Lactose Intolerance

Fresh Milk

About 70% of the world's population just can't drink milk or eat dairy products(except yogurt) without getting an upset stomach.It's genetic and happens most often in people of African,Asian and Mediterranean descent.Its caused by a deficiency of lactase,an enzyme needed to absorb and digest the milk sugar lactose.Undigested,the milk sugar lingers in the colon and ferments,creating intestinal distress-abdominal pain,bloating,gas and diarrhea-that sometimes is misdiagnosed as serious bowel disease.So don't believe you have a serious bowel disorder until you are sure milk is not at fault.

How much upset milk causes,depends on the severity of your lactase deficiency.From 60 to 80 percent of those with lactose intolerance can still drink a single glass of milk without distress and about 50%  can drink 2 glasses of milk(Dr.Dennis Savaiano,University of Minnesota).One study found that normal people absorbed 92% of milk's lactose;those with lactose intolerance absorbed only 25-58 percent.

Yogurt

Yogurt is safe because it comes predigested.The bacteria in yogurt takes over for the missing enzyme and digest much of the milk sugar for you.According to tests by Dr.Savaiano,two bacterial cultures,Streptococcus thermophilus and particularly Lactobacillus bulgaricus,that transform milk into yogurt eat up much of milk's lactose during fermentation,and once in the intestines,eat much of the remaining lactose.Be sure the yogurt has live bacterial cultures,as nearly all  commercial yogurts do;killed bacteria do not work.
Plain yogurts have more anti-lactose activity than flavored yogurts.

The Intolerance test.

If you suspect you may be lactose intolerant,stop drinking any milk or eating dairy products for at least two weeks.Check processed foods for hidden sources of dairy products.Whey,for example,has more lactose than any other food and it is frequently added to processed foods.So is dry milk.

If you feel better-and the gastrointestinal symptoms have diminished-you can do a "reintroduction" test to try to determine how much of which dairy foods you need to avoid.Drink a little milk or eat a little cheese and wait for two or three days to see what happens.It may take that long for symptoms of lactose intolerance to show up.

Your physician can also give you more definitive tests to diagnose lactose intolerance,including blood tests.

Beware of frozen yogurt.When yogurt is commercially frozen,it is sometimes repasteurized(reheated) and this kills the bacteria.

Chocolate milk

Chocolate milk does not cause distress in most lactose intolerant people,says,Dr.Chong Lee,professor of Food science and nutrition at the university of Rhode Island.
Most likely,cocoa stimulates enzyme activity.In test tubes,cocoa increased lactase activity by 500-600 percent,Dr.Lee found.

To make this type of chocolate milk;

1. Stir one and a half teaspoons of pure cocoa  and a little sugar(optional) or three and a half tablespoons of commercially sweetened chocolate mix into a cup of milk.
2. Wait 2-3 days after drinking it to see if there is a reaction.If there is,drink less of the chocolate milk until you find your own tolerable level.

What to eat if you are Lactose Intolerant

The consequences are likely to be less if you:

• Drink smaller quantities of milk at one time.
• Drink milk with meals.
• Drink whole rather than skim milk.
• Drink chocolate milk.

You can also add Lactaid or other similar tablets to milk,which supply the missing enzyme,or use special milk products,in which the lactose is reduced.