{"id":1063,"date":"2021-09-03T15:04:55","date_gmt":"2021-09-03T20:04:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/testbreath.com\/?p=1063"},"modified":"2021-10-20T14:38:16","modified_gmt":"2021-10-20T19:38:16","slug":"get-calcium-without-dairy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/testbreath.com\/get-calcium-without-dairy\/","title":{"rendered":"Get Calcium Without Dairy"},"content":{"rendered":"

What Is Lactose Intolerance?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest significant amounts of lactose, the predominant sugar of milk. This inability results from a shortage of the enzyme lactase, which is normally produced by the cells that line the small intestine. Lactase breaks down milk sugar into simpler forms that can then be absorbed into the bloodstream. When there is not enough lactase to digest the amount of lactose consumed, the results, although not usually dangerous, may be very distressing. While not all persons deficient in lactase have symptoms, those who do are considered to be lactose intolerant.<\/p>\n

Common symptoms include nausea, cramps, bloating, gas, and diarrhea, which begin about 30 minutes to 2 hours after eating or drinking foods containing lactose. The severity of symptoms varies depending on the amount of lactose each individual can tolerate.<\/p>\n

Some causes of lactose intolerance are well known. For instance, certain digestive diseases and injuries to the small intestine can reduce the amount of enzymes produced. In rare cases, children are born without the ability to produce lactase. For most people, though, lactase deficiency is a condition that develops naturally over time. After about the age of 2 years, the body begins to produce less lactase. However, many people may not experience symptoms until they are much older.<\/p>\n

Between 30 and 50 million Americans are lactose intolerant. Certain ethnic and racial populations are more widely affected than others. As many as 75 percent of all African Americans and American Indians and 90 percent of Asian Americans are lactose intolerant. The condition is least common among persons of northern European descent.<\/p>\n

Researchers have identified a genetic variation associated with lactose intolerance; this discovery may be useful in developing a diagnostic test to identify people with this condition.<\/p>\n

How Is Lactose Intolerance Diagnosed?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Fortunately, lactose intolerance is relatively easy to treat. No treatment can improve the body’s ability to produce lactase, but symptoms can be controlled through diet.<\/p>\n

Young children with lactase deficiency should not eat any foods containing lactose. Most older children and adults need not avoid lactose completely, but people differ in the amounts and types of foods they can handle. For example, one person may have symptoms after drinking a small glass of milk, while another can drink one glass but not two. Others may be able to manage ice cream and aged cheeses, such as cheddar and Swiss, but not other dairy products. Dietary control of lactose intolerance depends on people learning through trial and error how much lactose they can handle.<\/p>\n

For those who react to very small amounts of lactose or have trouble limiting their intake of foods that contain it, lactase enzymes are available without a prescription to help people digest foods that contain lactose. The tablets are taken with the first bite of dairy food. Lactase enzyme is also available as a liquid. Adding a few drops of the enzyme will convert the lactose in milk or cream, making it more digestible for people with lactose intolerance.<\/p>\n

Lactose-reduced milk and other products are available at most supermarkets. The milk contains all of the nutrients found in regular milk and remains fresh for about the same length of time, or longer if it is super-pasteurized.<\/p>\n

How Is Nutrition Balanced?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Milk and other dairy products are a major source of nutrients in the American diet. The most important of these nutrients is calcium. Calcium is essential for the growth and repair of bones throughout life. In the middle and later years, a shortage of calcium may lead to thin, fragile bones that break easily, a condition called osteoporosis. A concern, then, for both children and adults with lactose intolerance, is getting enough calcium in a diet that includes little or no milk.<\/p>\n

