Introduction

Milk, like any other food, is ingested to be digested. However, for some individuals, the milk ingested is not fully digested so it ferments, generating malodorous gases. This is called lactose intolerance.

Importance of milk in the diet:

The importance of milk in the diet is linked to its capacity to provide calcium, an essential element for the health of bones and teeth. Once ingested, milk in the stomach is digested using an enzyme called lactase. When the quantity of lactase present in the stomach is insufficient to fully digest the milk, there are inconveniences linked to the rest of the undigested milk, we then speak of lactose intolerance. This intolerance, when it exists, varies from one individual to another and can take more or less severe forms.

Alternatives to calcium intake through milk:

Indeed, there are simple ways to live properly with lactose intolerance. Milk digests better when ingested with other foods. There are also lactate supplements in tablets to facilitate the digestion of milk. We must also choose the milk that suits us best, from whole milk to skimmed milk. For severe intolerances, there is an alternative to milk to avoid calcium deficiency: monkey bread. It is a dried baobab fruit from which an edible powder can be extracted. Monkey bread – however grimacing its name – is seven times richer in calcium than milk. It is estimated that a spoonful of its powder taken daily would be sufficient to maintain a satisfactory calcium intake for the body.

Conclusion

Calcium intake is essential in the body. To avoid the disadvantages of lactose intolerance it is possible to consume milk with other foods, to use the milk that suits your body between skimmed, semi-skimmed and whole milk, or to use the alternatives represented by monkey bread and lactate tablets.