Milk, lactose and protein
2 min
Table of contents
Share
Milk, lactose and protein
There are thousands of protein powders on the market, all with more or less similar characteristics: there are milk proteins (blend and whey), hydrolysed proteins, proteins of animal origin, proteins of plant origin etc.
One of the requests consumers make most often concerns the absence of lactose, and therefore a protein source other than milk. This happens because many people fear they suffer from an intolerance to milk and lactose, but is that always the case?
We raise this doubt not so much for those who have actually been tested (e.g. Hydrogen breath test), whose results are not in question, but because very often there is a tendency to self-diagnose, and self-diagnoses are not always correct.
Let us explain more clearly: a study carried out in Italy in 2011 showed that of the 4.2 million people who say they have problems with lactose (about 6% of the total Italian population), 2.8 million have digestive problems, 1.1 million have an actual intolerance and 305 thousand are allergic.
It should be stressed, however, that lactose intolerance does not mean milk allergy!
In the first case our body has difficulty digesting lactose (a sugar) because of a deficiency of the enzyme lactase; in the second case, on the other hand, there is a reaction of our immune system caused by the proteins present in milk.
Clearly, based on these data, the appropriate course of action will also differ, considering that cutting milk and dairy products out of our diet is not desirable because, as well as having to give up a few delicious dishes that let us vary our diet and treat ourselves now and then, over time it can cause a genuine deficiency of calcium and vitamin D, which are essential for our bones.
People with an intolerance or poor digestion can reduce their consumption of these foods and choose highly digestible products with a reduced lactose content rather than aged cheeses. In short, there is no need to eliminate milk and dairy products completely from the diet.
So in the supplement field too you can find products that give an indication of their lactose content (e.g.
Those who really cannot take milk-based and dairy products need to find alternative solutions.
Hence the arrival on the market of specific products, in the field of food supplementation too.
The lactose-free proteins most widely available on the market are both egg proteins (or, more precisely, egg white proteins), rich in amino acids and with a very high biological value (BV), and plant proteins, in particular soy proteins. The latter have a further characteristic: they can also be taken by vegans (people who do not want any animal sources in their diet).
But what are the symptoms of an intolerance or an allergy?
The symptoms can vary: abdominal pain and diarrhoea for those with lactose intolerance, with the addition of hives and asthma, for example, for those who are allergic to milk proteins.
There are thousands of protein powders on the market, all with more or less similar characteristics: there are milk proteins (blend and whey), hydrolysed proteins, proteins of animal origin, proteins of plant origin etc.
One of the requests consumers make most often concerns the absence of lactose, and therefore a protein source other than milk. This happens because many people fear they suffer from an intolerance to milk and lactose, but is that always the case?
We raise this doubt not so much for those who have actually been tested (e.g. Hydrogen breath test), whose results are not in question, but because very often there is a tendency to self-diagnose, and self-diagnoses are not always correct.
Let us explain more clearly: a study carried out in Italy in 2011 showed that of the 4.2 million people who say they have problems with lactose (about 6% of the total Italian population), 2.8 million have digestive problems, 1.1 million have an actual intolerance and 305 thousand are allergic.
It should be stressed, however, that lactose intolerance does not mean milk allergy!
In the first case our body has difficulty digesting lactose (a sugar) because of a deficiency of the enzyme lactase; in the second case, on the other hand, there is a reaction of our immune system caused by the proteins present in milk.
Clearly, based on these data, the appropriate course of action will also differ, considering that cutting milk and dairy products out of our diet is not desirable because, as well as having to give up a few delicious dishes that let us vary our diet and treat ourselves now and then, over time it can cause a genuine deficiency of calcium and vitamin D, which are essential for our bones.
People with an intolerance or poor digestion can reduce their consumption of these foods and choose highly digestible products with a reduced lactose content rather than aged cheeses. In short, there is no need to eliminate milk and dairy products completely from the diet.
So in the supplement field too you can find products that give an indication of their lactose content (e.g.
Those who really cannot take milk-based and dairy products need to find alternative solutions.
Hence the arrival on the market of specific products, in the field of food supplementation too.
The lactose-free proteins most widely available on the market are both egg proteins (or, more precisely, egg white proteins), rich in amino acids and with a very high biological value (BV), and plant proteins, in particular soy proteins. The latter have a further characteristic: they can also be taken by vegans (people who do not want any animal sources in their diet).
But what are the symptoms of an intolerance or an allergy?
The symptoms can vary: abdominal pain and diarrhoea for those with lactose intolerance, with the addition of hives and asthma, for example, for those who are allergic to milk proteins.
Tags:
