Is lactose free milk higher in sugar than normal milk?

There is no significant difference in the sugar content between lactose free and regular milk. Lactose free milk on average has a slightly lower overall sugar content than regular milk.¹

Lactose is the natural sugar in cow's milk. Lactose free milk contains an enzyme called lactase that helps break down the naturally occurring lactose into two simple sugars, glucose and galactose.

The lactose content of lactose free milk is therefore much lower than regular milk and its component sugars, glucose and galactose, make up the total sugars.

Lactose free milk may seem sweeter than regular milk because when lactose is broken down into these two individual sugars, they can taste sweeter.

There is no added sugar in plain lactose free or regular milk.

References

1. Food Standards Australia New Zealand. Australian Food Composition Database (AFCD). Published 23 December 2025. Available at: https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/science-data/food-nutrient-databases/afcd