Health Tips

What is Lactose and Why Use a Lactose Free Diet?

Lactose is a sugar found in milk and related products. During digestion lactose is separated into two sugars by the enzyme lactase. When this happens the sugars can be absorbed by the body and used. When this step in digestion does not happen the lactose goes to the colon and bacteria there break the lactose down into lactic acid.

Lactic acid acts as an irritant and a laxative. This can tend to cause gas, bloating, cramps and diarrhea. All these are uncomfortable and socially difficult issues.

While these symptoms are a problem, no damage is normally done to the intestine.

A Lactose Free Diet Can Help

A lactose free or low lactose diet eliminates or reduces you consumption of lactose and your symptoms go away.

A low lactose diet will usually only remove milk and milk products. A small amount of lactose can still be consumed. By doing this, some people have been able to slowly build up a tolerance.

In a lactose free diet, soy milk and lactose free milk products are often substituted for milk products. This allows you to continue to get calcium, vitamin D and other nutrients that normally are provided by milk products.

It is important to get good advice when deciding on and planning a low lactose diet. Ingredients on labels need to be checked carefully. Items to avoid include milk solids, skimmed milk powder, milk powder, non-fat milk solids, cream, cheese, butter, yogurt, margarine, whey, hydrolyzed whey sugar, casein, caseinate and hydrolyzed casein. You also need to avoid not just cow’s milk, but also goat, sheep and buffalo milk.

Unlike other diets, the goal of a lactose free diet is not to lose weight. Still, having a good formal plan can be a tremendous help.