Lactose Intolerance Weight Loss: Can Sensitivity To Milk Help You Shed Extra Pounds?

Lactose Intolerance Weight Loss

Milk and dairy products have been with us for millennia. Some cultures have credited this food source as the primary reason for their survival over hundreds of years. Not until comparatively recently have people considered the natural fat in dairy as something associated with health problems. The creation of low fat and no-fat dairy products nearly a hundred years ago added to the belief that dairy foods were fattening and that in turn made them subject to concerns about health issues.

Presently this has made some believe that lactose intolerance weight loss is a way to shed those extra stubborn pounds. However, could this condition of being unable to digest milk and dairy products cause you to lose weight? What do science and experts say about this?

What Is Lactose Intolerance?

This is an inability to properly digest lactose – a sugar found in cow’s milk and dairy products. The condition is also known as lactose malabsorption or otherwise as lactose intolerance (6). What causes lactose intolerance? The malabsorption happens when your small intestines do not produce enough of the enzyme lactase which is needed to digest lactose – a disaccharide sugar found exclusively in mammalian milk.

When this non-digested milk sugar is unable to be absorbed into the body via the small intestine lining, it moves into the large intestine (colon region) where it interacts with the bacteria there, causing a number of symptoms and discomfort (6).

What Are The Symptoms Of Lactose Intolerance?

An intolerance to lactose is relatively easy to diagnose. Its signs and symptoms include passing gas, diarrhea, bloating, stomach rumbling, cramps, pains, and nausea (8). Symptoms usually appear within 30 minutes to two hours of having consumed food or drinks that contain lactose.

If you are experiencing all or most of the above symptoms but are still not convinced it’s related to lactose intolerance, you could visit a professional for help. There are about three main tests that could be used to determine if you are suffering from this. They include (8)

Milk Tolerance Test

You will be asked to drink a glass of milk, and then you will undergo a blood test. If your blood sugar levels do not rise, then you may be intolerant to lactose.

Lactose Tolerance Test

This also involves a blood test, but instead of drinking milk, you will be handed a lactose solution drink. If your blood glucose levels are slow to rise or do not rise at all, then you are lactose intolerant.

The Hydrogen Breath Test

For this test you will be asked not to eat anything the night before your test. Upon arrival at your clinic, a nurse will measure the amount of hydrogen in your breath. You will then be given a lactose solution to drink, and your breath will be tested every 15 minutes for a couple of hours. Breathing out too much hydrogen will indicate that you aren’t fully digesting and absorbing lactose.

Can Lactose Intolerance Affect Weight Loss?

Ordinarily, intolerance to lactose does not cause weight loss or weight gain (10). That being said, sometimes, lactose intolerance causes weight loss because you are missing vital vitamins and minerals from your diet. Nutrient deficiency should not be celebrated as it may lead to bigger issues such as osteopenia, osteoporosis, and malnutrition (8). You can find these essential nutrients – calcium and Vitamin D – from other sources such as vegetables, nuts, beans, and plenty of sunshine (9). The only way to effectively lose weight is by creating a caloric deficit. Cutting 500 to 1,000 calories a day from your typical diet could help you lose 1 to 2 pounds a week (2).

Are There Weight Loss Plans For Lactose Intolerant People?

No. Sadly, there are no specific lactose intolerance weight loss meal plans out there. However, no matter what diet you choose to follow, you can make some changes that will allow you to lose weight successfully without consuming products with lactose or dairy.

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Foods To Eat For A Lactose Intolerance Weight Loss Plan

Here is how to achieve a lactose intolerance weight loss eating plan from home. First, you must learn which foods and drinks to avoid if you are lactose intolerant (5)

1. Fruits

Such as apples, bananas, oranges, berries, pears, grapes, pineapples, and more, can be safely consumed. However, you should watch your intake since most fruits are relatively high in sugar and carbs, and this could add up and negatively affect your weight loss plans.

2. Vegetables

Especially dark leafy greens, are incredibly valuable in your diet. They are low in calories and do not have dairy. Examples include lettuce, spinach, bok choy, Swiss chard, kale, broccoli, zucchini, carrots, etc.

3. Nuts, Seeds, And Healthy Fats

Nuts and seeds include almonds, chia seeds, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, flax seeds, pistachios, and sunflower seeds. Healthy fats can be found in oils such as olive, coconut and sesame oils, and avocados.

