All You Need To Know About The Good Side Of Lactose

Milk has long been associated with good health, and it has been widely consumed throughout the world.

- Mandeep Kaur

Milk contains various important nutrients which can offer a range of health benefits among all age groups. This is the reason why milk is one of the most consumed beverages. However, some people are not able to digest milk because of lactose intolerance. If we recall, one of the most memorable moments of our childhood was running behind the ice cream van and yelling “I scream! I scream!” But if your child is not able to digest milk, how would you feel? You would feel as though his childhood has been robbed and not willingly, you would stop bringing milk and milk products to your home. But completely banning lactose/milk products is not a good thing, it is very important to know why lactose is important for you and your family and what all the benefits it can provide.

What is Lactose?

Before we jump on to understand what the benefits of lactose are for you and your family, it is very important to understand what exactly lactose is. Lactose is a disaccharide sugar available in every mammal’s milk. Lactose is composed of two simple sugars – Glucose and Galactose. Because of these sugars, lactose is a healthy sugar. But still some people find it difficult to digest and they develop a condition known as lactose intolerance.

What is Lactose Intolerance?

Lactose intolerance is a condition when the person consuming milk is not capable of producing enough of an enzyme (lactase) to digest milk sugar (lactose). Like other enzymes, lactase also helps in the breakdown of lactose into simple sugars i.e. glucose and galactose.

The person with lactose intolerance may start experiencing certain symptoms after consuming lactose-containing dairy products. They may experience abdominal bloating, pain, nausea, flatulence, and diarrhoea. The lactose intolerance may be classified into three types based on the factors causing the lactase deficiency.