I used to love milk. I loved to guzzle down a tall, cold glass of milk after school with a couple of cookies. My mom used to make me warmed milk on nights that I had a hard time sleeping. I also loved enjoying ice cream at our local ice cream parlor, especially during the summer months. Sadly that all changed after I had weight loss surgery. Suddenly my beloved milk became my least favorite thing to consume. I simply could no long digest the milk properly. A tall glass of milk can send me to the bathroom for hours. My tummy is grumbling just thinking about it.

Thankfully I can tolerate some dairy products, in moderation. Cheese doesn’t seem to bother me too much. Some yogurts I can enjoy too. Sadly, when it comes to ice cream I can only stomach a few spoonfuls depending on what the ice cream has it in.

I recently had the opportunity to attend a conference call with Melissa d’ Arabian. She is the Spokesperson for LACTAID. She is also the author of the NY Times best selling cookbook, Ten Dollar Dinners. In addition she is also a Celebrity Chef and TV host. You can check out some of her recipes and other videos on Food.Today.com and YouTube.com/LACTAID.

Also on the conference call was Michelle Harrington , R.D. and LACTAID^® Regulatory and Nutritional Affairs Manager. She is also the Pediatric Dietitian at Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia and is passionate about helping families find nutrition solutions in today’s complex world.

The first thing we learned on the conference call is the most important thing – What exactly is Lactose?

Lactose is the major carbohydrate in milk and other dairy foods

Lactose (milk sugar) consists of two simple sugars – glucose and galactose

Lactose must be broken down into glucose and galactose by the intestinal enzyme lactase before it can be absorbed by the body

What does it mean to be Lactose Intolerant?

Most people produce that natural enzyme, lactase, which breaks down lactose (sugar in milk). The amount of lactase your body produces will determine how much lactose your body can break down.

Everyone has different levels of lactose intolerance. That is why I can tolerate some dairy, like cheese and yogurt, but not a glass of milk.

It is common for lactose intolerance to be progressive; many people develop a lactose intolerance later in life. In my case it developed due to weigth loss surgery.

If you are Lactose Intolerant I’m sure you have probably heard of the product LACTAID before? LACTAID is a line of products created to help people who have a lactose sensitivity to digest dairy products without stomach discomfort. This allows people to enjoy many of the dairy products they love including all those creamy and delicious dairy treats.

LACTAID is the nations #1 lactose-free dairy brand. LACTAID provides the lactase that the body can’t produce enough of, which helps you break down lactose.

Did you know that LACTAID products include milk, ice cream, cottage cheese and eggnog? Their products are also made with 100% real dairy, they just have the natural yeast-derived enzyme added called lactase.

LACTAID even has ice cream. I have not seen it in my local grocery store yet. I am keeping an eye out for it.

LACTAID ice cream is available in 5 delicious flavors - Chocolate, Vanilla, Cookies & Cream, Strawberries & Cream, Butter Pecan – and has only 160 calories and 8 grams of fat per half cup serving. I would love to try the Butter Pecan! That is one of my most favorite flavors.

LACTAID ice cream is also gluten free, with the exception of the Cookies & Cream flavor.

LACTAID also has cottage cheese. I am not a fan of cottage cheese, but I know a lot of people who enjoy it.

Here are some tips on using LACTAID cottage cheese.

Savory: add veggies or pesto to it; use in enchiladas or lasagna

Sweet: add applesauce, peaches or other fruit to it

Melissa likes to blend it up in the food processor with an egg to taste just like ricotta

You can learn more about all of the LACTAID products as well as their nutrition information on the LACTAID website,  http://www.LACTAID.com/Products.

We learned A LOT on the conference call. Here are some of the highlights.

About LACTAID Milk

LACTAID is real milk – 100% lactose free – with the same nutrient profile.

The lactase enzyme is added to the milk to break down the lactose, resulting in a slightly sweeter taste.

LACTAID is ultra pasteurized and lasts longer under proper refrigeration – once open it should be consumed within 1 week

LACTAID products are calcium enriched.

We need about 1000 mg of calcium each day.

Our bodies need about 1,000 mg of calcium each day. An 8 ounce glass of LACTAID provide you with 500 mg (a regular glass of milk only has 300 mg of calcium). Just two 8 ounce glasses of LACTAID each day provides you with the recommended amount of calcium.

If you or a loved one happens to be Lactose Intolerant, Melissa and Michelle offered these great tips.

Tips for eating with Lactose Intolerance:

Important note: if someone who is lactose intolerant consumes products containing lactose on an empty stomach, they will be more prone not to tolerate it. Eating lactose with other food will help you digest it more easily.

Many lactose-intolerant people find that yogurt doesn’t bother them.

Yogurt has live and active cultures in it that help digest the lactose.

Greek yogurt has double the protein and fewer carbs, which means less lactose and easier to digest.

If tolerated, yogurt is a great way to get nutrients and calcium needed in an everyday diet!

Rule of thumb for eating cheese: the harder the cheese, the less moisture or whey in it—as a result, the less lactose in it.

• Always choose the aged cheeses, as they are lower in lactose.
• Aged Cheddar, Gruyère, Pecorino and Swiss cheeses will have less lactose in them.
• Melissa suggests introducing these aged cheeses back into your family’s diets in small amounts to see how much they and/or you are able to tolerate.

Did you know that you can use LACTAID in many of your favorite recipes? I didn’t know that you could cook with LACTAID. I was afraid the cooking process would break down the product and it wouldn’t taste the same. I also know that LACTAID tends to have a bit of a sweeter taste compared to regular milk and I wasn’t sure if that would affect a recipe in any way. According to LACTAID most people don’t noticed the slightly sweeter taste when they add LACTAID to their favorite recipes.

Cooking with LACTAID: 

• Melissa likes to put in in her coffee instead of flavored creamer or sugar.
• Melissa finds that her kids prefer smoothies with LACTAID compared other milks, probably due to the slight sweetness.
• Melissa says she simply swaps LACTAID for regular milk in recipes, cup for cup.
• When substituting LACTAID for cream in recipes, work in a teaspoon of corn starch (this would be the same for any milk).
• Substitute lactose-free milk for buttermilk by adding vinegar.

As you can see we learned A LOT about Lactose Intolerance as well as the LACTAID product. I even went out and picked up a half gallon of LACTAID because I want to try it out in some of my family’s favorite recipes to see if they notice a difference. If not then I can go ahead and use LACTAID instead of milk and finally be able to enjoy many of the recipes I make for my family that I can’t otherwise enjoy due to my intolerance.

For more information about LACTAID visit www.LACTAID.com. You can also find LACTAID on Facebook. You can also follow the conversation about LACTAID on Twitter using the hashtag #LACTAID.

LACTAID would like to give a She Scribes reader a FREE product coupon so that they can try LACTAID for them self.

This giveaway is open to US residents only and will end on May 18, 2013 at 11:59 PM (EST). The winner will be chosen at random using a random number generator from all eligible entries. The winner will be notified via e-mail and will have three days to reply  or a new winner will be chosen in their place.

To enter please leave a comment on this post and tell me who in your family is Lactose Intolerant and/or if you have ever tried a LACTAID product before, what did you think about it?

For extra entries you can use the Rafflecopter widget (below) but you must complete the initial entry requirement or the additional entries won’t qualify (I do check). Extra entries are optional.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Kimberly

*I am participating in a blogger campaign. Although I am being compensated the opinions expressed are entirely my own and not influenced in any way.  

Related Posts:

• No Related Posts