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What are the benefits and harms of lactose? Increasingly, foods that are considered healthy by default are being rethought. That which a few years ago was included in the list of essential nutrients for the body, is now massively excluded from the diet.
To what extent does this apply to lactose?
What is this substance
Lactose (from Lat. Lac "milk") is a carbohydrate of the disaccharide group that is found in milk and dairy products. The informal name for this element is "milk sugar". Pure lactose is a white crystalline powder, odorless. It dissolves well in water.
The benefits and effects of lactose on the body
Now it is fashionable to argue that there is no particular benefit in this substance, rather, on the contrary, one harm, so it is preferable to replace it with herbal counterparts. This is not entirely true. You can replace it, but is it necessary?
The biological benefits of this substance can hardly be overestimated. The beneficial effect of lactose on the human body lies in its following properties:
- this component normalizes calcium metabolism;
- strengthens the immune system (one of the main functions of lactose is the production of antibodies);
- reduces the risk of developing cancer;
- speeds up metabolism;
- stimulates the nervous system;
- acts as a cataract prevention;
- has a healing effect;
- reduces the likelihood of developing cardiac diseases;
- useful for diabetic patients, since the glycemic index of lactose is almost half that of glucose;
- stabilizes the intestines;
- promotes better absorption of ascorbic acid.
What foods contain lactose
The concentration of this substance is especially high in the following products:
- cow's milk;
- goat's milk (unlike cow's milk, lactose is found in trace amounts in goat's milk);
- cream;
- cottage cheese;
- yogurt;
- buttermilk;
- soft cheese;
- ice cream;
- butter;
- cream based on eggs and milk.
The list of products with lactose content is not limited to this. It is present not only in dairy products and milk. Disaccharides of different groups are often used as a sweetener in the manufacture of the following products:
- margarine;
- chips;
- bread;
- bitter chocolate;
- biscuit;
- marmalade;
- mustard.
In addition, a complex disaccharide is found in many medicines, such as:
- "Enap";
- "Gastal";
- "No-shpa";
- "Lopedium".
Why is lactose harmful to the human body?
The possible harm of lactose to the body lies in the fact that with excessive consumption of milk, a rapid release of insulin into the blood is observed. This, in turn, stimulates the production of sebum in the sebaceous glands, which leads to the development of acne.
Also, lactose can harm the health of people with intolerance to this component.
Lactose intolerance
Despite the rather extensive list of beneficial properties of lactose and its widespread use for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes, there is a category of people to whom it does more harm than good. It is caused by lactose intolerance (or hypolactasia) - the body's inability to metabolize lactose.
The reason for this phenomenon is a significant shortage or even complete absence in the human body of the enzyme lactase, which breaks down a complex disaccharide into its constituent components. As a result, large amounts of unbroken disaccharide lactose accumulate in the intestines, as a result of which bacteria located there begin to consume sugar and produce hydrogen with an admixture of methane, which causes bloating and flatulence.
In general, sugar carbohydrate intolerance does not pose a threat to the lives of those who have it, but it can cause frequent stomach upsets and abdominal cramps. In addition, this feature significantly limits the diet.
Causes of lactose intolerance
Distinguish between primary and secondary lactose intolerance. In the first case, the cause of intolerance is a congenital, genetically determined deficiency of lactase - most often a deficiency of this enzyme is observed in persons belonging to the Asian race.
The following factors can influence the occurrence of secondary hypolactasia:
- Any disease that affects lactase-producing cells in the small intestine, such as inflammatory diseases and even the flu
- ulcerative colitis;
- transferred chemotherapy;
- celiac disease;
- Crohn's disease;
- surgical intervention in the work of the gastrointestinal tract;
- dysbiosis.
Another type of hypolactasia is especially distinguished - temporary. It is observed in children born prematurely. The reason for the pathology in this case is that the function of producing the enzyme lactase is laid only at 34 weeks of gestation.
Symptoms and signs of lactose intolerance
The following factors may indicate hypolactasia:
- bloating occurs about 30 minutes after eating milk or dairy products;
- violation of the stool (diarrhea, constipation);
- flatulence;
- flatulence;
- nausea, vomiting.
Diet for lactose intolerance
Many find it difficult to give up milk in coffee and cereals. In this case, doctors advise including dairy products in the diet, which contain fermented lactose, which does not cause unpleasant symptoms after a meal. These include, above all, hard cheeses and unpasteurized yogurt. Ordinary cow's milk can be replaced with soy or almond milk, they are equally beneficial.
The list of products allowed for lactase deficiency includes the following:
- eggs;
- raw fish;
- soy drinks;
- vegetable oil;
- lard;
- all fruits and vegetables without exception;
- nuts;
- tea and coffee;
- honey;
- sugar and saccharin;
- legumes;
- bread without whey;
- pasta without food additives.
Allergy to lactose
There is a widespread misconception that lactase deficiency and milk allergy are one and the same thing. This statement is far from the truth, as allergies are an abnormal reaction of the immune system to foods containing specific ingredients.
The symptoms of an allergic reaction and hypolactasia are also different. The first signs of allergy include:
- wheezing difficulty breathing;
- severe rash all over the body;
- noticeable swelling of the lips;
- swelling of the throat;
- inflammation of the nasal mucosa, runny nose;
- eye irritation;
- nausea, vomiting.
People who have been diagnosed with hypolactasia do not have to completely exclude milk and dairy products from their diet. In most cases, keeping your daily dairy intake to a minimum is sufficient. The situation is completely different with allergy sufferers - even a small dose of this substance is enough for an allergic reaction.
Daily intake of lactose
The benefits and harms of lactose for the body are largely determined by the concentration of the substance. Its excess is just as dangerous for a person as a deficiency. That is why it is important to know the daily intake of this carbohydrate.
A person needs no more than 50-55 g of lactose per day. Its deficiency in children is manifested in increased drowsiness, apathy and lethargy. In adults, a small amount of this carbohydrate in the blood outwardly practically does not manifest itself; this requires a consultation with a doctor.
The excess sugar carbohydrate content is determined by the following criteria:
- stool disturbance;
- intoxication;
- allergic reaction;
- bloating.
Lactose for weight loss: benefit or harm
Recently, milk diets have become increasingly popular. They are based on dairy products, which are rich in proteins, fats, carbohydrates, micro and macro elements. The concentration of calcium is especially high in them. In addition, milk sugar does not lead to increased insulin production, which means that the consumption of this carbohydrate does not provoke excess weight gain.
The lactose diet is a type of mono-diet in which the emphasis is on one particular food. The effectiveness of such a diet lies in the fact that the products of one group are absorbed much more efficiently, and this contributes to weight loss.
Diet opponents argue that the casomorphins in dairy products are an addictive "drug". This is another myth. Casomorphins are broken down even in the gastrointestinal tract, and dependence can arise only if the substance "reaches" the brain.
Conclusion
The debate about the benefits and harms of lactose has been going on for a long time, but so far there are many more supporters that this carbohydrate is useful than harmful than opponents. The beneficial properties of lactose are difficult to overestimate: it is recommended for use by both children (after consulting a pediatrician) and elderly people, and the benefits from it are incomparably greater than the harm. Finally, it is useful for type 1 and type 2 diabetics, acting as a kind of sugar substitute.
