Lactose is a sugar found in milk and other dairy products such as cheese. Lactose is a disaccharide, which means that it is made from two smaller sugar molecules, glucose and galactose. If you are lactose intolerant, you may have trouble digesting foods with lactose, even foods with a small amount of lactose such as Cool Whip.
Lactose Intolerance
Your intestines cannot absorb lactose on its own. Instead, lactose needs to be broken down into its component sugars, which are then absorbed by your intestines. This process is accomplished with an enzyme known as lactase. If you are lactose intolerant, you have abnormally low amounts of lactase in your intestines and consuming foods that contain lactose can cause digestive problems.
Cool Whip
Cool Whip is a "whipped topping" or imitation whipped cream made by Kraft. According to Go Dairy Free, Cool Whip has always contained sodium caseinate, a protein that comes from milk, making it off limits for those allergic to casein. In the past, Cool Whip lacked any dairy products or ingredients that contained lactose, which made Cool Whip a good product for the lactose intolerant. However, Kraft changed its recipe to include a small amount of milk, which adds lactose to the product.
Lactose Intolerance and Cool Whip
If you are lactose intolerant and consume Cool Whip, you may develop symptoms such as gas, abdominal bloating, nausea, diarrhea and abdominal pain. According to the Kraft website, less than 2 percent of Cool Whip comes from milk, so the amount of lactose is not particularly high. Even small amounts of lactose can be problematic if you are lactose intolerant, however, so you may want to look for lactose-free options.
Options
If you are lactose intolerant and want to have a small amount of Cool Whip or some other type of whipped topping, combining the whipped topping with other foods will help lessen the impact of the lactose in your digestive tract. Lactase supplements may also be helpful. Taking these supplements along with lactose-containing foods, such as Cool Whip, will reduce symptoms of lactose intolerance.
