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Foods high in lactose are milk and the dairy foods closest to it: in USDA FoodData Central data, a cup of 1% milk lists about 12.7 grams of lactose, a cup of eggnog about 19.9 grams and a 7-ounce container of plain lowfat Greek-style yogurt about 5.8 grams, while an ounce of cheddar, Swiss or grated Parmesan lists 0.0 grams. The table below ranks 27 USDA SR Legacy dairy entries by lactose per serving, with FDC IDs and total sugars, and a second table shows dairy foods for which USDA lists total sugars but no lactose value. Lactose has no FDA Daily Value, so no percent DV column appears.
Peptide Labs does not sell foods. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- Fluid milk lists about 12.2 to 12.7 grams of lactose per cup in USDA data whatever the fat level, and eggnog about 19.9 grams.
- Strained yogurt and cottage cheese list about 3 to 6 grams per USDA serving; cream cheese, sour cream and cream about 1 gram or less.
- Cheddar, Swiss and grated Parmesan show 0.0 grams per ounce in USDA data, and NIDDK calls hard cheeses lower in lactose than other milk products.
- NIDDK says most people with lactose intolerance can consume some amount of lactose without having symptoms, and that different people tolerate different amounts.
- Lactose has no FDA Daily Value; it is counted inside total sugars on the Nutrition Facts label (21 CFR 101.9).
Foods high in lactose ranked by USDA lactose per serving
Servings are USDA SR Legacy portions: a cup of milk, the USDA container sizes for strained yogurt, 4 ounces of cottage cheese, half a cup of ice cream or pudding, two tablespoons of cream and one ounce (28.35 grams) of cheese. The total sugars column from the same USDA entry includes any added sugar, which is why the chocolate and sweetened rows show far more total sugars than lactose; the last column gives lactose per 100 grams.
| Food (USDA FDC ID) | Serving | Lactose | Total sugars | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggnog (171258) | 1 cup | 19.9 g | 20.4 g | 7.8 g |
| Milk, 1% milkfat (170872) | 1 cup | 12.7 g | 12.7 g | 5.2 g |
| Milk, nonfat (skim) (171269) | 1 cup | 12.5 g | 12.5 g | 5.1 g |
| Milk, 3.25% milkfat (171265) | 1 cup | 12.3 g | 12.3 g | 5.0 g |
| Milk, 2% milkfat (171267) | 1 cup | 12.2 g | 12.3 g | 5.0 g |
| Hot cocoa, homemade (171277) | 1 cup | 11.6 g | 24.1 g | 4.6 g |
| Chocolate milk, reduced fat (170880) | 1 cup | 9.6 g | 23.9 g | 3.8 g |
| Yogurt, Greek, plain, lowfat (170903) | 7 oz | 5.8 g | 7.1 g | 2.9 g |
| Cottage cheese, 2% milkfat (172182) | 4 oz | 4.4 g | 4.5 g | 3.9 g |
| Yogurt, Greek, plain, nonfat (170894) | 6 oz | 4.3 g | 5.5 g | 2.5 g |
| Rice pudding, ready-to-eat (168782) | 1/2 cup | 3.2 g | 10.7 g | 3.4 g |
| Cottage cheese, creamed (172179) | 4 oz | 3.0 g | 3.0 g | 2.7 g |
| Ice cream, strawberry (168810) | 1/2 cup | 2.9 g | not listed | 4.4 g |
| Cottage cheese, nonfat, dry curd (172181) | 4 oz | 1.8 g | 2.1 g | 1.6 g |
| Cheese product, pasteurized process, American (171289) | 1 oz | 1.7 g | 1.8 g | 6.1 g |
| Cream cheese, fat free (172207) | 1 oz | 1.4 g | 1.6 g | 4.8 g |
| Half and half (171255) | 2 tbsp | 1.2 g | 1.2 g | 4.1 g |
| Cream cheese (173418) | 1 oz | 1.1 g | 1.1 g | 3.8 g |
| Heavy whipping cream (170859) | 2 tbsp | 0.9 g | 0.9 g | 2.9 g |
