Lactose Intolerance and Milk Protein Allergy
Lactose Intolerance and Milk Protein Allergy
By Viola Woolcott
Most people consider butter, milk, cream, cheese, ghee, yoghurt and other dairy foods as essential, but for many they are off the menu. You will find that out there are many products that are valuable alternatives to ‘the real thing’.
Vegans avoid all foods that are made or contain animal products and there are people that are intolerant or allergic to the lactose present in cows milk, all milk products and other types of milk. Goats milk and sheep’s milk aren’t an exception and aren’t suitable alternatives either if you are intolerant to cow’s milk.
Lactose intolerant people have difficulty in digesting lactose. Lactose is a naturally existing sugar which is found in all animal milks and it is also found in human milk.
Not being able to digest lactose properly comes from a deficiency of an enzyme which is normally found in the small intestine. The enzyme is called “ lactase”. Lactase is responsible for the milk sugars to be broken down, ready for absorption into the bloodstream. There are two reasons why people do not produce enough lactase. Their body does not produce enough, or the lactase has been washed away by gastroenteritis, which is a stomach and intestinal inflammation.
By eating too much dairy products you will find that it can for example cause:
>> Bloating
>> Vomiting
>> Abdominal cramps
>> Constipation
>> Diarrhoea
>> other sorts of discomfort
>> and it can cause colic’s in infants
Some dairy products contain higher levels of lactose than others and they should be avoided by those who are lactose-intolerant.
For example:
>> Raw animal milks
>> Some soft chesses like >> mozzarella, ricotta, cottage cheese, feta
Less of a problem are other types of dairy products as they undergo natural processes that reduce their lactose content noticeable, such as:
>> Natural yoghurt
>> Aged cheeses - for example Parmesan
>> Butter
Some people can eat these foods without suffering any ill effects. There are people that can get away with small amounts of milk, aged cheeses or even ice cream. And there are some people that cannot handle any dairy products at all.. The extent to which people are affected by lactose intolerance totally varies.
Cow’s milk also contains a number of proteins and in some people one of them can start of, sometimes a severe reaction by the body‘s immune system and is relatively common in small children, but usually they often grow out of it by the time they are teenagers. It is a different story if you are an adult, as they are unlikely to do so.
One of the protein’s is called “casein”. It is the protein found in milk, from which cheese is made. It is also used in plastics, adhesives, and paints. Casein can cause a number of things.
For example:
>> Digestive problems
>> Skin problems I.e. eczema
>> Respiratory problems I.e. asthma
>> Headaches and Migraines
>>Vomiting
>> Abdominal cramps
>> Diarrhoea
Proteins found in cow’s milk are very similar to the once that are found in other animal milks, so if you are allergic to cow’s milk, you are very likely to also react to goats’, sheep’s or even buffalo’s milk protein. If you are allergic, you will not be able to eat butter, cheese, yoghurt, ice-cream or any other food that is made from milk either, as processed milk does not change the proteins.
To minimise the risk of food related reactions and whatever your sensitivity, make sure that you always check the list of ingredients carefully. Milk proteins and lactose are used widely in the food industry and watch out in particular for “hidden” ingredients such as whey powder, dried skimmed milk and casein (especially in chocolates, ready made meals, jams, jellies, tinned foods). The food labelling rules require for pre-packed foods (in European Countries) to be listed clearly!
Filed under: Health and Diet on November 28th, 2007
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