What is lactose?
Lactose is a type of sugar found in milk and dairy products, including human milk. It is also called milk sugar, it is not naturally in any other food. This sugar is made of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen and has a chemical formula C 12 h 22 O 11 . Before they are adults, many people are unable to spend milk sugar, a condition called lactose intolerance.
in milk
The amount of lactose in milk may vary depending on the type of animal and the individual animal or person. Human milk generally has a higher percentage - usually about 7% to 9%, according to weight - than milk from animals. For example, milk from cows, goats and sheep is usually less than 5% of weight lactose. For most of the milk processed, the lower the fat content, the higher the percentage of milk sugar in it.
found in other dairy products
This sugar is found on different degrees in the whites, such as cheese, butter or margarine, yogurt, whey and powder milk. In cheese, butterLe and Margarine are very little. However, whey, powder milk and condensed milk contain a very high percentage of this sugar - in some cases 50% or more. The milk sugar content in yoghurt may vary, but generally is about 2% to 6%.
use in other products
lactose is often added to prepared foods to avoid coating or as a coating. This sugar is almost tasteless, so it also provides ideal filler bread and other pastries, including cereals, pancakes and biscuits. Canned and frozen vegetables are also commonly added to prevent coloring. The type of milk from which this sugar is extracted may vary by ground or region, with the most common cows, goats and camels.
some milk sugar can also be found in many powdered professionals ready for food, such as dehydrated potatoes, soups and accessories with replacementnou food. Foods that are labeled as non -dumped, including coffee creams, could also contain it in the form of whey or dry milk solids. This can also be found in some salad dressings, protein accessories, candies and processed meat.
use in medicines
lactose is also used in many over -the -counter and prescription drugs as a filler or coating. This includes pills such as chewing acid reflux treatment, contraceptive and cervical pills. Although the amount of milk sugar in one pill is hardly enough to affect most people, people who do not tolerate it should talk to their doctors before the new drug start. People suffering from diabetes should also reduce or control their income.
intolerance
In normal person, lactase, enzyme produced by the small intestine, it decomposes milk sugar. This allows you to absorb into the bloodstream. People who are intolerant lactoses do not make enough lactase, and PRoto is unable to process milk sugar.
As a rule, mammals lose the ability to spend milk sugar as aged. People have undergone a mutation that allows them to maintain 10% capacity for lactase production. This usually needs to allow people to spend milk and dairy products. However, some people do not retain this capacity and do not do intolerant milk sugar. When someone who has this condition drinks milk or consumes products that contain more than small lactose, symptoms such as flatulence, convulsions, nausea, flatulence and diarrhea may occur.