| Dulce de leche (173461) | 1 tbsp | 0.9 g | 9.5 g | 4.9 g |
| Sour cream, cultured (171257) | 2 tbsp | 0.8 g | 0.8 g | 3.4 g |
| Queso fresco (172223) | 1 oz | 0.7 g | 0.7 g | 2.3 g |
| Pasteurized process American (171290) | 1 oz | 0.6 g | 0.6 g | 2.1 g |
| Mozzarella, low moisture, part-skim (171244) | 1 oz | 0.3 g | 0.5 g | 1.1 g |
| Parmesan, grated (171247) | 1 oz | 0.0 g | 0.0 g | 0.0 g |
| Swiss (171251) | 1 oz | 0.0 g | 0.0 g | 0.0 g |
| Cheddar (173414) | 1 oz | 0.0 g | 0.1 g | 0.1 g |
In USDA data, anything drunk by the cup leads, because USDA lists about 5 grams of lactose per 100 grams of milk and a cup weighs about 244 grams; strained yogurt, cottage cheese and fresh cheeses follow, and aged cheeses fall close to zero. Our guides to milk, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, cream cheese, half and half, sour cream and ice cream cover each food in depth.
Lactose in dairy by type
- Milk: 1%, nonfat, 2% and 3.25% milk all list 12.2 to 12.7 grams of lactose per cup in USDA data, so removing fat barely changes the figure; NIDDK puts the lactose in about 1 cup of milk at 12 grams, in line with the USDA numbers.
- Milk drinks: eggnog lists 19.9 grams of lactose per cup in USDA data, homemade hot cocoa 11.6 and reduced-fat chocolate milk 9.6, with total sugars near 24 grams for the two chocolate drinks because sugar is added.
- Yogurt and cottage cheese: USDA lists 5.8 grams of lactose for a 7-ounce container of plain lowfat Greek-style yogurt and 4.3 grams for a 6-ounce nonfat one, and 4.4 grams for 4 ounces of 2% cottage cheese, 3.0 for creamed and 1.8 for nonfat dry curd. Our yogurt guide covers the types.
- Creams: two tablespoons of half and half list 1.2 grams of lactose in USDA data, heavy whipping cream 0.9 and cultured sour cream 0.8; see our guide to heavy cream.
- Cheeses: USDA lists 1.7 grams per ounce for pasteurized process American cheese product and 1.1 for cream cheese, 0.7 for queso fresco and 0.3 for low-moisture part-skim mozzarella, while cheddar, Swiss and grated Parmesan list 0.0 grams; NIDDK names hard cheeses like cheddar or Swiss as lower in lactose than other milk products. Values for a given package vary, so check its Nutrition Facts label.
Dairy entries with no USDA lactose value
USDA SR Legacy lists total sugars but no lactose value for several common high lactose foods, so they cannot be ranked above. The figures below are USDA total sugars, not lactose, for foods with lactose that SR Legacy does not break down; sweetened condensed milk and vanilla ice cream also include added sugar.
| Food (USDA FDC ID) | Serving | Total sugars | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milk, canned, condensed, sweetened (171275) | 1 fl oz | 20.8 g | 54.4 g |
| Milk, dry, nonfat (172195) | 1/4 cup | 15.6 g | 52.0 g |
| Ice cream, vanilla (167575) | 1/2 cup | 14.0 g | 21.2 g |
| Buttermilk, cultured, lowfat (170874) | 1 cup | 13.1 g | 5.4 g |
| Milk, canned, evaporated (171276) | 1/2 cup | 12.7 g | 10.0 g |
| Yogurt, plain, low fat (170886) | 6 oz | 12.0 g | 7.0 g |
| Milk, goat (171278) | 1 cup | 10.9 g | 4.5 g |
| Whey, sweet, dried (171283) | 1 tbsp | 5.6 g | 74.5 g |
Our guides to buttermilk, goat’s milk and kefir cover those foods; SR Legacy’s only kefir entries with a lactose value are branded, so none appears here.
