If the answer is yes, then you could be one of the many people who are thought to be
lactose intolerant.
You can be born with lactose intolerance or it more commonly develops at a later age, but the good news is that it’s easy to diagnose and control using our lactose Elimination Diet – which actually works to help rather than hinder your appetite! Before you start the diet it’s important to be aware that another cause of digestive discomfort is cows’ milk allergy, which can produce severe symptoms.
Lactose Intolerance
Lactose is the sugar found in milk, which can commonly cause digestive problems. These problems occur when the body is unable to produce enough of the lactase enzyme in the digestive tract and without this enzyme the lactose cannot be digested properly.
Symptoms experienced by people with lactose intolerance include:
• Bloating
• Flatulence
• Diarrhoea
• Stomach cramps
• Vomiting
If you think you may be lactose intolerant you can take
an elimination diet to help you diagnose and control your intolerance.
Cows’ Milk Allergy
An allergy to cows’ milk is often confused with lactose intolerance and it’s important to distinguish between the two. Cows’ milk allergy, which is likely to occur from birth, is a reaction to one or more proteins found in milk triggered by the immune system that can cause serious reactions in some cases.
Lactose intolerance does not involve the immune system, so while it can cause a great deal of discomfort, it won’t produce a dangerous reaction.
Symptoms experienced by people with cows’ milk allergy include:
• Diarrhoea
• Bloody stools
• Vomiting
• Eczema
• Urticaria (hives)
• Angioedema (rashes)
• Wheezing
• Growth faltering/weight loss (particularly in children)
If you think you may have a cows’ milk allergy, you should seek advice from your GP or a registered dietitian.
However, if you are lactose intolerant, you do not have to miss out on Diary products, try Lactofree products.
Lactofree is gently filtered to remove the lactose – the sugar found in milk that can commonly cause digestive problems. Lactofree starts off as regular cow’s milk. Then half of the lactose is gently filtered. Following this a lactase enzyme is added and this breaks down the remaining lactose into simpler forms that your body can absorb.
As nothing else is added to or removed from Lactofree, what you get is the nutritional benefits and real dairy taste of milk and yogurt just without the lactose. You can also buy Lactofree Cheese.
Please note that Lactofree is not suitable for milk allergy sufferers.