In 1997, the Institute of Medicine released a report recommending new requirements for daily calcium intake. How much calcium a person needs to maintain good health varies by age group. Recommendations from the report are shown in the following table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Age group<\/strong><\/td>\nAmount of calcium to consume daily, in milligrams (mg)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
0-6 months<\/td>\n210 mg<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7-12 months<\/td>\n270 mg<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1-3 years<\/td>\n500 mg<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4-8 years<\/td>\n800 mg<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
9-18 years<\/td>\n1,300 mg<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
19-50 years<\/td>\n1,000 mg<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
51-70+ years<\/td>\n1,200 mg<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Also, pregnant and nursing women under 19 need 1,300 mg daily, while pregnant and nursing women over 19 need 1,000 mg.<\/p>\n

In planning meals, making sure that each day’s diet includes enough calcium is important, even if the diet does not contain dairy products. Many nondairy foods are high in calcium. Green vegetables, such as broccoli and kale, and fish with soft, edible bones, such as salmon and sardines, are excellent sources of calcium. To help in planning a high-calcium and low-lactose diet, the table that follows lists some common foods that are good sources of dietary calcium and shows how much lactose they contain.<\/p>\n

Recent research shows that yogurt with active cultures may be a good source of calcium for many people with lactose intolerance, even though it is fairly high in lactose. Evidence shows that the bacterial cultures used to make yogurt produce some of the lactase enzyme required for proper digestion.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Vegetables<\/th>\nCalcium Content<\/th>\nLactose Content<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Calcium-fortified orange juice, 1 cup<\/td>\n308-344 mg<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sardines, with edible bones, 3 oz.<\/td>\n270 mg<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Salmon, canned, with edible bones, 3 oz.<\/td>\n205 mg<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Soymilk, fortified, 1 cup<\/td>\n200 mg<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Broccoli (raw), 1 cup<\/td>\n90 mg<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Orange, 1 medium<\/td>\n50 mg<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Pinto beans, 1\/2 cup<\/td>\n40 mg<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tuna, canned, 3 oz.<\/td>\n10 mg<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Lettuce greens, 1\/2 cup<\/td>\n10 mg<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Dairy Products<\/strong><\/th>\nCalcium Content<\/strong><\/th>\nLactose Content<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Yogurt, plain, low-fat, 1 cup<\/td>\n415 mg<\/td>\n5 g<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Milk, reduced fat, 1 cup<\/td>\n295 mg<\/td>\n11 g<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Swiss cheese, 1 oz.<\/td>\n270 mg<\/td>\n1 g<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ice cream, 1\/2 cup<\/td>\n85 mg<\/td>\n6 g<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cottage cheese, 1\/2 cup<\/td>\n75 mg<\/td>\n2-3 g<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>

Adapted from\u00a0Manual of Clinical Dietetics.<\/em> 6th ed. American Dietetic Association, 2000; and Soy Dairy Alternatives. Available at www.soyfoods.org<\/a>. Accessed March 5, 2002.<\/p>\n

Clearly, many foods can provide the calcium and other nutrients the body needs, even when intake of milk and dairy products is limited. However, factors other than calcium and lactose content should be kept in mind when planning a diet. Some vegetables that are high in calcium (Swiss chard, spinach, and rhubarb, for instance) are not listed in the chart because the body cannot use the calcium they contain. They also contain substances called oxalates, which stop calcium absorption. Calcium is absorbed and used only when there is enough vitamin D in the body. A balanced diet should provide an adequate supply of vitamin D. Sources of vitamin D include eggs and liver. However, sunlight helps the body naturally absorb or synthesize vitamin D, and with enough exposure to the sun, food sources may not be necessary.<\/p>\n

Some people with lactose intolerance may think they are not getting enough calcium and vitamin D in their diet. Consultation with a doctor or dietitian may be helpful in deciding whether any dietary supplements are needed. Taking vitamins or minerals of the wrong kind or in the wrong amounts can be harmful. A dietitian can help in planning meals that will provide the most nutrients with the least chance of causing discomfort.<\/p>\n

What Is Hidden Lactose?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Although milk and foods made from milk are the only natural sources, lactose is often added to prepared foods. People with very low tolerance for lactose should know about the many food products that may contain even small amounts of lactose, such as<\/p>\n