite cheddar and looking for a little something extra to add to your lactose-free line-up? Other aged cheeses like Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, Swiss and Parmesan also contain little or no lactose.

You can learn more about the Cheesemaking process here!

Look for the Lactose-Free icon on the packaging of your favorite Cabot cheese products to be sure they are naturally lactose-free.