Lactose Intolerance

Overview

If you have lactose intolerance it means that you cannot digest lactose, which is the sugar that is found in milk. This happens when your body does not produce lactase, an enzyme that is needed to break down the lactose or milk sugar.

How Do You Know If You Have Lactose Intolerance?

You may be lactose intolerant if you develop stomach symptoms within a few minutes to a couple of hours after consuming milk or other foods made with milk. The symptoms may be quite mild in some people, moderate in others and severe in the worse cases.

Symptoms of Lactose Intolerance

If you have any of the following symptoms after consuming milk or milk products, you may have lactose intolerance:

• Gas
• Bloating
• Stomach pain
• Diarrhea
• Nausea

What Should You Do If You Have Lactose Intolerance?
If your symptoms are mild, you might be able to consume a small amount of milk or milk product. Some people who are lactose intolerant are able to consume cheeses and yogurt without experiencing any serious symptoms, even if they cannot tolerate regular milk. You should pay attention to the signals in your own body and avoid those things that trigger a reaction. Always consult with your doctor to rule out any more serious medical condition.

Some supermarkets carry lactose-free or lactose-reduced milk. You might consider trying one of these if you are concerned about getting enough calcium. You can also get calcium from soy milk and other non-milk foods that have been fortified with calcium. 

Lactase enzyme, sold as an over-the-counter product is another option. This enzyme helps to digest the sugar in milk, making it easier for you to consume milk and milk products without the symptoms of lactose intolerance.

What Are Some Non-Dairy Foods That Contain a Good Bit of Calcium?

There are not many foods that provide calcium in amounts close to what you would get from milk, cheese, yogurt or other dairy products. However, there are a few foods that might help to fill the gap.

Here is a short list:

Rhubarb, frozen ....................... 348 mg per cup, cooked

Sardines with bone .................. 325 mg per 3 oz serving

Spinach, frozen ........................ 291 mg per cup, cooked

Salmon, canned, with bone ...... 181 mg per 3 oz serving

Soy milk, unfortified .................. 61 mg per cup

Orange ....................................... 52 mg per medium orange

Broccoli, raw ............................. 41 mg per cup

Pinto beans, cooked ................... 80 mg per cup

In comparison, milk would provide between 250 and 285 mg calcium per cup; Swiss cheese 224 mg per oz; and cottage cheese 87 mg per half-cup.

Summary

If you have lactose intolerance, talk to a registered dietitian to find ways of incorporating more calcium-rich foods in your diet. She can help you to get the calcium you from dairy foods that you can tolerate along with other calcium-rich, non-dairy foods while eliminating those dairy foods that you cannot tolerate.

Resources

Lactose Intolerance

What Parents Need to Know About Sodas and Childhood Obesity

Sadly, sodas and other sugary drinks have become the beverage of choice among America's children, as indicated in a USDA report. This report, based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1988-94, shows that the daily soft drink intake of children between the ages of 14 and 18 was almost 4 times more than milk intake (0.7 servings of milk versus 2.7 servings of soda). Younger children were also consuming more soft drink than milk. 

And in a study reported by Harvard University School of Public Health (February 2001), soft drinks were listed as the leading source of added sugars in the diet of children. Researchers also found that the odds of becoming obese increased 1.6 times for each additional can or glass of sugar-sweetened soda that kids drank.

There is compelling evidence to show that children who drink large amounts of soda daily are prone to become overweight or obese. That is why it is important for you to pay attention to what your child is drinking and take steps to reduce his or her intake of sodas and other sugar-sweetened beverages to less than one serving per day - down to zero. Offer more milk, water and a limited amount of 100% fruit juice instead.

Copyright 2010 Dorene E. Carter, PhD, RD. All rights reserved. Copying or reprinting the information on this page without written permission of the author is strictly prohibited.

The information provided herein is for education and information services only and is not intended as a substitute for proper, personalized medical attention. 

Feed Your Child Right: Wholesome and Nutritious Fluids for Kids

If you are the parent of a young child, chances are you are constantly struggling with the question of what to feed your child. One reason for this struggle is the powerful influence of television in molding children's eating behaviors, as I mentioned in a previous blog. In fact, just yesterday, a student in one of my nutrition workshops mentioned that his parents bought a commercial drink instead of sodas because that drink was advertised on TV as being better than soda. 

Don't fall for such empty arguments. A sugar-sweetened drink that is made from artificial coloring and artificial flavors, even if it contains a little less calories, does nothing for your child's health and may contribute to unhealthy weight gain the same way soda does.

Your child deserves the chance for a healthy future and you can help to make that happen by offering water and nutritious, succulent fruits or real fruit juice instead of cheap sodas and artificial drinks. 

It may take some time to wean your child off of the sugary drinks he has gotten used to, but it can be done. Here are a few helpful suggestions to get your child on the right track:

• Encourage your child to drink a cool glass of water when he is thirsty
• Buy real (100%) fruit juice instead artificially flavored and colored drinks
• Look out for words like punch and juice drink on food labels, as these words suggest that the drink contains little or no real fruit juice
• Limit the amount of fruit juice to about 1 cup per day, since the amount of sugar in these drinks could be as high as other drinks
• Offer your child a serving of succulent fruits like watermelon, pineapple, strawberries, cantaloupe, honeydew melon and mango as an alternative to fruit juice.
• Don't overlook the value of milk as a nutritious beverage that not only helps to meet your child's fluid needs but can help to meet your child's need for protein, vitamins and minerals as well.

Copyright 2010 Dorene E. Carter, PhD, RD. All rights reserved. Copying or reprinting the information on this page without written permission of the author is strictly prohibited.

The information provided herein is for education and information services only and is not intended as a substitute for proper, personalized medical attention.