Stomach pain after eating feta cheese often points to lactose intolerance, as feta contains milk sugar (lactose) that your body struggles to digest without enough lactase enzyme, causing gas, cramps, and bloating. Other possibilities include a FODMAP sensitivity (feta is low-FODMAP but might still bother sensitive guts) or, less commonly, bacterial issues like Listeria from unpasteurized feta or a genuine dairy allergy, though symptoms usually appear quickly after dairy, say.
Feta is often made from sheep's or goat's milk, which naturally contains less lactose than cow's milk. As a result, it's often better tolerated by individuals with IBS.
Examples of safe low FODMAP Mediterranean foods for IBS patients include olives & olive oil, spelt sourdough bread, full fat cheese e.g. feta cheese, walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts and all seeds, fish, fresh meat, oats, oranges, mandarins, tomatoes and many salad vegetables, courgettes, aubergines, and herbs and spices ...
When it comes to cheese, feta is a healthy choice. Not only is it packed with protein and fat – both essential nutrients for helping you to feel full and energised – it's also good for your gut. Probiotic yeasts in feta may lower the PH in your stomach, which is key for a healthy gut.
Remedies for lactose intolerance relief
Yes, you can suddenly develop lactose intolerance at any age, often in adulthood, due to the body producing less of the lactase enzyme needed to digest milk sugar (lactose). This can happen gradually with aging or suddenly after digestive issues like infections (gastroenteritis), intestinal injuries, surgeries, or diseases (Crohn's, celiac) that damage the small intestine, leading to secondary lactose intolerance.
Soft, unpasteurized cheeses like feta, Brie, Camembert, blue-veined cheeses, and goat — as well as ready-to-eat meats like hot dogs and deli meats — may contain Listeria, bacteria that cause mild flu-like symptoms in most adults but can be very dangerous for unborn babies.
Feta cheese, which is made from sheeps' milk, contains a protein called histidine. When histidine is combined with vitamin B6, it undergoes a molecular process to become histamine, a compound that provides anti-inflammatory benefits.
Potential Risks of Feta Cheese
Although feta cheese has healthy amounts of calcium, the phosphorus in feta may weaken bones in people with kidney disease. Soft, unpasteurized cheeses like feta can contain Listeria monocytogenes, a type of bacteria that can cause mild flu-like symptoms in adults.
Tip for reducing flatulence: If you are able to digest small amounts of lactose, there are many dairy products that are naturally low in lactose, such as butter and hard cheeses as well as camembert and feta cheese.
The authentic Feta from Greece is on the saltier and tangier side of the spectrum, with the undertones slightly reminiscent of lemon. In comparison, American Feta lacks the creaminess but retains the savory flavor profile, with a robust acidic tang.
The worst foods for IBS are often high in FODMAPs (fermentable carbs) like onions, garlic, wheat, and apples; dairy; fatty/fried foods; caffeine; alcohol; and artificial sweeteners, as they trigger gas, bloating, pain, and diarrhea, but triggers vary, making a low-FODMAP diet or food diary crucial for identifying personal culprits.
Conditions such as lactose intolerance and dairy allergy will directly affect the type and amount of feta cheese someone can tolerate. If someone has a dairy allergy, it's best to avoid dairy foods like feta.
Someone with lactose intolerance may notice bloating, stomach cramps, or nausea within a couple hours of eating foods with lactose. Some people say the gas they get feels like having a bubble in the belly — they might even feel it moving through the digestive system.
The unhealthiest cheeses are generally highly processed varieties like American cheese singles or cheese spreads (due to high sodium, additives, and lower nutrients) and very rich, creamy soft cheeses like Brie, Camembert, or triple-crèmes, which are packed with saturated fat and calories, making them best as infrequent treats, says sources 1, 5, 6. Harder cheeses like Stilton and Roquefort can also be high in saturated fat and sodium, respectively, notes sources 4, 8.
Moreover, with many Greek dishes being vegetarian and over 180 fasting days in the Greek Orthodox calendar, where the consumption of meat is prohibited, feta cheese also takes the place of meat in many vegetable-based dishes.
You may develop symptoms within 30 minutes to two hours after consuming dairy if you have lactose intolerance. Symptoms can last 24-72 hours, based on your tolerance level and how much lactose you consumed. Some of the most common lactose intolerance symptoms include abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, and nausea.
In most people, listeriosis has no symptoms or only causes mild symptoms for a few days, such as:
Feta is often considered one of the healthiest cheeses available, though it depends on what you're looking for. It's lower in fat than most hard cheeses and provides useful nutrients like calcium, protein and vitamins. However, it does have a higher salt content, so portion size matters.
Five of the healthiest cheeses
People with lactose intolerance often have diarrhea, gas and bloating after eating or drinking foods containing lactose. The condition is usually harmless, but its symptoms can cause discomfort. Too little of an enzyme made in the small intestine, called lactase, is usually responsible for lactose intolerance.
So what does dairy inflammation feel like? Since everyone's biochemistry is different, dairy inflammation symptoms can manifest in a wide-variety of problems that can seem unrelated. Digestive distress (bloating, constipation, gas, etc.)
To flush dairy out of your system quickly, eliminate all dairy products from your diet and load up on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, and seeds. These are high in fiber and acids that help break down and push out all milk proteins from your system. Also, set aside some time to work out.