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Many
people use Lactose Free Diets, not only for Weight Loss, but for health aspects as well, which would include people
with Lactose Intolerance that has the by-product of Lactose Intolerance Weight
Loss.
Lactose is a sugar, which is found in milk products, and is broken down by the enzyme
Lactase that is found in the small intestine. The breaking down of this Lactose results in smaller sugars
that are absorbed into the body for sustenance.
The problem within Lactose intolerant people is that they
suffer from cramps, bloating, gas and diarrhoea. This is due to the absence of the enzyme Lactase, thus
letting Lactose pass on through the small intestine and into the colon. From here, the bacteria present break
it down, producing lactic acid and gas. The idea would be to then go onto Lactose Free Diets that will
eliminate this problem.
There are many foods out there and ‘food sections’ within
supermarkets that will have nothing but lactose free foods for individuals who require
it.
Some people get away with little lactose in their diet
without ever being effected whilst others have to completely abandon it.
Foods that are
suitable:
Managing Lactose Intolerance Weight
Loss
For many, weight loss is a goal. When dealing with lactose intolerance, weight loss can be more
of an unwanted health issue. If you've recently been diagnosed lactose intolerant, it's not uncommon for you to
experience sudden weight loss when you're forced to remove dairy from your diet.
Dairy provides us with a lot of the essential nutrients we need to digest in order to maintain a healthy body
weight. While many of us hope to cut fats out of our diet, the fact remains that we DO need fat to survive. Fat is
the energy that keeps us going through the day, it's a big part of what keeps us strong and healthy. Besides these
fats, dairy also provides us with vitamin D which keeps our skin healthy, calcium to strengthen our bones, vitamin
C to fight disease, and perhaps most importantly, protein, which is the bare essence of what our muscles are made
of. In other words, without dairy, the list of foods you can eat to maintain a healthy body weight will be
significantly shorter.
Lactose intolerance prevents us from properly digesting dairy thanks to an enzyme deficiency. In order to properly
digest lactose, we need an enzyme called "lactase" to be produced in sufficient quantities in the small intestine.
Those experiencing lactase deficiency will see some unfortunate side effects should they digest too much milk or
dairy. These side effects can include symptoms like bloating, excessive gas and flatulence, nausea, indigestion and
so on and so forth. If you've never experienced these symptoms from lactose intolerance, think of it as the way
your body reacts when you eat "something that didn't agree with you".
When you first experience weight loss because of this inability to properly digest the cheeses, milk, sauces and
other dairy based foods that used to provide you with your healthy weight, it's fair to say that working around the
subtraction of the dairy element can be tricky, but... That doesn't make it impossible, or, once you've learned a
few things, not even all that difficult in the grand scheme of things.
We'll start off with a list of foods that make great replacements for milk based products, both for taste and for
nutritional value...
Soy Milk
See also: Almond milk, rice milk and even coconut milk (though the flavor of coconut milk is definitely fruitier
than that of MILK milk). Soy, rice and almond milk will provide you with a nice creamy flavor if you really miss
drinking it, and all three will provide you with similar quantities of protein (though with less fat than cow
milk). Although in the case of rice milk, this is typically only because of added vitamins and nutrients. Rice milk
is often infused with B vitamins though, so it makes a nice alternative to coffee when you don't have time to brew
a pot in the morning (or you could use it to replace half and half).
Tofu
We know what you're thinking: Tofu can NEVER replace cheese. Well, the trick to tofu is to understand that it
really has no distinctive flavor, and when it inherently tastes like nothing, any flavor is possible. Tofu can add
protein and texture to any salad, as well as to noodle and rice themed dishes. It may not mesh well with Italian
dishes if you're hoping for a mozzarella replacement, nor is it really all that great in place of Swiss if you're
having a club sandwich, but it WILL provide you with the protein and texture you would typically get from cheese.
Tofu is made from soy milk just as cheese is made from cow milk.
Yogurt
Yes, yes, yogurt is, in fact, dairy based, but, it contains enzymes that will actually aid in the digestion of
lactose. Frozen yogurt is just as problematic as pure ice cream, but good old yogurt is, more often than not, just
as easy for a lactose intolerant person to digest as it is for anyone else. You may or may not want to eat several
cups of yogurt in a day to make up for the lack of milk in your diet, but you can actually replace certain
ingredients with yogurt when cooking or preparing drinks. For example, yogurt based curry can be excellent, garlic
and yogurt can make an interesting sauce for pasta, and, well, just about anything Greek tends to call for a little
yogurt.
Meat
You've been waiting for us to throw this one in, haven't you? If you can't drink milk, eat more meat. It has the
protein and fats you would usually get from milk, plus, meat is great. If you're a vegetarian or you're sensitive
to excessive meat, try peanut butter, instead.
Orange Juice
This is where you can get your vitamin C, and some brands come with a little extra vitamin D, so if you can't drink
milk, this can get you your C and sometimes your D (well, this and plenty of sunlight).
And this last one isn't really a food, but you'll be glad it exists...
Lactaid
Lactaid is a product that can help you digest milk based products in lieu of sufficient lactase production in the
small intestine. It may be a hassle to have to take this every single time you want to eat a grilled cheese
sandwich, but when you have a serious craving, you'll be glad it's there.
And know that most lactose intolerant people CAN, in fact, digest small amounts of dairy at a time. Lactose
intolerance takes hold at a different degree of extremity for every individual person, so while some may not be
able to so much as put half and half in their coffee, others may be able to drink one glass of milk (but not two)
with no noticeable symptoms.
And one more note: Besides milk, you should also be on the lookout for whey, curds, and any other milk based
ingredients. Just because it's not milk or cheese doesn't necessarily mean that it's completely safe or that milk
did not go into its production. Always be on the lookout, and when in doubt, just go ahead and check the
nutritional information on the package.
Back to Dairy
Free.se Intolerance Weight Loss
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