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.

housekeepers near Buffalo Grove ..

In The News:

Analysts at Silent Push have uncovered a widespread scam that uses counterfeit retail websites to steal the credit card information of online shoppers.

Chrome users need to update their browsers immediately as Google addresses a critical vulnerability that hackers are actively exploiting. Additional security measures are recommended.

A study found teens glance at phones for dangerous two-second intervals while driving, using devices primarily for entertainment, texting and navigation despite crash risks.

Security researchers uncovered a flaw in Windows 11 that allows attackers to disable Secure Boot using Microsoft-signed tools, requiring manual updates to protect against bootkits.

Carnegie Mellon's noninvasive brain technology allows users to move robotic fingers by thinking about the motion, offering new possibilities for people with motor impairments.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of protection to your accounts. Instead of relying only on a password, MFA requires you to verify your identity using two or more methods.

Scientists from Duke, Harvard, and the University of Otago have unveiled a game-changing tool called DunedinPACNI. It uses a single AI brain scan to reveal how fast a person is biologically aging.

A disturbing wave of fake agent phone scams is sweeping across the United States, catching people off guard and draining their savings.

Emojis aren't just playful add-ons; they're powerful tools for building stronger connections in our increasingly digital world.

Google has taken a major step toward the future of clean energy by partnering with Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), an MIT spin-out working to build one of the world’s first commercial fusion reactors.

If you create and share art online, you might have seen messages warning that Facebook's parent company, Meta, claims the right to use or even sell anything you post, whether it's pictures, poems, or artwork.

Cybercriminals hit Qantas in a major data breach that exposed information from up to six million customers.

Having reliable, loud, and timely emergency alerts on your phone or device is important because when severe weather strikes, every second counts.

Here's how your daily brew is becoming the foundation for greener buildings.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, are transforming how we learn. But what does this mean for AI and learning retention?

Modern AI data centers use much more electricity than traditional cloud servers. In many cases, the existing power grid cannot keep up. One innovative solution is gaining traction: repurposed EV batteries for AI data centers.

Microsoft 365 and Outlook users are being targeted by a tactic that injects fake billing alerts directly into their calendars.

Researchers are now showing us that old smartphones as data centers could be the next big thing in sustainable tech.

Scientists have created micro-robots for sinus infection treatment that can enter the nasal cavity, eliminate bacteria directly at the source, and exit without harming surrounding tissue.

Let's examine how your data is collected in everyday life, who is buying and selling it, what happens to it afterward, and, most importantly, what you can do to protect yourself.

Researchers at the University of Sheffield in the U.K. developed small robots called "Pipebots" that can travel inside water pipes to find and potentially repair leaks, all without any excavation.

A groundbreaking new study has uncovered disturbing AI blackmail behavior that many people are unaware of yet.

Four teams of autonomous humanoid robots competed in China's first AI soccer tournament, demonstrating advanced capabilities in ball detection and independent decision-making.

The ID. Buzz autonomous van features self-driving technology with 13 cameras, nine LiDAR units and five radars after Volkswagen partnered with Hamburg and Uber for 2026 deployments.

Social Security phishing scams use urgency and impersonation to steal personal data. Learn how to spot fake SSA emails and implement 10 protective measures.

A Look at Lactose Intolerance

Nutrition