Managing Lactose Intolerance, Part 2
Treatment
Because there is no cure, and management of symptoms
relies mostly on the use of a tablet form of the lactase
enzyme, lactose intolerance has become a big industry.
Symptoms can also be controlled through diet modification.
Young children and infants with lactose intolerance should not
eat any foods containing lactose. For adults and adolescents,
a combination of diet modification and Lactaid may be the
desired method of controlling symptoms. Since everyones
level of intolerance is different, you will need to find out which products give you what symptoms through trial and error.
For example, some people can tolerate a glass of milk or
two while some may not be able to tolerate milk at all. In my
case, I can eat everything except ice cream and foods
containing heavy cream - I have rather violent episodes if I
eat foods like these. Other people I know have trouble with
any kind of dairy, including cake mixes, baked goods with milk
products in them, etc.
If you think this method will be too painful (like mine was!),
then you may just want to opt for safety and take a Lactaid
tablet before consuming foods containing dairy products.
(Warning!: For the Lactaid tablet to work, you must take it
immediately before consuming dairy. If you take it afterward,
it will not work!)
So, if you still want to eat your favorite foods, then try the
Lactaid tablet. The tablets come in different dosages of
enzyme. Again, the dosage you need will depend on the
severity of your symptoms. Lactose-reduced milk and other
products are available. Just be sure that if milk gives you the
worst symptoms, the lactose-free product you choose is really
lactose free. Some are just reduced, and some are reduced
at only 70%.
Hidden Lactose
Milk and foods made from milk are the only
natural sources of lactose. However, lactose is often added
to prepared foods. If you have a very low tolerance for
lactose, you should avoid these products:
-bread and other baked goods
- processed breakfast cereals
- instant potatoes, soups, and breakfast drinks
- margarine
- lunch meats (other than kosher)
- salad dressings
- candies and other snacks
- mixes for pancakes, biscuits, and cookies
- powdered meal-replacement supplements
- Nondairy products like imitation coffee creamer and nondairy
whipped cream may also include lactose.
If you are lactose intolerant, you must be vigilant and learn to
read food labels with care. Don’t just look for milk and lactose
ingredients, but also for words like whey, curds, milk
by-products, dry milk solids, and nonfat dry milk powder. If
you see these words listed on labels, the product does
contain lactose. Also, if eating prepared foods, look at
it carefully. If it looks like it may contain milk or milk products, be on the safe side and assume that it does -
take the Lactaid!
The Short Summary
Lactose Intolerance is a widespread problem, affecting a
significant portion of the population. If you have trouble
digesting lactose, you are not alone! You just need to learn
which dairy products and other foods you can eat without
discomfort and which ones you should avoid. You can still
enjoy milk, ice cream, and other great tasting foods by
using a lactase supplement such as Lactaid.
Dairy Products/Lactose content:
Yogurt, plain, low-fat, 1 cup -
5 g Milk, reduced fat, 1 cup -
11 g Swiss cheese, 1 oz -
1 g Ice cream, 1/2 cup -
6 g Cottage cheese, 1/2 cup - 2C3 g
Foods containing Lactose
- baked goods (cake, bread, cookies, crackers, donuts,
waffles, pancakes, etc…)
- butter
- buttermilk
- cheese
- chocolate (unless unsweetened)
- cream
- cream soup
- custard
- egg substitutes
- frozen yogurt
- gravy (made with cream)
- Half & Half
- ice cream
- margarine
- milk (whole, 2%, 1%, skim, condensed, evaporated,
powdered, lactose reduced)
- pizza
- pudding
- salad dressing* (some)
- sour cream
We make it easy to improve your health. Stop avoiding dairy products and suffering from intolerable symptoms. To learn how to enjoy your favorite dairy foods without pain, visit:
http://www.burn-your-fat.com/lactose-intolerance.html
Marie Borges is a motivational writer, author and healthcare consultant. She specializes in educating and motivating clients on good nutrition, healthy eating and exercise to improve overall health and happiness. To optimize your health, receive free tips, recipes, articles and more, visit:
http://www.burn-your-fat.com