Yogurt's powerful energy-boosting protein and bone-strengthening calcium have pushed it into the top tier of health foods. Lactose is found in milk and milk products such as yogurt, and the amount of lactose depends on the product.
Lactose 101
Lactose is a type of sugar molecule. Once you consume lactose, the cells of your small intestine produce an enzyme called Lactase that breaks down lactose into two smaller sugars. These smaller sugars can then be absorbed into the bloodstream. Processed foods, such as breads and gravy, that use milk or milk products can also contain small amounts of lactose.
Lactose Light
According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, yogurt has less lactose than its dairy counterparts because the introduced bacteria or "live cultures" help digest the lactose. Six ounces of low-fat skim milk yogurt has 13 grams, whole milk yogurt has 8 grams of lactose and tofu yogurt has only 2.4 grams of lactose.
