Download Lactose Intolerance / Low Lactose Diet

 Lactose Intolerance / Low Lactose Diet
o milk solids non fat, milk
solids, milk powder, whey
protein, milk, casein, curd
What is lactose?
Lactose is a sugar found in milk and
milk products. It is also added to some
processed and prepared foods. An
enzyme called lactase is needed for
your body to break down (digest)
lactose
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What is lactose intolerance?
Lactose intolerance happens when
your body does not have enough
lactase to break down all the lactose
into smaller parts for digestion and
absorption.
What are the signs of lactose
intolerance?
You may be lactose intolerant if after
consuming milk based products you
experience some of the following
symptoms:
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bloating
diarrhoea
wind
pain
cramping
urgency to go to the toilet
What can I eat?
Most people with lactose intolerance
can tolerate some lactose in their diet.
If you do get symptoms, you can
manage them by:
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Choose lactose-free or foods
low in lactose, preferably
fortified with calcium
Check labels on foods and
drinks for added milk or milk
products. The closer to the
beginning it is listed the higher
the amounts. On the ingredients
list, added milk (or lactose) can
be described as:
Your lactose tolerance may be
improved if you:
o eat small amounts of lactose
containing foods daily
o include lactose-containing
foods as part of meal
o drink lactose containing
beverages (or milk) with
food
What about calcium?
Many foods that contain lactose are
also important sources of calcium. Not
enough calcium might make your
bones more easily broken. This is
called Osteoporosis. If you avoid
lactose-containing foods, you will need
to find other sources of this important
nutrient including:
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40g hard cheese
250ml soy or lactose-free milks
200g soy yoghurts with added
calcium or yoghurts with active
and live bacterial cultures*
 ½ cup fish with edible bones
(eg. salmon and sardines)
* The bacterial cultures found in some
yoghurts break down the lactose, so it
is usually better tolerated due to a
lower lactose content than yoghurt
without live cultures.
Can I take something to digest
lactose?
There are medications available in the
form of lactase enzyme drops and
tablets that can reduce the lactose in
milk and milk products. Discuss the
use and where you can get these with
your Pharmacist.
This is a consensus document by Queensland Dietitians.
Disclaimer: http://www.health.qld.gov.au/masters/copyright.asp
Revised: May 2015
Review: May 2017
The table lists some of the foods you can eat safely. They contain no or small
amounts of lactose. It is not a complete list and therefore for further details please
discuss with your Dietitian.
Milk, Milk Products and
Alternatives
Aim for 2 ½ serves per day
(Women over 50 years: 4
serves)
1 serve = 40g hard cheese
= 200g yoghurt
= 250ml of Low lactose
milk
= 250ml calcium
enriched soy or rice
milk
Safe
Low lactose or lactosefree milks
Soy milk
Rice milk
Soy based nutritional
supplements
Soy yoghurt
Yoghurt with live cultures
(depending on tolerance)
Soy Ice creams
Block/ hard cheeses:
Mature, semi-mature and
mild
Foods to Limit/ Avoid
Cow’s milk (all types)
Goats milk
Milk powders
Malted milk
Some powdered
Chocolate drinks (depending
on tolerance)
Milk based nutritional
supplements
Milk based ice cream
Dairy desserts
Custards soft
Cheese cake
Cheeses: processed cheese,
cottage cheese, cheese
spreads
Breads and Cereals
Aim for 6 serves per day (70+
years: 3-4 serves)
1 serve = 1 slice of bread
= ½ medium bread roll
= ½ cup cooked rice,
pasta or noodles
= 2/3 cup breakfast
flakes
= ½ cup porridge
Safe
Most should be fine,
check the label to confirm
This is a consensus document by Queensland Dietitians.
Disclaimer: http://www.health.qld.gov.au/masters/copyright.asp
Foods to Limit/ Avoid
Those containing custard or
dairy based filling or
coatings.
