The diet of the lacto-intolerant

Lactose intolerance, also known as a lack of lactase, is a common problem that occurs when the body cannot digest lactose, a natural sugar found in dairy products.

Lactose intolerance is generally not dangerous, but it can cause unpleasant symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, cramps, bloating, and gas. It is more common in adults than in children, as the baby has more lactase enzyme to digest breast milk and is able to break the bond of the lactose molecule.

It is not easy to separate from lactose!

In addition to dairy and desserts, keep an eye out for foods containing hidden lactose as part of their ingredients, such as bread, baked goods, processed cereals, mashed potatoes, soups, creamy sauces, cured meats. , condiments, pancakes and preparations for making cookies and cakes.

In the past , people with this condition were banned from taking all dairy products. Today, most doctors recommend keeping some cheese, yogurt and even milk in the diet for lactose intolerance instead.

In addition to not accustoming the body to a complete absence of lactose, taking small quantities of dairy products benefits the body with the contribution of calcium and vitamin D , which are essential for strong bones. The elimination of these products can therefore cause nutritional problems if adequate countermeasures are not taken to assimilate both nutrients in other ways, problems that can lead to the appearance, in the long term, of osteoporosis.

These strategies can help manage milk in your diet:

• - Try to divide your daily lactose drink into smaller portions and space them out throughout the day.
• - Drink a glass of milk within a lunch. Solid food slows stomach emptying and allows extra time for lactase to break down lactose.
• - Yogurt with live and active cultures is low in lactose and may not give you problems. The bacterial cultures in yogurt pre-digest lactose, making it a suitable food for many people with lactose intolerance.

When planning a reduced diet for dairy foods due to lactose intolerance , a balance must be sought .

The more you eliminate lactose products, the more you need to add dairy-free foods rich in calcium and other nutrients . In adulthood, men and women should take about 1,000 mg of calcium per day, even reaching 1,200 mg after menopause (alas, we women are always at a disadvantage).

The best food choices to make up for milk shortages include: spinach, salmon, sardines, calcium-added orange juice, broccoli, tuna, calcium-added soy milk, dark green leafy vegetables, and almonds.

Some people may need to further reduce or eliminate dairy products completely, especially if they experience discomfort and loose stools for an extended period of time .

Fortunately for them, the food market offers more and more products with low and very low lactose content. But be careful, those who are strongly intolerant will suffer consequences even with products that contain only 0.1% of lactose compared to the total package. In this case, packs with a very low lactose content are preferable, i.e. they contain less than 0.01% lactose.

"Traces of milk", what does it mean?

If you find this wording in the packaging of the products you want to buy and you are strongly intolerant, do not be alarmed ! The producers write this to protect themselves against possible consumer complaints.

If a customer, in fact, were allergic to a substance and had to end up in the hospital after eating a certain food, the manufacturer of the same would be in serious trouble if the substance had not been mentioned in the package. In order not to take risks then, the producer affixes the wording "Traces of .." even if in the recipe of the product in question the use of the offending element is not really foreseen.

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Often in a production plant different foods are made at a short distance from each other and it may happen that some lactose molecules can end up in the zero lactose cake we prefer. In this case, it is assumed that the manufacturer will protect himself in case of damage to third parties by printing the aforementioned sentence.

Do you want to simplify your life? Then remember that there are lactase enzyme tablets that help digest lactose.

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