During an icebreaker game in college, one of my classmates confessed that she wasn’t allowed to eat cheese in her apartment.

Her fiancé couldn’t stand the sight or smell of cheese. Personally, that would be a relationship dealbreaker, but for others, avoiding cheese isn’t just a personal preference.

“Lactose intolerance occurs when the small intestine produces too little lactase, the enzyme that digests lactose, which is the natural sugar in milk,” explained Michelle Routhenstein, a preventive cardiology dietitian and certified diabetes educator at Entirely Nourished.

“Undigested lactose passes into the large intestine, where bacteria ferment it, causing bloating, gas, cramps and diarrhoea.”

Despite these unpleasant symptoms, you don’t have to write off cheese entirely if you’re lactose intolerant. As it turns out, there are several types of cheese you can still enjoy, even if you’re sensitive to lactose.

Below, we consulted registered dietitians about what to look for in a cheese and which cheeses you can eat in moderation if you’re lactose intolerant.

“Many people with lactose intolerance can tolerate about 1 to 4 grams of lactose per serving, especially when eaten with other foods, though individual thresholds vary,” Routhenstein said.

“Sticking to roughly 1 ounce of cheese, enjoying it as part of a meal, and spacing servings throughout the day can help improve tolerance.”

She also explained that lactose intolerance differs from a true milk allergy. “Anyone with a dairy allergy should avoid these cheeses entirely,” she said.

But if you’re sensitive to lactose or concerned about it affecting your digestion, you don’t need to avoid cheese completely. “Most of the lactose is strained out with the whey when making cheese,” Amanda Sauceda, a registered dietitian and gut health nutritionist, told HuffPost.

Let’s back up a second. There are two main proteins in milk: whey and casein. Whey is the cloudy liquid that is expelled from cheese curds during the process of making cheese or yogurt. “The remaining lactose gets broken down during fermentation as the cheese ages,” Sauceda said.

That means the older the cheese, the lower the lactose. “Aged or fermented cheeses contain very little lactose and are often easier to tolerate than milk or fresh dairy products,” Routhenstein said.

Some softer cheeses, such as feta, are lower in lactose. There are also dairy-based cheeses that are lactose-free, as well as plant-based cheeses that don’t contain lactose, Sauceda said.

Cheeses that are higher in lactose are those with more than 3 grams of lactose per 100 grams. Examples include softer cheeses like mascarpone, which contains 4% lactose, and ricotta, which can have as much as 5% lactose.

Even your favourite bagel spread can upset your stomach, as cream cheese contains between 4-4.6% lactose.

Some cheeses are lower in lactose, making them a good choice for people with lactose intolerance. Here are the cheeses our experts recommended.

Naturally low in lactose, Parmesan has less than 0 grams of lactose per 1-ounce serving, Sauceda said. Parmesan is also a source of vitamins and minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, which are important for bone health.

“I love to sprinkle Parmesan on soups because it adds depth of flavour,” she said. This dry cheese has a golden rind, which you can grate and sprinkle on your pizza or pasta for a zesty crunch.

As an aged, hard cheese, cheddar is naturally low in lactose. Along with adding texture and flavour, the cheese ripening process results in the production of proteins with anti-inflammatory effects.

Cheddar contains less than 1 gram of lactose per 1.5-ounce serving or less than 2% lactose, Sauceda said. “For reference, one cup of milk has 12 grams of lactose.”

She recommended keeping a block of cheddar on hand to pair with fruit like pears and grapes. “Shred the cheese for an easy topping on veggies you may not love,” she said. “Cheddar gets me more excited about broccoli.” This food hack isn’t just for kids.

Made from goat’s milk, goat cheese has about 0.5 to 1 % lactose, Routhenstein said. “Its fat structure and mild acidity make it gentler on digestion,” she said.

Goat’s cheese has a tangier flavour and less lactose than cheeses made from cow’s milk. “It can be spread on salads, roasted vegetables, or whole-grain toast, adding flavor and heart-healthy fiber,” she said.

If you’re looking for a delicious and creamy cheese, look no further than Havarti, which contains 1% lactose.

“It needs to be aged enough to reduce remaining lactose,” Kristen Carli, a registered dietitian from WOWMD, told HuffPost. If the label doesn’t indicate the cheese is aged, visually inspect it for a darker yellow colour or a crumbly texture.

Havarti has a buttery flavour which becomes more intense and tangier with age. Enjoy it with fruit and wine or shred some Havarti on your favourite breakfast omelette.

“Aged Gouda contains 1% lactose,” Carli said. It has a sweet, nutty flavour and a crumbly texture that’s similar to Parmesan when it’s aged. “Gouda is best enjoyed with fruits and nuts on a cheese board,” she said.

Known for its buttery flavour and white rind, brie tends to be low in lactose, containing 1 to 2%.

“Most of the lactose is removed early when the whey is drained, and the bacteria in the cheese keep breaking down the rest as it ages,” Routhenstein said. “So, even though it’s creamy, brie doesn’t have much lactose and is easier to digest for those who are lactose intolerant.”

You can enjoy brie at room temperature on a cheese plate. Or add it to flat bread or grilled cheese for melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness.

With its holey appearance reminiscent of the moon, Swiss is a long-standing favourite. During fermentation, bacteria produce carbon dioxide and trap gas bubbles, resulting in the formation of eyes or holes.

Swiss contains 1% lactose, Carli said. Her advice was to enjoy it melted in French onion soup. Since Swiss is less salty than other cheeses, you can enjoy it with cured meats like bacon or prosciutto or crunchy snacks like crackers and pretzels.

At 1% lactose, feta is another option for lactose-weary cheese lovers. It’s made from sheep’s milk.

“When it’s aged enough to reduce remaining lactose, sheep’s milk is even lower than cow’s milk versions,” Carli said. She recommended sprinkling feta on a Mediterranean salad, which usually contains a mixture of cucumbers, olives, tomatoes, red onions, and feta cheese tossed in olive oil or a lemon vinaigrette.

You can find American-style farmer’s cheese in grocery stores. It’s made from pressing cottage cheese to remove the water.

“Farmer’s cheese contains slightly more lactose, around 2 to 3%, but small portions are usually well tolerated,” Routhenstein said. “As a fermented dairy, farmer’s cheese provides probiotics that support gut health and may help protect the heart.”

She recommended mixing farmer’s cheese into fruit or sprinkling it on cucumbers with a dash of black pepper for a savoury, heart-healthy snack.

“With about 3 to 4% lactose, cottage cheese is a little bit higher in lactose but is still a good option when eaten in moderation,” Sauceda said. “A 100-gram serving, which is about half a cup, will have some lactose because it’s a fresh cheese with some of the whey remaining.”

Her advice is to start with a quarter cup of cottage cheese and see how your stomach feels. “Lately, I’ve been using cottage cheese, oats, and egg to make a pancake scramble,” she said. “Cottage cheese is really an MVP in the kitchen because you can bake with it, add it to pasta sauces to punch up the protein, or just enjoy it as is.”