Lactose Intolerance For Those Who Say My Milk Hurts My Stomach

 Lactose is the only source of carbohydrates in milk. It is separated into the building blocks with the enzyme called lactase in the small intestines and is absorbed. If you have a deficiency of lactase enzyme due to congenital or subsequent various factors, you will have stomach and intestinal disorders when you consume milk and dairy products.

If you have congenital lactose intolerance, you should not consume lactose-containing foods. If lactose intolerance occurred due to other factors (secondary lactose intolerance); you should follow a diet according to your lactose tolerance. Dietary recommendations for secondary lactose intolerance are given below. But since a diet can vary according to individual differences, getting a dietician's help would be the most logical decision for you.

Instead of lactose-containing milk, consume lactose-free milk and yogurt. Yogurt will not bother you because of the enzyme it contains and because it contains less lactose. If you consume yogurt with nutrients, you will observe your digestive system problems less frequently.

You can consume cheese instead of milk. Cheese contains less lactose than milk. Prefer cheeses matured for more than ninety days, because they do not contain lactose.

After a while, try consuming normal milk. Start with small amounts. Your goal is to consume a glass of milk within a set time period (1-2 weeks trial periods). If you don't feel uncomfortable when you drink milk at the end of a week, your intestines may be starting to like lactose.

Milk and dairy products are among the best sources of calcium and riboflavin. If you cannot consume this food group, you should definitely meet your need for these food items from other food groups.