If you are lactose intolerant, or suspect you are, the good news is that you are not sentenced to a life without dairy. We caught up with the Kefalos research and development team to garner a better understanding of what lactose intolerance is and which Kefalos produce can be enjoyed even if lactose is not your body’s best friend.
What is lactose?
Lactose is a disaccharide (a type of carbohydrate) uniquely found in milk. It is made up of two simple sugars (monosaccharides) called glucose and galactose.
What does it mean if someone is lactose intolerance?
Lactose intolerance means that the body is incapable of digesting the naturally occurring sugar, lactose, in dairy products. After consuming milk or food derived from dairy you may feel bloated, experience stomach cramps, nausea, and diarrhoea. This usually occurs when your body does not produce enough of an enzyme called lactase. To avoid these uncomfortable symptoms, one would need to avoid dairy or consume lactose free products.
Are there any Kefalos products that are lactose free?
Kefalos double cream yoghurt is lactose free. It is derived from cow’s milk and lists milk and milk solids as major components of the ingredients. Milk contains lactose, however the production process for Kefalos double cream yoghurt uses a lactase enzyme to break the lactose down to glucose and galactose. The process breaks down 99.98% lactose and leaves a residual 0.02% or less of the original lactose. This small residual makes the double cream yoghurt palatable for most lactose intolerants. However, if you suffer from severe intolerance to lactose, we encourage you to seek your medical practitioner’s advice on whether you can consume dairy product labelled as lactose free. If you are extremely intolerant you may be sensitive to this residual content. Always stand guided by your doctor or medical practitioner that has knowledge of your particular condition.
Does Kefalos lactose free yoghurt taste different to regular yoghurt?
At Kefalos, our lactose free yoghurt tastes different from other plain yoghurt because it has a natural sweetness that comes from the breakdown of lactose to simple sugars glucose and galactose.
Is Kefalos double cream yoghurt still rich in nutrients even though it is lactose free?
Yes, it is. Nothing is taken away from lactose free yoghurt, except the breakdown of lactose to its building blocks: glucose and galactose.