Lactose Intolerance

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Activity 1:

Most of us have trouble getting enough calcium in our daily diets.  It is estimated that roughly 75% of Americans don't get the recommended amounts of calcium that they need on a daily basis.  When you don't consume enough calcium, your body robs what it needs from your bones and weakens them.  This puts you at risk for a disease called:

Milk products are the richest source of dietary calcium, yet some people have problems digesting these dairy products.  When a person cannot digest lactose, the sugar in milk, they may have lactose intolerance.

What is Latose Intolerance?

True lactose intolerance means that your body has trouble processing the lactose that is in milk and other dairy products (It is not an allergy).  Your body has an enzyme called lactase which breaks apart the lactose in the milk.  People with lactose intolerance have difficulty digesting milk because their bodies don't have enough lactase.  You need lactase to fully break down the lactose into a simple sugar that your body can use.  However, most children can tolerate lactose.  African-American, Mexican-American, and American Indian children and Asian Pacific Islanders are more likely than Caucasian children to be lactose intolerant.  Even if a child is diagnosed with lactose intolerance, he can usually drink one to two cups of milk a day without experiencing abdominal discomfort.
  

A doctor can determine true lactose intolerance by conducting a hydrogen breath test.  If you think that you or your child may be lactose intolerant, talk to your doctor.  AVOID TRYING TO DIAGNOSE YOURSELF.

Even if your doctor diagnoses you with lactose intolerance, you can still drink milk.  You will have to test your tolerance.  Start off with a small amount and gradually increase the portion size until you notice symptoms.

Once again, lactose intolerance is one type of food intolerance.  It's not an allergy.  Milk allergies occur when the body's immune system reacts to the protein in milk.  Lactose intolerance occurs when the body has trouble breaking down the milk sugar.

If you are lactose intolerant you may experience some symptoms such as bloating, nausea, gas, diarrhea, and abdominal discomfort after eating or drinking foods containing lactose.  Many people have less severe symptoms and can handle a glass of milk.  Others may feel discomfort after drinking a small amount.

Activity 2:

Activity 3:

Do other non-dairy foods contain lactose?

Some non-dairy foods may include ingredients that contain lactose.  The ingredient list on food packages informs you of lactose-containing ingredients in the food.  Although dairy products are the most common sources of lactose, some nondairy processed or baked foods contain smaller amounts.  People who have symptoms of lactose intolerance when they consume small amounts of milk or dairy products should look for words such as:
       
        *whey
        *lactose
        *nonfat milk solids
        *buttermilk
        *malted milk
        *margarine
        *sour cream

Some breads, dry cereals, cookies, instant soups, breakfast drinks, and milk chocolate contain small amounts of lactose.  Ask a pharmacist if medications you take contain lactose.

You can certainly obtain calcium from non-dairy products.  A lot of foods are now fortified with calcium.  Fortified means 'to strengthen or enrich'.  For example you can now buy 'V-8' juice fortified with 30% calcium along with fortified orange juice. Dark green leafy vegetables and beans contain calcium. There are other food groups that contain calcium. You will need to practice reading food labels to determine how much calcium is in a certain food.

With today's food labels, consumers get: • nutrition information about almost every food in the grocery store • distinctive, easy-to-read formats that enable consumers to more quickly find the information they need to make healthful food choices • information on the amount per serving of saturated fat, cholesterol, dietary fiber, and other nutrients of major health concern • nutrient reference values, expressed as % Daily Values, that help consumers see how a food fits into an overall daily diet • uniform definitions for terms that describe a food's nutrient content--such as "light," "low-fat," and "high-fiber"--to ensure that such terms mean the same for any product on which they appear • claims about the relationship between a nutrient or food and a disease or health-related condition, such as calcium and osteoporosis, and fat and cancer. These are helpful for people who are concerned about eating foods that may help keep them healthier longer.

Below is a list of foods that contain calcium.  On the Nutrition Label calcium is listed in %.  If a food has 250mg of calcium, the Nutrition Label will list it as 25% calcium.  Take a look at the different foods that contain calcium.
*The foods that are highlighted are non-dairy products.

Look at the chart below to figure out how much calcium you need EACH DAY!

Activity 4:

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Revised:  06-13-2008