Natural Sugar Found in Milk
Lactose is a natural sugar that’s found in milk.
It is a carbohydrate.
Structurally, it is a disaccharide a sugar molecule thats composed of two simple sugars: glucose and galactose.
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What It Is
Lactose is one of the major components of milk.
Structurally, it is a disaccharide a sugar molecule thats composed of two simple sugars.
Glucose can be found in many other food substances, but lactose is the only known source of galactose.
The enzymelactasehelps the human body digest lactose.
Uses
Lactose has several uses, including drug manufacturing, food processing, andfermentation.
Pharmaceutical Uses
Lactose is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry in the preparation and manufacturing of drugs.
In most of its applications, lactose is used as an excipient (inactive ingredient).
Its primary purpose is to aid the delivery of the active ingredient in the body.
Its mostly used in tablets, capsules, and dry powder inhalers.
Pharmaceutical-grade lactose is produced and processed to meet industry purity standards.
Food Processing
Lactose is used in several facets of food processing.
Edible lactose thats used in food processing is also mostly produced from whey.
Its used in seasonings and baked goods due to its ability to carry colors and flavors well.
When added to food, lactose may reduce cost and regulate sweetness.
For example,Escherichia coliferments lactose while mostSalmonellaspecies do not.
Cutting Agent
Lactose is commonly used as a cutting agent for illegal recreational drugs.
Cutting agents are chemicals or drugs that are used to dilute and add bulk to recreational drugs.
Health Benefits
Lactose has some health benefits for babies.
It also helps babiesabsorb calciumbetter.
The condition usually causes stomach discomfort.
Normally, lactase enzymes help to break down lactose.
But when the body doesnt produce enough lactase, you’ve got the option to have lactose intolerance.
Lactose intolerance is somewhat different fromlactose maldigestion.
With lactose maldigestion, the activity of the lactase enzyme is reducedmaking lactose digestion difficult.
But it causes little or no symptoms at all.
Lactose maldigestion affects 70-75% of people in the world.
Some babies are born with a lactase deficiency and cannot digest lactose in breast milk or formula.
Often, lactose-free formula is recommended.
A Word From Verywell
Lactose is a natural sugar that’s present in dairy foods.
It also has a number of uses in the food processing and pharmaceutical industries.
While lactose has many health benefits for babies in their development stage, adults can do without it.
Instead, look for foods that are labeled lactose-free or lactose-reduced.
The symptoms oflactose intoleranceinclude bloating, gas, diarrhea, nausea, and stomach cramps or pain.
These symptoms and their severity will differ among people with lactose intolerance.
Symptoms usually occur within 30 minutes to two hours after ingesting lactose.
Yes, milk powder (powdered milk) does have lactose.
However, there are low-lactose varieties of milk powder that allow people with lactose intolerance to safely use them.
These products will say “lactose-free” on the packaging.
U.S. National Library of Medicine Genetics Home Reference.Lactose Intolerance.
2019;11(3):551. doi:10.3390/nu11030551
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Lactose Intolerance.
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World Gastroenterology Organisation.Yogurt in Nutrition: Initiative for a Balanced Diet.
