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Lactose is the sugar found in milk and foods that are made with milk.

Lactose intolerance means that a person cannot digest foods with lactose in them. Lactose intolerance isn't a food allergy. People with lactose intolerance feel better when they eat less food with lactose or use products that help them digest it. The intolerance is due to a lack of lactase enzyme in the body. The small intestine needs the enzyme to break down lactose. If lactose isn't digested, it can cause gas, stomach cramps, diarrhea or swelling in your stomach. Some illnesses can cause these same problems. Your doctor can tell you if your problems are caused by lactose intolerance.

Foods made with milk
Lactose is in milk and foods made with milk like: ice cream, ice milk, sherbet cream, cottage cheese, cheese

Finding lactose in food

Look for certain words on food labels. These words mean the food has lactose in it: butter cheese cream dried milk lactose milk milk solids powdered milk whey Lactose is also added to these boxed, canned, frozen and other prepared foods: bread cereal lunch meats salad dressings frozen dinners cake/cookie mixes.

You may be able to eat a small amount of some foods with lactose.
For example, you may be able to eat cheese, but not drink milk. Or you may be able to eat some prepared foods. To find out, try a small amount of the food. Then see how you feel. You can buy pills or drops at a drug or grocery store to help digest lactose. There are pills that you chew right before eating foods with lactose. These pills are called lactase enzyme caplets. Lactase enzyme drops are also available to add to milk before drinking. You can also drink special milk with less lactose in it. It's called lactosereduced milk. Regular and flavored varieties are available. Lactose- free milk is available, too.

Drinking milk and eating foods made with milk are the most common ways to get calcium. Calcium is important for good health. If you can't eat or drink these foods, you need to get calcium in other ways: . sardines . turnip greens . collards . spinach . tofu (prepared with calcium sulfate) . canned salmon with bones . fortified ready to eat cereals . soy beverage, calcium fortified Also ask your doctor if you should take a daily calcium supplement. Ask about Vitamin D, too.

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Lactose is the sugar found in milk and foods that are made with milk. Lactose intolerance means that a person cannot digest foods with lactose in them. Lactose intolerance isn't a food allergy. People with lactose intolerance feel better when they eat less food with lactose or use products that help them digest it. The intolerance is due to a lack of lactase enzyme in the body. The small intestine needs the enzyme to break down lactose. If lactose isn't digested, it can cause gas, stomach cramps, diarrhea or swelling in your stomach. Some illnesses can cause these same problems. Your doctor can tell you if your problems are caused by lactose intolerance. Foods made with milk Lactose is in milk and foods made with milk like: ice cream, ice milk, sherbet cream, cottage cheese, cheese Finding lactose in food Look for certain words on food labels. These words mean the food has lactose in it: butter cheese cream dried milk lactose milk milk solids powdered milk whey Lactose is also added to these boxed, canned, frozen and other prepared foods: bread cereal lunch meats salad dressings frozen dinners cake/cookie mixes. You may be able to eat a small amount of some foods with lactose. For example, you may be able to eat cheese, but not drink milk. Or you may be able to eat some prepared foods. To find out, try a small amount of the food. Then see how you feel. You can buy pills or drops at a drug or grocery store to help digest lactose. There are pills that you chew right before eating foods with lactose. These pills are called lactase enzyme caplets. Lactase enzyme drops are also available to add to milk before drinking. You can also drink special milk with less lactose in it. It's called lactosereduced milk. Regular and flavored varieties are available. Lactose- free milk is available, too. Drinking milk and eating foods made with milk are the most common ways to get calcium. Calcium is important for good health. If you can't eat or drink these foods, you need to get calcium in other ways: . sardines . turnip greens . collards . spinach . tofu (prepared with calcium sulfate) . canned salmon with bones . fortified ready to eat cereals . soy beverage, calcium fortified Also ask your doctor if you should take a daily calcium supplement. Ask about Vitamin D, too.
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