Stuff about LACTOSE

Contents

  1. What is Lactose
  2. My List of Dairy-free and Lactose-free Alternatives
  3. The 2014 'Food Allergen Labelling Legislation

1. What is LACTOSE?

"Lactose is a sugar found in animals milks and the following information is based on my personal knowledge and investigations of lactose, I do not have a professional knowledge"
What is LACTOSE INTOLERANCE?

Lactose intolerance is caused by the inability to digest LACTOSE in the gut. Lactose is the sugar found in animals milks, which may cause digestive problems in some people. 

 The symptoms of lactose intolerance can vary greatly between family members. Four of us in my family all react slightly differently to it with one of us having an allergy to lactose.  Our symptoms range from a bloated tummy, headaches, joint pain, tiredness and lethargy, abdominal pains and cramps, excessive wind, constipation and/or diarrhea and skin problems and rashes including excema.  

My Personal List of Lactose-Containing Foods and their Names:
The following is not a comprehensive list of ingredients that MAY contain lactose.   It is a list I have added to over the years. You may be able to add some other things to this list

  • artificial butter flavour
  • artificial or natural flavouring ( could be from dairy)
  • ammonium caseinate 
  • butter fat
  • buttermilk
  • buttermilk oil
  • buttermilk powder
  • butter solids
  • casein
  • caseinate
  • cheese flavour
  • condensed milk
  • curds
  • custard
  • dry milk powder
  • dry milk solids
  • cream
  • cream cheese
  • cow's milk
  • ghee
  • goat's milk
  • goat's cheese
  • hydrolyzed casein 
  • hydrolyzed vegetable protein (may be from dairy/lactose)
  • lactose
  • lactoglobulin (anything with 'lacto' in front of it)
  • magnesium caseinate 
  • natural butter flavouring
  • whey
  • whey protein
  • whey solids
  • whole milk
  • zinc caseinate 
  • milk
Note: The following ingredients do not contain lactose;

  • sodium lactate
  • lactic acid
  • cocoa butter


Getting Enough Calcium?
It is important to make sure that you continue getting the right amount of nutrition required by your body to maintain good health, when you are replacing dairy and lactose in your diet.  This is especially true for children, so you MUST seek professional and medical advice from your Doctor or ask to be referred to a dietician or nutritionist. 
More information on this can be found at: 
http://www.nutrition.org.uk/nutritionscience/allergy/lactose-intolerance 

 Dairy products contain calcium which is important for strong bones,teeth, healthy muscles including the heart and for blood, to help it clot.  There are other foods that are rich in calcium which you should include in your diet when replacing dairy, such as green, leafy vegetables like broccoli, kale, cabbage.  Also rich in calcium are soybeans, tofu, nuts, oranges, tuna fish and particularly fish that contain edible little bones like sardines, mackerel, salmon and pilchards.

2. My List of Dairy-free and Lactose-free Alternatives

Milk
  • Almond milk
  • Coconut milk
  • Hazelnut milk
  • Hemp
  • Lactose-free milk (if you are not allergic to cow's milk)
  • Oat milk
  • Rice milk
  • Soya milk
  • Lactose-free milk (if you KNOW the milk sugar lactose is the only problem as it is still made from cow's milk and therefore not suitable if you have an allergy to milk).
These alternative milks come unsweetened, sweetened, flavoured and fortified with vitamin D and calcium.  

Cream
  • Soya cream
  • Lactose-free cream (if you KNOW the milk sugar lactose is the only problem as it is still made from cow's milk and therefore not suitable if you have an allergy to milk).
Ice Cream

Swedish Glace - a vanilla flavour iced non-dairy dessert, so nice you will prefer it!

Yoghurt
The alternatives come plain or flavoured
  • Coconut milk yoghurt
  • Soya yoghurt
  • Lactose-free yoghurt (if you KNOW the milk sugar lactose is the only problem as it is still made from cow's milk and therefore not suitable if you have an allergy to milk).
Cheese
The alternatives come in hard cheeses, soft cheese and cream cheese
  • Soya cheese
  • Lactose-free cheese (if you KNOW the milk sugar lactose is the only problem as it is still made from cow's milk and therefore not suitable if you have an allergy to milk).
Butter and Margarine
  • Soya-based spreadable
  • Lactose-free spreadable (if you KNOW the milk sugar lactose is the only problem as it is still made from cow's milk and therefore not suitable if you have an allergy to milk).
Shortening
  • Trex - a vegetable fat that I cannot emphasise the value of enough!  Check out the following link to see more about this product http://familybaking.co.uk/
  • Coconut oil - makes a great substitute; use a little less in your recipes than you would butter
  • Cooking oils - whatever oil you choose, these can be great substitutes, remember to use a little less than you would butter in your recipes.

3. The 2014 'Food Allergen Labelling Legislation'

"Foods that are lactose free are now more easily recognised by the information provided on the food labels."
This means that food manufacturers must list cow's milk and lactose on their product labels.  In addition, there is usually a 'may contain' section to the label plus 'cross contamination' warnings that you can check for clarity.

Therefore, when you are out shopping for food, make sure that you thoroughly read the labels on the products you want to buy for any sign of any 'hidden' lactose-containing ingredients.

 Advice on information on the new 2014 food allergen labelling legislation
Click on the link below:https://www.food.gov.uk/science/allergy-intolerance/label

Online Booklet: 'How to Buy Food Safely When You Have a Food Allergy or Intolerance

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