Lactose intolerance is a state where a person finds it hard to digest or becomes allergic to lactose, a sugar that makes up 8 to 10% of milk. It has symptoms like gas, bloating or diarrhoea and associated stomach ache. Avoidance is the best treatment available to lactose intolerant people. Thus, being lactose intolerant can devoid you of the many health benefits that milk and milk products have to offer.
Luckily, there are certainly smart and delicious food swaps that can help you meet your dietary needs. These few tried and tested healthy dairy products can perfectly substitute your milk requirement.
These foods have the same nutrients as that of milk and taste the same, if not better.
1 . Lactase- Added Milk
Replace lactose with lactase, and you are good to go! Lactase is an enzyme that breaks down the sugar in milk (lactose), thus, making it easier to digest. This variety of milk is easily available at all supermarkets, and though it might taste a bit sweeter, it guarantees all the nutrients of milk.
2 . Soy Beverages
An average adult has a calcium requirement of about 1000 mg per day. Soy milk with its rich calcium component of about 500 mg per serving qualifies as a viable substitute for lactose intolerant adults.
3 . Other Varieties of Milk
All milk from mammals such as cow, goat, sheep, have lactose in it. Nonetheless, one can always explore the other kinds of milk available in the market. Almond milk, for example, is loaded with magnesium and vitamin E, rice milk has plenty of Vitamin B12, and coconut milk has a creamy, rich texture. Other vegetable varieties of milk like cashew, hemp, and oat are all loaded with vitamins and antioxidants.
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4 . Dairy- Free Butter
Dairy- free butter and margarine made from coconut oil can well replace your regular butter needs for spreading on toast, baking or as an ingredient in different recipes.
5 . Yogurt
A bowl of yoghurt with active bacteria culture has a significantly low level of lactose to cause any side- effects. This is because of the ‘good’ bacteria present in it that has already broken down much of the lactose. However, frozen yoghurt does not have active cultures and will, therefore, not fit the lactose- free diet.
6 . Cheese
Rich in calcium and protein, fermented cheese has relatively less lactose when compared to other dairy products. The best varieties for a lactose intolerant diet can be Swiss, Parmesan or blue cheese. Simple cheese and crackers, in a small amount, can bring about a boost of calcium for your body.
7 . Sorbet
Among the dairy products, the most loved are the ice- cream, with many deviating from their diet plans to consume it. But instead of giving in to the temptation, try different alternatives, such as sorbet. Sweet and cold, sorbet can very well satiate your cravings for a dessert after a meal. And the best part, it is as much a dairy product but with half the amount of lactose in it when compared to the ice cream.
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