In a bid to become healthier, we’re all on a spree of editing out what we think will contribute to those extra kilograms that we are desperately trying to get rid of. Doctors and nutritional experts have long warned us against moves like this because it usually means that you're not getting access to all the nutrients you need. However, there is one more concerning repercussion of cutting things out of your diet: you might be making yourself lactose intolerant.
While some ditch dairy products because they think they might be leading to skin-related problems, others avoid it for weight reasons. However, Professor of Nutrition Policy, Dennis Savaiano, PhD, said it could actually result in lactose intolerance.
In order to digest lactose products, we need the enzyme lactase, but Savaiano noted that about three-quarters of the world’s population are already 'lactase mal-digesters', meaning they don't produce much lactose on their own. "Individuals who are used to eating lactose in their diet have more lactase enzymes (than people who don’t eat lactose-containing foods) — we think six to eight times more — and are more efficient at digesting it so they don’t get symptoms," Savaiano said. Following that thinking, it makes sense that people who withhold dairy from their diet don't have a proper capability to digest it, resulting in symptoms of lactose intolerance including flatulence, diarrhoea, bloating, cramps and nausea. "We took (mal-digesters) and either fed them lactose in water three times a day with their meals (for 10 days) or sugar water three times a day with their meals. And what we saw is that as we fed them lactose in water, their colon bacteria adapted to produce far more lactase activity, and their maldigestion went down dramatically,” Savaiano added.
So, if you have been used to drinking almond milk for ages, then introducing cow’s milk gradually into your diet would be worth it. Think about that cheese board that has been beckoning you, just a thought…