Bactose Probiotics- Do These Lactase Producing Capsules Actually Work?

Bactose is a company that produces capsules that claim to produce lactase enzymes for people who are lactose intolerant. These capsules are exclusively sold on Amazon, as far as I could see from searching the web.

Found on the Bactose Amazon store front.

What are their claims?

“Throw Away Your Lactase Pills! A probiotic that actively produces excess lactase enzymes directly in the gut helping your body naturally digest lactose.”

“Use only 7 days, Bactose works the entire month.”

“L. Acidophilus super strain- Our unique strain does an amazing job at digesting lactose.”

“Eat the Foods you love! No longer worry about foods that contain dairy.”

“Healthier gut. It’s not just for dairy- it’s super for gut health.”

“BACTOSE DOESN’T CONTAIN LACTASE, IT PRODUCES IT! Bactose is a L. Acidophilus Super Strain that works like little factories producing excess Lactase enzymes directly in the gut and adheres better to the intestinal lining where it does its work, effectively creating a one of a kind Lactose Intolerance Supplement.”

– Found on the Bactose Amazon store page.

Understandably, I was equally excited and skeptical when I first heard about this product. They make some bold claims when it comes to helping people with lactose intolerance.

There are lots of people out there with varying degrees of lactose intolerance, yet it doesn’t mention anything about that. There isn’t an option for a stronger or a weaker dose based off of how much dairy you can handle. This seemed strange to me, since people have to figure out how many lactase pills to eat at a certain meal for an allotted amount of dairy. It’s hard for me to believe that one “miracle” probiotic can help every lactose-intolerant person out there.

Since Bactose is a dietary supplement, it has not been approved by the FDA, and so Bactose doesn’t claim to fix or cure lactose intolerance.

Bactose claims that dairy is no longer a concern, but it made me wonder- how well does it work? Can I have half of a pizza and then a scoop of ice cream without negative effects? Or do I have to make sure to not eat too much dairy at one time?

After deliberating for a few weeks, I decided to take the plunge and try it out for a month.

My Experience with Bactose

I ordered the probiotics on Amazon and they came within the next week. I started taking them, one capsule with breakfast and one with dinner, for 7 days.

I then tentatively started trying dairy products out to see how much it actually helped- or if it was all the placebo effect.

Ice cream was first, and I didn’t have any of my usual side effects. However, if I had large amounts of cheese or milk, I felt very uncomfortable. Not as bad as I would have without any lactase at all, but I definitely noticed the gas. (As did my hubby- sorry, honey!)

I continued to test the limits with my newfound freedom and learned how much dairy I could comfortably eat in a day. It was a relief to not have to check everything for dairy or carry lactase pills with me at all times.

The Bactose Amazon store front claims that the effects can last up to a month, but some people might find that the effects end sooner than that. Unfortunately, I was one of the people that found the effects wearing off within three weeks of taking the pills.

How Much Does Bactose Cost?

A pack of 14 Bactose capsules costs $34.99 on Amazon. That’s $2.50 a capsule- Ouch! It’s pretty expensive to it’s counterpart, lactase pills.

That being said, lactase pills have to be taken with every meal, snack, or dessert that contains dairy. Bactose only has to be taken every three to four weeks. So if a person is eating dairy in every meal, Bactose would be more cost effective for them. I tend to eat lactose-free dairy or occasionally use lactase tablets, so buying bactose isn’t as useful for me.

Is Bactose Worth it?

Personally, I don’t know that I would buy Bactose again. It’s pretty expensive and it doesn’t last the claimed four weeks, at least for me. While it was a relief to not have to worry about what was in my food, it was frustrating that I could only eat so much dairy. The way that Bactose advertised the capsules made me think I could eat dairy like my husband does, but no dice.

Maybe for other people that don’t have as severe lactose intolerance, this probiotic would work really well for them. If you decide to try out Bactose, let me know about your experience!

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9 Products to Make the Holidays More Lactose-intolerant Friendly

Food intolerances and allergies are no fun, especially when it comes to the holidays. All that dairy, gluten, and sugar come together to make such tasty treats- buuut my stomach doesn’t see them as gifts.

Dark Chocolate Lime Ganache Truffles

Over the years, I have found lactose-free and dairy-free options to still make my favorite treats. It just takes a little extra time at the store and finding what works in the recipes. (Although the whole reason I am making this blog is so you don’t have to stress over how to change the recipes.)

Since Christmas is this week (What?! Where did the time go??), I thought you might need a little help finding these products so you can make every treat you can think of.

Without further ado, here is my list of products that I like to keep on hand during the holidays.

1. Lactose-free Evaporated Milk- You can find it here. It’s great to have on hand in case you want to make a last-minute pumpkin pie.

2. Lactose-free Sweetened Condensed Milk- You can find it here. I like to use it to make a quick caramel.

3. Coconut Condensed Milk- You can find it here. I like having options in my cupboard when I get the urge to be creative- vegan recipes, here I come!

4. Green Valley Products- You can find them here. I highly reccomend these products, as they are organic and high-quality. They produce yogurt, butter, cream cheese, and more!

