Lactose is the main carbohydrate in milk. Its assimilation in the small intestine is due to a digestive enzyme, lactase, which separates the two molecules constituting lactose into two smaller and digestible sugars: glucose and galactose. Lactose is present in foods other than milk: soft cheeses, cold cuts, fruit juices, cereals, pastries and some medicines. Breastfed babies produce a lot of lactase, which allows them to assimilate milk. Lactose provides the energy the child needs to grow. The activity of lactase decreases with age in a variable way. If its production is insufficient, lactose intolerance may occur.
Lactose intolerance
If the assimilation was not made for lack of the enzyme lactase, lactose causes gastrointestinal disorders: this is called lactose intolerance.
Lactose is accused of causing a food allergy. In fact, the allergy to milk is different: it is due to the presence of a milk protein, not lactose. It is important not to remove all dairy products from your diet in case of lactose intolerance (they do not contain all of them). You would expose yourself to a deficiency of calcium and micronutrients necessary for your health. It is enough to recognize lactose intolerance and manage it. You can reduce the quantities and choose instead ripened cheeses and yogurts. Watch for the labels of the foods you buy, lactose used in many products.
Lactose intolerance
If the assimilation was not made for lack of the enzyme lactase, lactose causes gastrointestinal disorders: this is called lactose intolerance.
Lactose is accused of causing a food allergy. In fact, the allergy to milk is different: it is due to the presence of a milk protein, not lactose. It is important not to remove all dairy products from your diet in case of lactose intolerance (they do not contain all of them). You would expose yourself to a deficiency of calcium and micronutrients necessary for your health. It is enough to recognize lactose intolerance and manage it. You can reduce the quantities and choose instead ripened cheeses and yogurts. Watch for the labels of the foods you buy, lactose used in many products.
