Most Americans are taught in childhood to drink milk to build strong bones. For people with lactose intolerance, drinking cow's milk causes gas, diarrhea, abdominal bloating, nausea and abdominal pain. Lactose intolerance occurs when your body lacks the enzyme needed to digest milk sugars. Even though you may not be able to digest cow's milk, milk alternatives may be more easily digestible. If you think you may be lactose intolerant, discuss your symptoms with a physician to find milk alternatives that work for you.
Soy Milk
Soy milk is a cow's milk substitute made from soybeans. Soy milk contains high levels of protein and fiber, making it a healthy alternative to cow's milk. Because soy milk comes from plants, it does not contain lactose, the milk sugar that causes digestive problems for many people. Many mainstream grocery stores carry soy milk.
Coconut Milk
Coconut milk is a richer, creamier alternative to cow's milk. People with an allergy to soy or nuts can digest coconut milk. Unlike other alternative milk products, coconut milk cannot be enjoyed cold, because it separates when refrigerated. Because coconut milk contains relatively high levels of fat, carefully monitor your intake to ensure you do not incorporate too much fat into your diet.
Rice Milk
Rice milk is very hypoallergenic, meaning that few people have negative reactions to it, according to The Ecologist website. Unlike coconut milk, which contains high levels of fat, rice milk has just 1 g of unsaturated fat per 8-oz. serving. Rice milk tends to have a high sugar content, so it may be an inappropriate cow's milk substitute for people with diabetes.
Lactose-Free Milk
Several dairy manufacturers produce lactose-free milk. This type of milk is regular cow's milk with added lactase. The lactase enzyme converts lactose molecules into simple sugars that lactose intolerant individuals can easily metabolize. Although lactose-free milk can be more expensive that regular cow's milk, it is an easy way for lactose intolerant people to incorporate calcium into their diets.
Considerations
Some people mistakenly believe that drinking sheep or goat milk is acceptable for lactose intolerant people. While the effects of these milk products vary by individual, both sheep and goat milk contain lactose and can cause digestive problems. If you enjoy the taste of animal milk products and do not want to switch to a more digestible plant-based milk substitute, consider taking lactase supplements. These supplements provide your body with the enzyme it is missing, allowing you to digest milk.
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