Home
>
Nutrition
>
A Look at Lactose Intolerance

A Look at Lactose Intolerance

Lactose is the primary carbohydrate in milk. Cow's milk contains 4-5% lactose, whereas human milk contains almost twice that amount. Lactose provides 30-50% of the energy in milk, depending on the fat content (skim vs. homogenized). A number of individuals are affected by lactose in the diet, but there is a difference between intolerance and maldigestion.

Lactose maldigestion is "a disorder characterized by reduced digestion of lactose due to the low availability of the enzyme lactase." Lactose intolerance is "the term for gastointestinal symptoms (flatulence, bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and 'rumbling in the bowel') resulting from the consumption of more lactose than can be digested with available lactase." In other words, intolerance refers to the symptoms of the maldigestive disorder caused by an insufficient enzyme required to hydrolyze lactose to galactose and glucose.

Genetic defects often cause a deficiency of lactase, as well as injuries to the mucosa lining of the intestines or with age (as we age our enzyme levels decrease). When lactose molecules remain in the intestine undigested, they absorb water and this can cause bloating, discomfort, cramping, diarrhea, and nausea. Bacterial fermentation along the intestinal tract that produces lactic acid and gas is also a characteristic of lactose intolerance.

It is estimated that one in three adults suffer from lactose maldigestion and it appears to be inherited in about 80% of the world's population, including most Greeks, Asians, and Africans.

Those who suffer from any discomfort after eating or drinking milk products can consume foods labeled lactose free or take an enzyme preparation such as Lact-Aid to aid digestion. Do note, however, that lactose intolerance varies and the amount of lactose allowed in a diet depends on an individual's tolerance. Some people cannot tolerate milk, ice cream, or creamed foods, but they can eat aged cheeses and yogurt (some brands are better tolerated than others) without difficulty. Lactose products include:

Grain Products: Breads and muffins made with milk, pancakes, and waffles; cake or cookie mixes, pie crusts made from butter or margarine, French toast, some dry cereals, and biscuits.

Fruits and Vegetables: Canned and frozen fruits or vegetables processed with lactose, buttered, creamed, or breaded vegetables.

Milk and Milk Products: Milk (dried, evaporated, nonfat, and whole), yogurt, ice cream, sherbet, cheese, custard, puddings, and whey and casein proteins manufactured with lactobacillus/acidophilus culture.

Meat and Meat Alternatives: Meats, fish, or poultry creamed or breaded, sausage and other cold cuts containing nonfat-milk solids, some peanut butter, and omelets and souffl?s containing milk.

Other: Instant coffees, margarine, dressings, sugar substitutes containing lactose, toffee, chocolate, creamed soups, butter, cream, some cocoas, caramels, chewing gum, some vitamin-mineral supplements, some drugs, peppermint, and butterscotch.

Since calcium is a major component of many lactose-containing foods, it is vital that individuals who are lactose-intolerant receive adequate calcium from other foods (in fact, milk is not an ideal source of calcium, as will be discussed in Chapter Seven). These include almonds, brazil nuts, caviar, kelp, canned salmon, canned sardines, shrimp, soybeans, and turnip greens, broccoli, strawberries, and leafy greens. Leafy greens are currently under suspicion as a viable calcium source since greens are now believed to contain certain calcium binding agents that prevent calcium absorption.

You may publish this article in your newsletter, on your web site, or other publications, so long as the article's content is not altered and the resource box is included. Add byline and active link. Notification of the use of this article is appreciated, but not required.

Brian D. Johnston is the Director of Education and President of the I.A.R.T. fitness certification and education institute. He has written over 12 books and is a contributing author to the Merck Medical Manual. An international lecturer, Mr. Johnston wears many hats in the fitness and health industries, and can be reached at info@exercisecertification.com. Visit his site at info@exercisecertification.com for more free articles.

cleaning team near Winnetka ..

In The News:

Xpeng's humanoid robot moves so realistically that crowds believed it was fake, marking a major advancement in robotics technology ahead of 2026 commercial launch.

Researchers discover phishing scam using invisible characters to evade email security, with protection tips including password managers and two-factor authentication.

iPhone and Android users can reduce battery drain and data usage by restricting Background App Refresh to Wi-Fi connections instead of mobile networks.

Scammers nearly stole an Apple account by exploiting the support system with authentic-looking tickets and phone calls, users can protect themselves with safety steps.

FoloToy restored sales of its AI teddy bear Kumma after a weeklong suspension following safety group findings of risky and inappropriate responses to children.

Threat intelligence firm Synthient uncovers one of the largest password exposures ever, prompting immediate security recommendations.

Viral video shared by Elon Musk shows Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots performing tasks from cooking to construction, garnering over 58.5 million views on social media.

Chinese hackers used Anthropic's Claude AI to launch autonomous cyberattacks on 30 organizations worldwide, marking a major shift in cybersecurity threats.

Apple's new Sleep Score feature gives you a rating for your nightly rest quality. Learn how to set it up on your Apple Watch and iPhone today.

Essential phone settings to enable before losing your device, including Find My network, location services and security features for iPhone and Android.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Cybersecurity research shows weak passwords remain a major threat, with simple patterns and number sequences putting millions of accounts at risk.

New Android malware BankBot YNRK silences phones, steals banking data and drains crypto wallets automatically. Learn how this advanced threat works.

FDA approves first human trial for Paradromics' brain-computer interface that could restore speech for paralyzed patients through neural technology.

New phishing platform QRR targets Microsoft 365 users across 1,000 domains in 90 countries. Learn how to spot fake login pages and protect your accounts.

OpenTable now uses AI to track your dining habits and share insights with restaurants. Learn what data they collect and how to protect your privacy.

Google's discontinued Nest thermostats still secretly upload home data to company servers despite losing smart features, raising serious privacy concerns.

New Android malware NGate steals NFC payment codes in real-time, allowing criminals to withdraw cash from ATMs without your card. Learn protection tips.

DoorDash confirms data breach exposing customer names, emails, addresses after social engineering attack. Learn how to protect yourself from scams.

Concerned about Google's AI scanning your Gmail? Learn how to disable Gemini features that access your emails, Drive files and Chat messages for privacy.

Google warns Android users about dangerous fake VPN apps hiding malware that steals passwords, banking details and personal data from phones and tablets.

Apple's digital passport feature lets iPhone users breeze through TSA checkpoints this holiday season using Digital ID technology at 250+ airports.

A new phishing scam targets family photos with fake "Cloud Storage Full" alerts. Criminals steal credit card information through fake sites. Learn protection tips.

South Korean scientists create ultra-thin fabric muscles that turn clothes into robotic assistants, lifting 33 pounds while weighing under half an ounce.

Archer Aviation has acquired Hawthorne Airport for $126M to launch an LA air taxi network ahead of the 2028 Olympics, featuring AI-powered eVTOL operations and next-gen aviation tech.

A Look at Lactose Intolerance

Nutrition