Lactose Intolerant Doesn’t Have To Mean Dairy Free

Most of us had milk every day when we were kids. We poured it over our breakfast cereal and drank a big glass at dinner without a problem.

Not so any more. For many adults who grew up on milk, drinking too much can bring on cramps, bloating, gas, even diarrhea – the symptoms of lactose intolerance.

Most people develop some degree of lactose intolerance as they get older. But that doesn’t have to mean a dairy-free diet. In fact, including milk and other lactose-containing foods in your diet can actually reduce your symptoms.

Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest and absorb lactose, the natural sugar found in milk and milk products. For lactose to be absorbed from the intestine, it first must be split into two smaller sugar units with the help of a digestive enzyme called lactase.

Everyone is born with lactase. But most of the world’s population – with the exception of people of northern European descent – is genetically programmed to stop making large quantities of lactase around the age of 4.

Finish article at:  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/lactose-intolerant-doesnt-have-to-mean-dairy-free/article1653388/