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Article: Milk - not always "the perfect food." (lactose intolerance)
- Article from:
- Medical Update
- Article date:
- July 1, 1990
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1990 Benjamin Franklin Literary & Medical Society, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Although milk is not indispensable for adults, it is a high-quality food because of its palatability and high protein and calcium contents, both essential components to good adult nutrition. Unfortunately, not all of us can tolerate milk because of temporary or permanent reduction in the amount of lactase-an enzyme that breaks down lactose, the sugar contained in milk-produced in the small intestine. Lactose, a combination of two single sugar molecules, glucose and galactose, cannot ordinarily be absorbed in the intestinal tract unless it is broken down to these two simple sugars.
Lactase levels are highest immediately after birth and decrease markedly after ...