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Lactose intolerance is one of the most common in the population. Intestinal problems derived from it are solved by eliminating lactose from the diet. And although lactose is found in milk and its derivatives, to achieve it, nowadays it is not necessary to eliminate dairy products from the diet. This is so thanks to the wide variety of lactose-free products that we find on the market, such as all Kaiku Sin Lactosa products. Keep reading to learn more about all the options you have to follow a lactose-free diet without missing nutrients in your diet.
What is lactose?
To understand a little more about lactose intolerance, we are going to explain what lactose is. Lactose is a carbohydrate found naturally in milk and its dairy products. Lactose, at the same time, is made up of two simpler sugars or carbohydrates: glucose and galactose.
Why does lactose intolerance occur?
When we consume foods with lactose, it reaches the small intestine and there, the enzyme lactase is responsible for its digestion. Lactose digestion involves converting lactose into glucose and galactose, its two simplest sugars. Lactose intolerant people cannot perform this process of digesting lactose because they do not have enough of the enzyme lactase to do so. This is when the symptoms of lactose intolerance appear, such as diarrhoea, gas or abdominal swelling.
Keys to follow a lactose-free diet without missing nutrients
​So, if you are lactose intolerant what you should do is eliminate it from your diet. But keep in mind that if you decide to eliminate dairy to avoid lactose, you will have to opt for other foods that provide the nutrients that dairy provides to your diet: calcium and quality proteins. Here are the best options:
1- Milk and dairy without lactose
​The easiest option is to replace milk and its derivatives with their lactose-free versions. Fortunately, there are more and more products suitable for lactose intolerant people on the market. You can find milk, yoghurts, cream, cheese... you won't miss any food.
2- Vegetable drinks
​If you decide not to consume dairy, you can opt for vegetable drinks. In this case, you must take into account that these do not have added sugar in their ingredients and that they are enriched with calcium. It is also important to keep in mind that the protein content of vegetable drinks is lower than that of milk. In this sense, the soy drink is the one with a nutritional profile most similar to that of milk, if what we are looking for is an equivalent nutritional level.
3- Foods rich in calcium
To finish ensuring a sufficient supply of calcium, you can also try to include in your diet some of these foods that provide a significant amount of calcium: broccoli, cabbage, kale, collard greens, curdled tofu with calcium salts, sardines in canned, almonds or legumes rich in calcium such as soybeans, white or black beans.
If you are lactose intolerant, incorporating these foods into your diet will ensure a sufficient supply of calcium without having to give up the flavor of any food.
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