A Dietician’s take on Lactose Intolerance

As a dietician in clinical practice, one of the most common problems that I encounter is gastro-intestinal distress, and in many cases this is coming from one simple problem, lactose intolerance. In fact, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) statistics say that many consumers have a reduced ability to digest lactose, the carbohydrate found in cow’s milk. What’s more, it is not uncommon for a lactose deficiency to develop later in life. In lactose intolerant individuals varying degrees of gas, bloating, pain, cramping and diarrhea can occur after ingesting milk and other dairy products, but by far its milk that has the highest lactose content of all dairy. Although there are many reasons for gastric and colonic dis-ease, I have found that lactose is often the culprit. Milk and dairy products are not just enjoyed by many but also provide us with essential nutrients like protein, riboflavin vitamin B12, phosphorous and calcium to mention a few. Giving up dairy can be difficult, and the dairy alternatives available are not always everyone’s “cup of tea” and are often laden with sugar.

A product like Clover Nolac allows patients to enjoy a full flavoured cow’s milk their tea or coffee, or on their cereal without having to worry about annoying side effects. In addition, none of the other essential nutrients are removed allowing lactose intolerant individuals to enjoy all the health benefits too.