5. Homemade Lactose-free Butter- You can find my recipe here. Butter is always great to have on hand, and you can easily store it in the freezer until you start baking!

6. Cool Whip- You can find it here. Did you know that on-brand Cool Whip is lactose-free? Crazy, right?! If you look closely at the nutrition facts, it says that it contains 0 grams of lactose. Please note that you HAVE to buy the brand Cool Whip, as I have not found any off-brand versions that are lactose-free. (There are plenty of dairy-free versions in the same area of the store though!)

7. Dairy-free Hot Cocoa Mix- You can find my recipe here. Who doesn’t like to have a warm cup of cocoa after some holiday fun? And it always makes a wonderful gift!

8. Dairy-Free Chocolate Chips- You can find some Guittard chips here. I tend to like Guittard in my cupboard, but you can also find dairy-free and vegan options at regular places like Smith’s Marketplace and your local grocery store. (I have even found bulk dairy-free chocolate chips at WINCO!)

9. Cocoa Butter (To temper chocolate)- You can find it here. The reason I suggest having cocoa butter on hand to temper chocolate is that I can’t use almond bark or candy melts. They both contain milk. Trying to dip treats in non-tempered chocolate results in chocolate-y, sticky fingers every time. No thanks! Tempering your chocolate is a little extra work, but worth it.

I hope you guys regularly refer to this list and make plenty of holiday treats! I have been busy making oreo balls and dark chocolate lime ganache truffles. Let me know in the comments what you get up to!

Peppermint Oreo Balls (Made with Green Valley Creamery Cream Cheese)

Side Notes:

The reason why almond bark and candy melts set up at room temperature is that they have oils as the fat instead of the typical cocoa butter. Cocoa butter forms “crystals” that allow us to temper chocolate by heating and cooling it to certain temperatures. If you’d like to know how I temper chocolate (the easy way!), I can write another post soon. I also highly recommend checking out Ann Reardon’s video on chocolate.

You might notice that none of the links on this post go to Amazon. While you can find just about anything on Amazon, I don’t love referring to it. If I can find it locally or buy it directly from the company itself, I will. I like to support small(er) and local businesses if possible.

Lactose-Intolerant Friendly Chocolate Chip Ranking

If you are like me, chocolate is a versatile (and delicious) pantry staple. I always have chocolate chips in my cupboard in case I have an urge to make some chocolate chip cookies or I want to try my hand at tempering some chocolate to make truffles for a party.

Being lactose-intolerant can make it difficult to find chocolate chips that are smooth, decadent, AND friendly to my stomach. I went to a couple different local grocery stores near me and grabbed the options they had for chocolate chips that didn’t have dairy in the ingredients.

I tried out 9 different chocolate chips. Four of them are from Guittard at varying percentages of cocoa and two of them are from Simple Truth Organic. I was curious to see how the recipes varied between the types of chocolate. You might be surprised to know what I thought!

I evaluated them right out of the bag and then later in an oatmeal cookie. I chose to bake them in an oatmeal cookie for the mild flavor so the chocolate chips would stand out.

My verdict:

1. Guittard – 55%: hard chip texture, nice light cocoa flavor, lightly sweetened, very nice vanilla flavor. BAKED: Smooth after being baked, good amount of presence without being overbearing. A good amount of bitter and sweet.
2. Guittard 46%: Buttery texture in the mouth, sweet without causing a toothache. BAKED: Sweeter than the other chips, but a stronger chocolate flavor. Still not too sweet, which I appreciate in a cookie.
3. Guittard 48%: Also buttery smooth, pleasantly sweet, prominent vanilla flavor. BAKED: Has a richer flavor than expected for its percentage. Since the chips are bigger, it is a good amount of chocolate in a bite. I thought these would be my favorite, but after comparing them all… maybe I like the 55% or 46% better?
4. Guittard 63%: Harder chip texture, doesn’t melt as easily on the tongue, robust cocoa flavor and very lightly sweetened. BAKED: Doesn’t have as powerful of a presence as others. I like the level of cocoa.
5. Kroger’s Private Selection 62% cacao: Harder texture of chip, deep cocoa flavor and sweeter than the Guittard 63%. BAKED: Lighter flavor than the Ghirardelli, but I prefer it in a cookie. It is just as of a rich flavor, but not as bitter.
6. Ghirardelli 60% cacao (contains milkfat): Very smooth chip, more buttery on the tongue, not very sweet. BAKED: Almost an oily texture? Nice dark flavor, but not so dark that it overpowers the cookie. After baked, they are even more velvety and smooth than before. Not my favorite chip- a little too bitter for me. Not sure why they taste more bitter than the 62% and 63%- maybe the vanilla they used?
7. Simple Truth Organic- semi sweet: Typical level of sweetness for a regular chocolate chip, no bitter flavor, soft with a nice chew. BAKED: Not super sweet, has a weird tang to it? Almost fruity? Not my favorite.
8. Simple Truth Organic- allergy friendly: They are sweeter than Enjoy Life, true semi-sweet, has a bizarre bitter flavor. BAKED: Barely any flavor when inside a cookie- no recognizable chocolate flavor- I can feel the texture of the chips, but it it overpowered by the mild cookie flavor
9. Enjoy Life- semi sweet mini chips: Instantly starts melting on the tongue, it has a bitter flavor- potentially from the vanilla? Not very sweet for a semi-sweet chip. BAKED: Very light flavor- can barely taste it in the cookie. It has a very fruity aftertaste. There is a slightly funky flavor that I can’t identify.

