Lactose Intollerance and Milk Allergy

Lactose is a sugar naturally recurring in milk. To digest lactose our body produces an enzyme called lactase present in the lining of the duodenum (the first section of the small intestine).

If our body stops or reduces the production of the lactase enzyme, it’s when our digestive system struggles to digest the lactose. This is known as lactose intolerance.

Lactose is present in milk, dairy product but also as food additive in both dairy and no-dairy product, so it is very important that you always read the label of what you buy and eat.

Lactose if present in:

·         Milk

·         Milk powder (skimmed and full cream)

·         Dried milk

·         Milk protein (whey, casein, caseinate, hydrolysed casein)

·         Milk solids, non-fat milk solids

·         Cheese, cheese powder

·         Cream

·         Yoghurt

·         Buttermilk, butterfat, milk fat, animal fat

·         Whey powder, whey solids, hydrolysed whey protein, hydrolysed whey sugar

·         Butter, margarine, ghee

·         Condensed and evaporated milk

·         Sauces and desserts made from milk.

You also may find lactose in:

·         processed and packet meat (such as ham, turkey, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, fish and meat cakes etc.),

·         bread (crackers, biscuits, fruit/cereal bars)

·         flavored crisp and chips

·         dips (guacamole, mayonnaise etc)

·         sugar substitutes

·         milk and white chocolate and some dark chocolate,

·         soups

·         sauces and desserts made from milk (custard milk pudding, white sauce) and even

·         medicines (lactose is used as eccipient in medication i.e. as a filler or a coating for tablets) etc…

As a matter of interest here’s some information on the lactose content of milk and other dairy products:

Type of Milk	Lactose content (%)
Human milk	9%.
Unprocessed cow milk	4.7%
Goat milk	4.7%
Buffalo milk	4.86%
Yak milk	4.93%
Sheep milk	4.6

Dairy product	Serving size	Lactose content	Percentage
Milk	250 ml	12 g	4.80%
Reduced fat Milk	250 ml	13 g	5.20%
Plain Yogurt	200 g	9 g	4.50%
Low Fat Plain Yogurt	200 g	12 g	6.00%
Cheddar cheese	30 g	0.02 g	0.07%
Cottage cheese	30 g	0.1 g	0.33%
Butter	1 tsp (6ml)	0.03 g	0.51%
Ice cream	50 g	3 g	6.00%

Lactose intolerance is not classified as allergy because it does not cause an immune response, whereas a milk allergy occurs when the presence of milk proteins trigger an immune reaction.

Lactose intolerance can vary between individuals. The amount of lactose that can be tolerated varies from person to person. It can be difficult at first to assess how much lactose you can eat but with time, a person learns to "judge their own limits" and work out what they can eat and drink without it causing symptoms.

On the contrary, a milk allergy is a much more serious problem and a reaction to milk and dairy product can involve anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threatening condition. Therefore, an avoidance diet of milk and milk-derivate products is mandatory.

If you are either trying to reduce your intake of lactose or you have to following a strict milk/dairy free diet you may find useful some of our recipes.