Opposed to popular belief, lactose intolerance does not mean you should eliminate dairy products from your diet. Although lactose is a natural sugar found in milk, it does not keep a person from consuming the nutrients found in dairy products. A person who is lactose intolerant often has symptoms of abdominal pain, bloating, gas, cramps, or diarrhea after consuming foods with lactose. With a few alterations, it is still possible to enjoy dairy products.

Instead of removing dairy from your diet, which would also take away a source of calcium and eight other essential nutrients, following simple strategies would allow people with lactose intolerance to enjoy dairy foods. Cheese has a naturally low lactose content. Therefore, cheeses like Cheddar, Colby, and Swiss are easy to digest. Drinking milk in small amounts, along with snacks or meals may help.

In addition, there are several lactose-reduced or lactose-free milk products on the market. Yogurt is especially important because it contains live and active cultures. The cultures act as a lactase, which breaks down the lactose in the digestive tract. It may also help to eat smaller servings of ice cream or frozen yogurt or add a lactase enzyme preparation to milk or take lactase tablets just before eating. Following these tips certainly will replace the milk you are missing.