What NIDDK says about lactose intolerance
- Definition: NIDDK defines lactose intolerance as digestive symptoms, such as bloating, diarrhea and gas, after foods or drinks that contain lactose, a sugar naturally found in milk and milk products; the symptoms are caused by lactose malabsorption, when the small intestine cannot break down all the lactose.
- Malabsorption is not the same as intolerance: NIDDK notes that not everyone with lactose malabsorption has symptoms, and only people who have symptoms are lactose intolerant.
- Some lactose is often tolerated: NIDDK says most people with lactose intolerance can consume some amount of lactose without having symptoms, that different people tolerate different amounts, and that symptoms may be mild or severe depending on how much lactose a person has.
- How common: NIDDK reports that experts estimate about 68 percent of the world’s population has lactose malabsorption, and about 36 percent of people in the United States.
- Not a milk allergy: NIDDK explains that a milk allergy is the immune system’s response to proteins in milk, while lactose intolerance is a problem digesting milk sugar; FDA lists milk among the major food allergens.
- Who decides: NIDDK advises talking with a doctor or dietitian about any change, says people may not need to completely avoid foods that contain lactose, and notes that avoiding all milk and milk products may mean getting less calcium and vitamin D; our guide to calcium in foods ranks other sources, and our guide to lactase covers the enzyme products.
Where lactose shows up beyond the dairy case
- Packaged foods: NIDDK lists baked goods, breakfast cereals, instant potatoes, soups, margarine, salad dressings, flavored chips, processed meats such as hot dogs and lunch meats, and nondairy coffee creamers and whipped toppings among products that may contain lactose.
- Ingredient words: NIDDK says milk, lactose, whey, curds, milk by-products, dry milk solids and nonfat dry milk powder on an ingredient list mean the product contains lactose.
- Medicines: NIDDK notes that a small amount of lactose may be found in some prescription and over-the-counter medicines and suggests asking your doctor about the medicines you take.
- On the label: FDA defines total sugars as the sum of free mono- and disaccharides, naming glucose, fructose, lactose and sucrose (21 CFR 101.9), so lactose has no line or Daily Value of its own; the ingredient list is where milk-derived ingredients appear.
NIDDK’s IBS page also lists milk, milk products, soft cheeses, yogurt, custard and ice cream among foods that contain FODMAPs; our guide to the low FODMAP diet explains that approach, and our sibling guide to fruit and syrups ranked by fructose covers another FODMAP sugar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which dairy food has the most lactose per serving?
In USDA data, a cup of eggnog lists 19.9 grams of lactose and a cup of 1% milk 12.7 grams.
Do aged cheeses contain lactose?
Very little in USDA data: cheddar, Swiss and grated Parmesan list 0.0 grams per ounce.
Does skim have less lactose than full-fat versions?
No. In USDA data, nonfat milk lists 12.5 grams of lactose per cup and 3.25% milk 12.3 grams.
Can people with lactose intolerance have any lactose?
NIDDK says most people with lactose intolerance can consume some amount of lactose without symptoms and that tolerance differs from person to person; NIDDK advises talking with a doctor or dietitian.
Is lactose intolerance the same as a milk allergy?
No. NIDDK explains that a milk allergy is an immune response to milk proteins, while lactose intolerance comes from lactose malabsorption; FDA lists milk as a major food allergen.
Is there a Daily Value for lactose?
No. FDA counts lactose inside total sugars on the Nutrition Facts label, and its Daily Reference Values (21 CFR 101.9) set none for total sugars or lactose.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a health condition. 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.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Related guides: Foods High in Fructose: USDA Fructose per Serving, Ranked, Lactase: How Lactase Pills Work and What the Evidence Shows, Milk Nutrition: Whole vs Skim Milk and Is Milk Good for You, Low FODMAP Diet: What FODMAPs Are, FODMAP Foods and the 3 Phases.