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Lactose Intolerant? What You Need to Know!

Lactose Intolerance is not a serious medical problem, and it is very common. In simple terms, it is a condition in which an individual is unable to completely digest the lactose. That is sugar, in a dairy product such as milk. The main cause of lactose intolerance has been attributed to a deficiency of lactase in the body system. Though having lactose intolerance can be harmless, research has shown that symptoms can cause uneasy feelings or some form of sensitivity like Gas, Nausea, and occasionally, vomiting, etc.

For those that have Lactose Intolerance or have someone close with the condition, the purpose of this article is to answer some of your frequently asked questions that are associated with it. We know you must have been looking for answers. And some of you must have searched the internet seeking answers before you land here. Don’t worry, we’re ready to give you the explanations of what you’ve been looking for. So let’s start without wasting your time, shall we?

Does cocoa butter have dairy?

Ordinarily, cocoa butter is free from milk or dairy product. This is because they are made from cocoa seeds which is a plant product. To produce cocoa butter, the manufacturer extracts the natural fats in the bean seeds of cocoa. The fat is practically derived from newly cultivated cocoa beans. The bean seeds are then passed through the process of fermentation, drying, and roasting. It is through this process the fats are then extracted to produce cocoa butter.

Hence, without intentionally adding dairy products such as honey or milk, Cocoa butter is free of dairy products in its natural form.

But, to be on the safer side, when buying cocoa butter products, ensure you check the detail and ingredients.

Does sheep milk have lactose?

Unfortunately, yes. Sheep milk is known to contain a similar amount of lactose you find in cow’s milk. Though the sheep milk has a bit lesser lactose in proportion to total solid compared to that of cow’s milk. Nonetheless, it contains a good amount of lactose that can upset those with Lactose Intolerance.

Is skim milk lactose free?

The short answer is, No. Ordinarily, skim milk is not free of lactose. Though the process of skim ensures that the presence of fat has been removed.

But, there are proteins and sugars in the skim milk. The inability to digest these proteins and sugars is the main cause of Lactose Intolerance.

Thus, if you’re suffering from lactose intolerance, the most appropriate thing to do is to stay away from skim milk. Yet, there is a way out if you love taking skim milk. The alternative option is lactose-free skim milk.

This type of skim milk is specifically made. And they are technically prepared with lactase or low-fat milk varieties like soy milk. The only negative is the lack of cow’s milk taste in this type of lactose-free skim milk.

What are Lactose free milk health risks?

For people suffering from lactose intolerance, the question that normally comes to mind is if lactose free milk has health risks associated with it. Well, your answer is a bit between. The reason is that while lactose is removed from lactose free milk or broken down with the help of lactase, this leads to the removal of natural sugar in your milk. Because lactose is composed of natural sugar. With the removal of natural sugar, the producers of lactose free milk often add sweeteners into the lactose free milk to retain its sweetness. While this may be okay to a certain degree. The continuous intake of such artificial sweeteners may result in your craving for sugary products. Asides from the high tendency to have sugar cravings however, lactose free milk has no other apparent health risks in humans. So practically, you are safe to take lactose free milk at a considerable amount. The most ideal thing to do if you want to be taking lactose free milk is to always check manufacturers’ ingredients to be certain of the level of added sweeteners.

Does egg contain lactose?

Simple is No. Often than not, eggs and dairy products are categorized together. This sometimes leads to people suggesting they may have the same nutritional content. But, this is not true. Though egg has some similarities with dairy products, such as high protein content and they are both animal products. Egg in its natural form is not a diary product and therefore has no lactose components whatsoever. So except you are allergic to eggs, having a lactose intolerance condition shouldn’t stop you from taking eggs in your food. To understand better, diaries are products made from milk. And they contain lactose. But, is eggs, are produced by birds, hence do not contain lactose. So you are free to consume eggs if you’re lactose intolerant only.

Does mayo contain dairy?

For a starter, mayo is simply mayonnaise. It is often used as ingredients in sandwiches other types of dishes like potato salad. Mayo is typically made from a combination of egg yolk, lemon juice, or vinegar, including spices and other flavorings. Thus given that dairy products have anything to do with milk. For example cheese, yogurt, and butter, it is safe to say a typical mayo has no diary content.

