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News Alert Archives
Tips for Tolerance
Easy Ideas to Manage Lactose Intolerance Without Ditching the Dairy
Remember, lactose intolerance doesn’t mean dairy intolerance. With a few adjustments you can continue to enjoy dairy foods and not miss out on the calcium and other essential nutrients these foods provide.
Before you ditch the dairy, try these steps so you won’t come up short on calcium.
• Reduce it. Look for lactose-reduced or lactose-free milk in the dairy case at your store. The lactase enzyme has been added to the milk so the lactose is broken down into a “simpler sugar,” which makes it easier to digest. Lowfat, fat-free, calcium-fortified and even chocolate varieties are available.
• Start small. Try small, frequent portions of milk and milk products. This allows whatever amount of lactase enzyme you have in your system to digest the lactose without becoming overwhelmed.
• Pair the dairy. Drink milk with other foods, rather than on an empty stomach. Solid foods slow down the digestive process and allow your body more time to digest the lactose – which helps decrease or eliminate symptoms.
• Now you’re cooking. Start adding milk to your favorite recipes for soups and sauces. Research has shown that your body actively adjusts to the presence of lactose, and symptoms will gradually decrease over as little as 10 days.
• Older is wiser. That’s true with cheese! When milk is processed into cheese, most of the lactose is removed in the whey, or liquid. Aged hard cheeses, such as Cheddar, Colby, Swiss and Parmesan, are particularly low in lactose and easy to digest.
• Get a little “culture.” Yogurt is usually easily tolerated, especially varieties with “live, active cultures.” These friendly bacteria help digest the lactose for you.
• Make it easy. Look for dairy digestive supplements (lactase enzyme caplets) at your drug store. These supplements can help you digest lactose easily. Then you can enjoy dairy foods any time – and in any amount – and get all the nutrients they provide.
• Go to the pros. These tips may not apply to everyone. Follow the advice of your doctor or consult a registered dietitian.
You can rely on the National Dairy Council for credible,
up-to-date news on dairy nutrition research, public policies on nutritional
issues and special dairy nutrition campaigns. Please browse the
News Alert archives or use the search located above the left hand
navigation for more information. If you can't find what you are looking for or
have additional questions, please contact our Nutrition & Health News
Bureau via phone at 312-240-2880 or via e-mail at
ndc@dairyinformation.com.
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