As a nation, we are obsessed with milk and milk products. From the time we are born till the end of our lives, we are convinced that milk and milk products are the ultimate answer to good health and a strong body.
What if we are told that Indians have the most lactose intolerance than any other demographic in the world? A 2015 study shows that three out of four Indians have no tolerance for milk. We cannot simply fathom this fact. In fact, most of us are not even aware of the concept of lactose intolerance even though we have been suffering from it for years.
First things first, what is lactose intolerance?
It is a common digestive disorder where the body cannot properly digest lactose, a type of sugar found in milk and dairy products. “This condition occurs due to a deficiency in lactase, an enzyme produced in the small intestine that is necessary for breaking down lactose into glucose and galactose, which can be absorbed into the bloodstream,” Dr Shyam Sharma, a general physician from Assam, told Indian Today.
When a person with lactose intolerance consumes dairy products, their body lacks enough of the enzyme lactase to break down lactose into its simpler forms, glucose and galactose. As a result, the undigested lactose moves from the small intestine into the colon, or your large intestine, Dr Sharma explained, adding, “In the colon, there are many types of bacteria that help with digestion. These bacteria ferment or break down the undigested lactose. This fermentation process produces gases like hydrogen, methane, and carbon dioxide, as well as short-chain fatty acids.”
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