A diet with lactose intolerance is a form of treatment for people whose body cannot digest the sugar in milk. This type of diet relieves the symptoms of food intolerance and prevents them from reappearing. What is a lactose intolerance diet? Is it always necessary to completely exclude milk sugar from the menu? What products can replace milk and its products?
Lactose intolerance dietiselimination diet , which is a symptomatic treatment for lactose intolerance. Therefore, it is intended for newborns, infants, children and adults whose bodies cannot digest milk sugar. A diet with lactose intolerance assumes complete elimination from the menu ( lactose-free diet ) or only limiting the consumption of lactose-containing products (it is not always necessary to completely exclude milk sugar from the diet). The dietary treatment can be supplemented with tablets containing lactase. Specific recommendations depend on the form of lactose intolerance, the severity of symptoms and the age of the patient.
Diet with lactose intolerance - rules
People with primary and secondary (acquired) lactase deficiency do not need to completely eliminate milk and other products containing milk sugar from their diet. They can eat them, but in limited amounts - it is only necessary to know your acceptable limit. The exceptions are situations when the symptoms of food intolerance are very severe - then you should follow a lactose-free diet.
In turn, people with congenital lactase deficiency must absolutely follow a lactose-free diet throughout their lives, because they cannot tolerate even small amounts of food containing milk sugar. Failure to follow the rules of the diet can even endanger their lives.
Lactose intolerance diet - what can you eat?
Most adults with acquired or primary lactase deficiency tolerate small amounts of products containing milk sugar - usually a single dose of about 5-10 g of lactose, i.e. 100-200 ml of sweet milk. Therefore, in these patients there is no need to completely exclude dairy products from the diet, but only to limit their consumption and choose dairy products with a low lactose content. It just needs to be specifiedindividual level of lactose tolerance, observing the relationship between the amount of milk consumed and the appearance of intolerance symptoms.
People with primary and acquired lactase deficiency can consume fermented dairy products (e.g. buttermilk, sour cream, blue cheese, kefir, yogurt) because the probiotic bacteria contained in them produce lactase and thus support the decomposition process milk sugar. After their consumption, the symptoms of food intolerance do not appear, what is more - they reduce the degree of their severity. In addition, this type of products can compensate for deficiencies resulting from the elimination of milk and dairy products from the menu.
You can also safely consume hard ripening cheeses (i.e. cheddar, gouda, parmesan), because they contain practically no lactose, therefore they are generally well tolerated by people intolerant to this sugar. Also in cream cheeses, such as Brie, Fromage or processed cheeses, the lactose content is lower compared to, for example, cottage cheese.
In addition, you can find lactose-reduced milk in stores, which is well tolerated by people suffering from this type of food intolerance.
Dietary treatment can be supplemented with tablets containing lactase, which can be eaten immediately before the planned food consisting of dairy products. They will facilitate the digestion of milk and reduce unpleasant gastrointestinal ailments after its consumption, such as: flatulence, a feeling of fullness, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea and intestinal colic.
Diet with lactose intolerance - what to replace milk with?
People with hereditary lactase deficiency or those with severe lactose intolerance should avoid products containing milk sugar. Cow, goat, sheep and other mammalian milk can be successfully replaced with vegetable milk: buckwheat (buckwheat and soybean), soybean, rice (brown rice), coconut (made from squeezed coconut flesh), corn (based on corn syrup) or oats and products based on them. People with lactose intolerance are especially recommended tofu cheese, made from soy milk, because it is a good source of calcium and protein. Unfortunately, it can cause allergies, and with prolonged use, it can cause thyroid problems.
In addition, stores offer lactose-free milk, cheese and other dairy products that do not contain milk sugar. They are labeled "lactose-free". It's good to know that lactose-free milk has the same amount of calcium as regular milk.
Find outmore: What to drink instead of milk - if you are allergic to milk, lactose intolerant or you don't like milk
ImportantWhere might the lactose be hidden?
- ready meals - sauces, soups, pancakes;
- bread - toast, butter buns, hamburger buns;
- margarines;
- meats: pates, sausages, sausages, sausages;
- sweets: milk chocolate, fudge, toffee candies, ready-made biscuits, ice cream, creams, bars and puddings;
- medicinal syrups, tablet coatings and some artificial sweeteners
Therefore, when shopping, read the labels carefully and check whether the composition contains powdered milk, whey or milk fat.
What to replace calcium, vitamin D and protein with?
A lactose-free diet can lead to a calcium deficiency, therefore you should introduce other products that contain this element into the diet: parsley, kale, beans, wheat bran, groats (e.g. buckwheat, barley), sprats and sardines. Fruit juices and calcium-enriched flour are available on the market. In addition, you should choose mineral waters with a high calcium content (at least 50 mg of calcium per 1 liter of water). When composing the menu, it should be taken into account that some vegetables (spinach, sorrel, rhubarb, beetroot) and stimulants (tea, coffee) contain oxalates, which reduce calcium absorption.
In some cases, it is advisable to use calcium supplements to supplement its content in the body, especially during childhood, adolescence, pregnancy and breastfeeding, and in people at risk of osteoporosis.
CHECK>> In turn, the source of vitamin D, which may also be missing in the diet with lactose intolerance, is fish. On the other hand, protein deficiencies can be compensated by meat, poultry, fish, eggs and legumes. Soy milk is also a good solution, as it has a similar amount of protein to cow's milk. Lactose intolerance, which is the sugar found in milk, is one of the most common food intolerances. It happens when the body lacks lactase - an enzyme necessary to break down lactose. More about lactose intolerance tells our expert - dietitian Agnieszka Piskała.Lactose intolerance