For example:
Yoghurt coated muesli bars
Custard Danish
Bee-sting cake
Milk rice pudding
Revised: May 2015
Review: May 2017
Meat and Meat Alternatives
Aim for 2 - 3 serves per day
1 serve = 65-100g cooked
meat, chicken or fish
= 1 cup cooked or
canned legumes/ beans such
as lentils, chick peas or split
peas
= 2 eggs
= 1/3 cup nuts or seeds
Vegetables
Aim for 5 - 6 serves of
vegetables
1 serve = ½ cup cooked
vegetables
= cup raw vegetables
(eg. salad)
= ½ cup of vegetable
Juice
= ½ medium potato
Fruit
Aim for 2 serves per day
1 serve = 1 piece of fruit
= ½ cup tinned/cooked
fruit
= ½ cup fruit juice
Miscellaneous
Safe
Most should be fine,
check the label to confirm:
Check labels of
processed, canned
marinated and frozen
meat/ meat alternatives
and those in sauces.
Foods to Limit/ Avoid
Those in milk based sauces.
Safe
Fresh, frozen or tinned
vegetables, vegetable
juice.
Foods to Limit/ Avoid
Those containing milk or milk
based sauces.
Check labels of
processed vegetables and
those in sauces.
For example: Cauliflower in
white sauce
Mashed potato
Safe
All fresh fruit, dried fruit
Fruit Juice
Foods to Limit/ Avoid
Those in milk based drinks,
sauces or yoghurt.
Check labels of
processed fruits and
those in sauces.
Safe
Meringues, jellies, fruit or
cordial ices, soft drinks,
cordials, wine, beer,
spirits*
For example:
Fruit smoothies with milk,
yoghurt, whey.
Foods to Limit/ Avoid
Sweets containing milk*
Cocoa, oils, margarine*,
ghee, butter*, jam, honey,
golden syrup, peanut
butter
Yeast extract, nuts, plain
potato crisps, plain
popcorn, confectionary,
dark chocolate*
Medicines
For example:
Quiche
Frittata
Lasagne
Fish Mornay
Check labels to confirm
suitability
Check with your
pharmacist
Milk or dairy based liqueurs
Milk chocolate, foods with
yoghurt coatings (i.e. muslei
bars)
Some salad dressings*,
mayonnaises* and
commercial gravy mixes*
Protein powders* and
powdered meal replacement
supplements*
Those containing lactose or
milk products. For example
artificial sweeteners
* Denotes that label needs to be checked to see if contains added milk or milk
products
This is a consensus document by Queensland Dietitians.
Disclaimer: http://www.health.qld.gov.au/masters/copyright.asp
Revised: May 2015
Review: May 2017
What does a low lactose diet look like?
Sample Meal Plan
Breakfast
Toast with margarine and spread (e.g. jam or honey)
Breakfast cereal with calcium enriched soy milk or low lactose milk
Coffee with low lactose milk
Morning Tea
Piece of fruit
Lunch
Sandwich with hard block cheese, lean meat and salad
Glass of Water
Afternoon Tea
Soy yoghurt
Dinner
Grilled steak, chicken breast or fish with mashed potato (made using low lactose
milk) and vegetables or salad
Tinned peaches with lactose free fruit ice
Supper
Fruit toast with margarine
Cup of tea with sugar and low lactose milk This is a consensus document by Queensland Dietitians.
Disclaimer: http://www.health.qld.gov.au/masters/copyright.asp
Revised: May 2015
Review: May 2017
Sources for Additional Reading and Recipes
Dairy Australia, www.dairyaustralia.com.au
Osteporosis Association of Australia, http://www.osteoporosis.org.au
Sanitarium Health Food Co., www.sanitarium.com.au
Eat For Health - Australian Dietary Guidelines, http://www.eatforhealth.gov.au
Better Health Channel – Lactose Intolerance,
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Lactose_intolerance
Important points to remember!
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Dietitian:
Contact Details:
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This is a consensus document by Queensland Dietitians.
Disclaimer: http://www.health.qld.gov.au/masters/copyright.asp
Revised: May 2015
Review: May 2017