Lactose is a type of sugar in milk and dairy products. When you have lactose intolerance, your body is unable to adequately digest this sugar. The result is an uncomfortable buildup of gas or other gastrointestinal symptoms. Eating chocolate doesn't cause your body to be unable to digest lactose -- but eating it if you have lactose intolerance can cause you to experience symptoms. Talk to your doctor if you think you are lactose intolerant.
Lactose Intolerance Symptoms
If you have lactose intolerance, your inability to digest lactose leads to a variety of symptoms that vary significantly in severity. According to the University of Illinois McKinley Health Center, people with lactose intolerance experience cramping, diarrhea and excess gas after ingesting lactose. You might be affected whenever you eat any milk products or foods prepared with milk, such as scrambled eggs, cheese, coffee with cream or milk chocolate.
Lactose Intolerance Causes
Your small intestine is unable to produce lactase, an enzyme your body needs to digest the lactose sugar in milk and dairy products. You can be born with lactose intolerance. It is also a natural result of aging. Lactose intolerance also might develop if you suffer an injury or illness that damages your small intestine. Eating chocolate itself does not cause your body to become deficient in lactase, and thus does not lead to lactose intolerance.
Chocolate and Lactose Intolerance
Eating chocolate can bring about symptoms of lactose intolerance. Chocolate is made from a combination of ingredients, including cocoa powder, cocoa butter, sugar and milk. However, different kinds of chocolate contain different ratios of ingredients, and thus different amounts of milk. Depending on your level of lactose intolerance and the amount of milk in the chocolate, you might or might not experience lactose intolerance symptoms after eating chocolate.
Milk Allergy
Though some people are lactose intolerant, others suffer from a milk allergy. A milk allergy is not the same as lactose intolerance, even though they share some common symptoms. Milk allergies lead to bloating, gas and diarrhea, but also cause vomiting, runny nose, skin rashes and asthma. If you experience some of these symptoms after ingesting chocolate, see a physician to determine if you have a milk allergy.