So, what did you think? Clearly, I am a fan of Guittard chocolate. The flavor and quality of the chips are unparalleled. I also love that they contain Fair Trade Cocoa and are made in a peanut free facility. I was disappointed by the allergy friendly chips, since I want a chocolate chip to stand out in a cookie. Maybe they would be better in trail mix, if you can get past the strange bitter flavor.

Let me know what brand of chocolate chips are your favorite! I am always excited to find new brands that are lactose-free and dairy-allergy friendly. I hope the list helped narrow down your search for a tasty chocolate chip!

Notes:

The only chocolate chips that are technically dairy-free are the allergy-friendly chips. Otherwise, the chocolate chips most likely were produced in factory with dairy or might have milk fat in them. Ghirardelli always has milk fat in all of their chocolate products. Milk fat doesn’t contain much lactose, so the chocolate chips haven’t bothered me yet. I would make sure to read the backs of the bars and bags from Ghirardelli because they don’t list milk on the list of allergens although it does have milk fat. To all those with milk allergies, please read labels!

5 Tips for being Lactose-Intolerant

Welcome! You found out you are part of the lactose-intolerant group of uncomfortable stomachs and avoiding dairy. Now what?

When I first found out I was lactose-free, I went completely dairy-free because I didn’t know there were options for lactose-free products and lactase capsules. Now that I have adventured in lactose-free land for a couple years, I have a couple tips and tricks to keep you enjoying food AND having a happy stomach.

First, gauge how lactose-intolerant you are. Everyone has a different body, which means you can handle different levels than other people. I have to be super careful to not have dairy without a lactase pill… or I pay for it in the end.

Second, dairy-free options might be the best option for you. I know that I feel better when I eat less dairy, even if it is lactose-free. There are so many awesome companies that make tasty dairy-free products. Of course, it won’t be what you are used to, but now is a good time as any to broaden your horizons!

Third, Read labels, read labels, read labels. I cannot stress this enough! There are so many products that are lactose-free that don’t advertise it! Do I know why? Nope! But I am in the process of making a mega list of products that are sneakily lactose-free so keep your eyes peeled!

Fourth, ghee is a great substitute for butter when cooking. You get the same great flavor without the lactose. Ghee seems to be more accessible than lactose-free butter in stores, so it’s a great option. (Butter is super easy to make, and I have the recipe to make your own lactose-free butter here.)

Fifth, don’t be afraid to ask people what they put in food. In my opinion, it is better to be safe rather than sorry! Luckily, my family and friends all know, so when I ask if they added dairy, they know I am not being picky. More often than not, people are willing to accommodate you. If lactase works for you, that is another great option for big gatherings. Just remember- your stomach is important, and you need to take care of yourself!

I hope these 5 tips help you on your adventures in navigating food sensitivities. Let me know in the comments if you learned something new or have something to add!

Easy DIY Lactose-Free Milk

This is less of a recipe and more of a life hack to save money- and your stomach! Milk is used in so many ways that it’s hard to cut out of my diet. My husband prefers me to use milk over milk alternatives when baking, and truthfully, so do I.

Of course, I enjoy a good bowl of cereal with some chocolate almond milk, but it’s hard to convince my husband that almond milk is tasty.

So I turn to lactose-free milk instead of dairy alternatives but it gets expensive. That’s why I decided to make it myself. It’s super easy and cheaper!

Now I don’t have to worry about buying two kinds of milk every week for my husband and me. Such a relief!

If you are like me, you need a nice glass of milk with just-out-of-the-oven cookies. Now you can have that creamy milk without worrying about paying more than you actually need to!

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 Gallon of milk
• 2-4 tablets/ drops/ caplets of lactase

Directions:

1. Take 2-4 tablets/ caplets/ drops of lactase and put them into your milk. Shake the milk well and let it sit for at least 24 hours. If needed, let the milk remain in the fridge for up to 4 days before using.

Side Notes:

• This recipe does need you to know how sensitive you are to lactose. If I put two tablets of lactase into a gallon of milk, I can use it within 24 hours. But other people might need to wait 3 or 4 days before using it.
• If you use lactase tablets, I recommend crushing them up before putting them into the milk. If you use caplets, I would open the caplet and put the powder directly into the milk. I haven’t used lactase drops before, but I know that you can buy them on Amazon. Let me know if you use them and what your experience is like!
• On occasion we see some funky clumps of milk, but it has never bothered us. I am guessing it has to do with something the tablets or caplets have in them. If this would bother you, I would recommend buying the lactase droplets instead. (Although I don’t know if it eliminates the lumps because I haven’t used them before.)