But, certain types of mayo are made without the egg yolk. This type of mayo often replaces the egg yolk ingredients with whole milk or condensed milk. Or in some cases, some manufacturers normally add buttermilk to produce mayo. These types of mayo products apparently have dairy contents and would be considered not safe for consumption if you’re have lactose intolerance, otherwise, you’re good to go.

To be on the safer side, it is better to always check the ingredients make up of mayo, to decide if that specific product is ideal for you or not. If you love mayo, here article focused on mayo.

How do they take lactose out of milk?

Removing lactose from milk can be done in various ways. Though, not all the methods actually remove the lactose from milk. There is a method that only breaks down the lactose complexity to make it digestible easily, especially for those suffering from lactose intolerance. So what are the ways they take lactose out of milk? Let’s look at the following methods:

The most popular method is the addition of lactase to milk. This method does not remove lactose but rather breaks the natural sugar (lactose) into glucose and galactose. So, the final outcome of the milk that will be derived would easily be digested for lactose intolerant people.

Another common method is passing the milk through lactase products. This method, yet, only remove the enzymes in the milk while the sugars glucose and galactose in the milk are at a level that can easily be digested particularly for people with lactose intolerance.

This is a mechanical means of removing lactose from milk. It is often through membrane fractionation a form of intense filtration techniques that can remove lactose from the milk completely. This method also makes the final outcome of milk to maintain its actual taste.

Is Lactaid real milk?

Lactaid is simply the same natural milk but with the addition of lactase enzyme. Just like the process of removing lactose from milk, the addition of lactase enzymes removes lactose from the milk. However, such milk called Lactaid still keeps their diary content. The plus side here is Lactaid can be easily digested by anybody, including those having lactose intolerance. Hence, to answer your question, Yes, Lactaid is 100 percent real milk, without any form of lactose or discomfort after intake. So go ahead and enjoy your Lactaid milk if you want. But, if you’re sensitive to the dairy product itself and not the inability to digest lactose sugars, it is advisable to stay away from it.

Is there a test for lactose intolerant?

Most lactose intolerance is self diagnosable, that is, you can easily know if you have the condition. Using the symptoms associated with lactose intolerance, one can easily determine if he has the condition or not. But, if you’re unsure despite the symptoms. It is better to go to a clinic for a medical check-up. Another reason you may need to have a lactose intolerance test is simply that some people tend to mix lactose intolerance with a milk allergy. So it is better to have the test. Though on many occasions, the test is not performed to determine if a patient has lactose intolerance. Physicians can make conclusions based on your symptoms. So, if a test is required, there are two major tests for lactose intolerance. One is the Hydrogen breathing test: this measures the level of hydrogen gas in a patient’s breath. By comparing the degree of lactose present before and after the lactose drink intake products. The other popular method is known as the Glucose blood test: this allows the physicians to determine the level of glucose in your blood by comparing your blood before and after lactose drink intake.

In short, there are tests for lactose intolerance, but oftentimes, there are self-diagnosis is enough.

Why should we not view lactose intolerance as a disease in adult humans?

Well, this is based on the perception at which you are looking at it. Ordinarily, a disease in humans can be explained to mean a form of disorder of function associated with certain symptoms or signs, and it is not directly a result of physical injury.

Yet, many scientists believed that lactose intolerance is not a disease in adult humans. This is simply because adult humans are not dairy product consumers until somewhat recently in human evolutionary history. Another thing is that lactose intolerance is not life-threatening. And research has shown that over fifty percent of the world population of humans are having this lactose intolerance. While milk allergy can be life-threatening, lactose intolerance only causes a form of discomfort.

So there you have it. The answers you’ve been looking for have now been carefully written for you to digest.

Generally, lactose intolerance is a common condition in humans. So if you have such a condition, you are not alone. It has been recorded that almost half of the world’s population is lactose intolerance. Lactose intolerance is not a life-threatening condition. Another thing to note is that lactose intolerance is a condition that can be managed, and not taking lactose products often has no dire consequence to your health.

Though lactose intolerance has been proven to have no cure at the moment, perhaps for those who have the condition caused by gastroenteritis, lactose intolerance has been observed to only be temporary in them. The condition is expected to improve within a short period among such patients.

But, if you’re suffering from a lactose intolerance, it is advisable to reduce lactose intake as much as possible. The reason is that lactose intolerance has been observed to get worse if not managed properly. Thus, the more the intake of lactose products in people suffering from this condition, the higher the risks of worsening the situation. Hence, you should be aware of or consult your doctor for more professional advice.

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