Helping Your Body Digest Dairy
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Being that I work for a dairy processor, I often hear reasons why people drink milk and, more commonly, why they choose to avoid milk. The most common reason expressed is, “My stomach can’t handle it; I’m lactose intolerant.” As I talk to more and more people about this, I find that lactose intolerance is often a self-diagnosed condition brought on by an individual having a few bad experiences with dairy. This results in them shying away from milk or milk products all together (with the notable exception of ice cream ... hmmm, I guess it may be worth the discomfort?).
Milk and milk products provide calcium, vitamin D, phosphorous and magnesium - milk’s bone-building nutrients. As the richest source of dietary calcium, milk remains an important food choice. Too many Americans are not meeting the 1,000 milligrams per day calcium requirement set by the National Institutes of Health (90 percent of women and 67 percent of men to be exact). I want people to know that even if they are truly lactose intolerant, dairy can still be a part of a diet without the discomfort and suffering.
What is lactose intolerance?
Lactose is the primary carbohydrate found in milk. Lactose is digested in the body by an enzyme called lactase. When individuals lack appropriate amounts of this enzyme, they have difficulty digesting lactose, thus resulting in common symptoms such as bloating, cramps, gas and diarrhea after consuming dairy products.
Lactose intolerance is common in ethnic groups where dairy was traditionally not part of the diet. Here in Hawaii, where there is a large population of Asian Americans, lactose intolerance is common. It is also prevalent among African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans. It occurs more frequently with age as the intestine produces less lactase. Temporary lactose intolerance can also develop with certain medications, antibiotics or with certain illnesses. Getting an actual medical diagnosis from your doctor (versus self-diagnosing) is important as other medical problems or foods, such as beans and cruciferous vegetables (broccoli and cabbage), can produce similar symptoms.
The good news is that even with a lactase deficiency, it is still possible to enjoy milk and milk products and reap the nutritional benefits - here’s how.
Knowing Your Tolerance Level: Lactose intolerance is not an all-or-nothing condition. Lactase levels vary from person to person and most people find they can consume some level of milk or milk products per sitting. The key is to only consume the amount of lactose your body can handle in one sitting. To find out what this level is, start with small portions (1/2 cup to 1 cup) and gradually increase the serving size until you start to feel symptoms. When you start to get symptoms, this may be your personal limit of lactose you can consume at one sitting. Consuming a smaller portion more frequently throughout the day can help you reach your recommended calcium needs. With constant consumption and exposure to lactose over a period of time, it is thought that the body can adapt to break down lactose faster, resulting in fewer symptoms.
Eat Dairy With Other Foods:
Drinking milk or eating milk products with other foods as part of a meal (versus on an empty stomach) slows the digestive process and allows for more time for the body to digest the lactose.
Dairy Options: There are certain milk products that lactose intolerant individuals do better with as they have less lactose. These include:
Yogurt. The friendly bacteria added to the milk to produce yogurt help in breaking down lactose in the milk.
Aged hard cheeses. Colby, Cheddar, Swiss and Parmesan. When milk is made into these types of cheese, a large amount of the lactose is naturally removed in the liquid portion.
Pre-treated milk. These milks have the enzyme lactase added directly to the milk or have a “friendly” bacteria, such as acidophilus, to help break down lactose.
Dairy digestive supplements. These typically are lactase enzymes in caplet form meant to be taken before consuming dairy.
Alternative Foods: If your lactose intolerance is severe and/or dairy is just not going to work for you, make sure to get your calcium from alternative sources such as green vegetables like broccoli, turnip greens or soy beans, and calcium-fortified products such as soymilk, tofu (check the ingredient statement to ensure it is precipitated with a calcium salt), rice milk or orange juice.
Don’t let lactose intolerance stand in your way of a calcium-rich diet.
Mia Inoshita is a dietitian for Meadow Gold Dairies Hawaii. .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
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