You can get rid of lactose intolerance by consuming lactose-free milk instead of regular cow’s milk. In addition to non-dairy milk replacers, there are a large number of dairy products available that are basically low in lactose.
Lactose intolerant people do not have the lactase enzyme present in milk that is involved in the breakdown of lactose into glucose and galactose. They can avoid the symptoms of lactose intolerance, such as cramps, gas, bloating, diarrhea, etc., by replacing regular milk with lactose-reduced milk or other milk substitutes.
Regular cow’s milk differs from lactose-reduced milk in the way that lactose-free milk and lactose-reduced milk are supplemented with the enzyme lactase. These processed milks stay fresh for about the same duration or sometimes longer than regular cow’s milk and have a slightly sweet taste.
A well-known brand of lactose-free milk is Lactaid. It is made from normal milk supplemented with lactase enzyme to remove lactose. This brand is also famous for making lactose-free ice cream and cheese.
Like lactose-free products, lactose-reduced products are prepared from regular milk that contains lactase to reduce the level of lactose during the production process. Lactase breaks down lactose into glucose and galactose, which taste much sweeter, so lactose-free products are sweeter than regular cow’s milk.
Other substitutes:
Many health care providers recommend various milk substitutes, such as soy milk, to combat lactose intolerance. Soy is the raw material for soy milk, which has a slightly sweet taste. It serves as an excellent source of protein and fat, as well as fiber. It is also high in vitamin D and calcium. In addition, its cholesterol and other saturated fat content is zero. Soymilk is widely used in cooking and baking and is stable even at high temperatures. It can also be drunk in coffee or cereal.
Another good option could be almond milk. It has a smooth texture, sweet flavor and high vitamin E content. Despite its high calcium and vitamin D content, it cannot be considered a great source of protein. Due to its sweet nature it is widely used in desserts, smoothies and other products.
Rice milk is another milk substitute that is less consistent than soy and almond milk but also has a similar sweetness. It is high in vitamin D and calcium and is usually harvested from brown rice. Its protein content is as low as that of almond milk. During cooking, it requires eggs or flour as a stabilizing agent.
Always be careful when checking non-dairy product labels because they are not necessarily lactose free. Sometimes products in which milk fat has been substituted with vegetable fat are referred to as non-dairy. Among these products, many of them, like whey, contain lactose at different levels. Therefore, before buying any product, it is extremely important to read the label carefully.