Lactose and Lactase:
Simple Sugar versus Enzyme
Lactose and lactase. It's not a disease, nor a disorder. It is not even unusual or rare. Approximately 70% of the adults in the world have it to some degree, it is just some have it more than others. All food is a combination of nutrients which include: - Proteins
- Fats
- Carbohydrates
- Water
- Vitamins and Minerals
Water, vitamins and minerals are all absorbed directly into the digestive system. Proteins, fats and carbohydrates though are too large and too complex of molecules to be absorbed this way. Our bodies manufacture special enzymes to split each molecule down to a smaller particle known as amino acids, fatty acids, and simple sugars. This process is called digestion. What Are Lactose and LactaseLactose, a milk sugar, is part of the carbohydrate family. Lactose is made up of two simple sugars known as glucose and galactose.When combined these two are called lactose. During digestion, our body will split these two apart by using the enzyme lactase. There is no other enzyme in our body that has the capability of splitting the milk sugar lactose. Therefore if you do have a shortage of lactase in your body, your digestive system will be incapable of digesting the milk sugar in any dairy product. This then is why the condition is called Lactose Intolerance. Thus, lactose and lactase are important partners. Milk-Drinking And Its OriginMankind's ability to produce milk for their young is one of the dividing factors which makes us special.Mother's milk is custom-designed as a near perfect food. This is the main reason why breast-feeding is considered the #1 recommendation by all pediatricians to the new mother. Eventually with the travel of time, the evolution of homo sapiens and by archaeological findings, it is evidenced that humans started raising animals as a source for food and drink. Thus milk now became used as a food source. Where Do I Find The Lowest Concentrations Of LactoseIn general, the lower the fat content, the higher the lactose. Therefore, whole milk averages around 3.5% lactose to skim milk which tests around 5%. Butter, which has a very high fat content comes in at a trace only of lactose.Aging always lowers the lactose content in cheeses. Therefore the longer a cheese is aged, many cheeses such as Cheddar, Colby, Muenster, Provolone, and Swiss can test out very near to zero. Avoid whey cheeses like ricotta- these tend to be high in lactose, usually up to 5% or greater. All dried milk products (dried whey, nonfat dry milk powder, dry buttermilk) comes in high on the lactose scale (up to 50% or more). This is because all of the water content has been removed- the only thing left is a concentrated powder. Dried whole milk will come in at the lowest, around 38%. Lactase Pills Or Drops For Better Control Of SymptomsBy the late 1970's. an overseas Dutch firm had realized there was a way to produce the enzyme lactase outside of the human body. Sales though were very small due to no major marketing or advertising was done to inform the general public. By the 1990's, a second company entered the market as competition. With the two competing companies now on the market, sales soared because advertising of the products availability had people listening and buying. Lactose and lactase - you can now enjoy the former by consuming the latter.
Return to "Eating Dairy Free" from "Lactose and Lactase".
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This site is not intended to replace the advice and supervision of your professional medical treatment plan. Although all of the information is true and accurate to the best of our knowledge, we still recommend you carefully check all food labels before consuming any food product. We can not assume any legal responsibility for any illness obtained while following the advice contained on this site.
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