Lactose is a carbohydrate found in milk that is made of two smaller sugar molecules, glucose and galactose. In order for your body to digest lactose it must be broken down in the digestive tract. This requires an enzyme known as lactase; if you do not make enough lactase, you are lactose intolerant. Lactose intolerance causes gas, bloating and diarrhea when you consume products with lactose. Lactose-free milk is a product you can drink directly or use in cooking if you are lactose intolerant.
Step 1
Confirm that your milk product actually contains no lactose. According to LactoseIntolerant.org, many types of milk which are marketed as "lactose-free" may still contain small amounts of lactose. If the milk is not 100 percent lactose free, gradually add it to your diet to help your digestive tract become accustomed to whatever lactose remains. Soy milk can also be used as it contains no lactose.
Step 2
Try different brands of lactose-free milk. Different brands of lactose-free milk have slightly different tastes, so if you find that you do not like the taste of one brand, you may find another that another suits you better.
Step 3
Cook with lactose-free milk as if it were regular milk. The National Dairy Council explains that lactose-free milk is identical to regular milk aside from the fact that the lactose is already broken down. Lactose-free milk may taste slightly different because it is pasteurized and shipped differently, so if you don't like drinking it straight try combining it with other foods to add milk to your diet.
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