4. Lean Meats

Meat is an excellent source of protein, which is very important in a weight loss diet. Proteins help with muscle growth, and they take longer to digest, thus keep you satiated longer. When you pick your meats, always go for the leaner options such as chicken and turkey breasts, beef liver, beef loin, duck, pork loin/chop, ground chicken, bison, turkey, or venison (15).

5. Oily Fish

Such as trout, salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring, tuna are perfect for a lactose intolerance weight loss diet as they are relatively low in calories.

6. Whole Grains

Like barley, buckwheat, quinoa, couscous, and oats increase calorie loss by decreasing the number of calories retained during digestion and speed up your metabolism while at rest (17)

7. Legumes And Lentils

They are rich in protein.

Being on a lactose intolerance weight loss eating plan might make you forgo cow’s milk, but this does not mean that you will have to settle for black coffee and tea. Instead, you can incorporate dairy-free plant-based options like rice milk, almond milk, oat milk, coconut milk, cashew milk, or hemp milk.

After learning which food you can consume, the second step is to get rid of all the foods that can trigger your intolerance and cause weight gain. You should avoid animal milk, soft cheeses, yogurt, ice cream, buttermilk, sour, and whipped cream. Some foods that are not directly milk products but often still contain lactose include bread, tortillas, crackers, baked goods and desserts, waffles, pancakes, processed meats, salad dressing, and creamed vegetables (5).

It is also essential to note that some people can still enjoy these ‘prohibited foods’ like butter, aged cheeses, and yogurt with live cultures without triggering their symptoms (16). Yogurt specifically, is much easier to digest than other dairy products. This is because the bacterial lactase enzyme survives the stomach’s acidic conditions, as it is physically protected within the bacterial cells and facilitated by the buffering capacity of yogurt (4). The secret is to know your limits when it comes to lactose.

Sample Of A Cheap Lactose Intolerance Weight Loss Diet

Finding a cheap weight loss meal plan for lactose intolerance is quite easy. Since you are only required to cut out milk, its products, and foods made from it, you are left with many healthy options to choose from. Listed below are two options for a 1200 calorie lactose intolerance diet plan

Option One

Breakfast

Banana chocolate smoothie

1 frozen banana, 3 tablespoons hemp hearts, 1/2 cup water, 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 3-4 ice cubes, 2 handfuls fresh spinach (optional)

Calories: 261. Fat: 4 g, Proteins: 17 g, Carbs: 43 g

Snack 1

Fruit salad (14)

1.25 tsp fresh orange juice, 1 and a half tsp fresh lemon juice, 1 and a half tsp brown sugar, 1/8 tsp orange zest, 1/8 tsp lemon zest, 1/8 tsp vanilla extract, 3 tablespoons and 1-1/4 teaspoons cubed fresh pineapple, 3 tablespoons and 1-1/2 teaspoons strawberries, hulled and sliced, 1/4 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced, 1/4 bananas, sliced, 1/4 oranges, peeled and sectioned, 1 tablespoon and 1-3/4 teaspoons seedless grapes, 3 tablespoons and 1/2 teaspoon blueberries

Calories: 155. Fat: 0.6 g, Proteins: 1.8 g, Carbs: 39 g

Lunch

Chicken satay salad

1tbsp tamari, 1tsp medium curry powder, 1/4 tsp ground cumin, 1 grated garlic clove, 1tsp honey, 2 skinless chicken or turkey breast fillets, 1tbsp crunchy peanut butter, 1tbsp sweet chilli sauce, 1tbsp lime juice, sunflower oil, for wiping the pan, 2 lettuce hearts, 1/4 cucumber, halved and sliced, 1 thinly sliced shallot, handful of coriander, seeds from 1/2 pomegranate

Calories: 353. Fat: 10 g, Proteins: 38 g, Carbs: 24 g

Dinner

Zucchini Noodles with Avocado Pesto & Shrimp

5-6 medium zucchini, trimmed, 3/4 tsp salt, 1 ripe avocado, 1 cup fresh basil leaves, 1/4 cup unsalted shelled pistachios, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper, 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus 2 tablespoons, 3 cloves garlic, minced, 1 pound raw shrimp peeled and deveined, tails left on if desired.

One serving of this = 1 and 3/4 cups

Calories: 446. Fat: 33.2 g, Proteins: 25.9.2 g, Carbs: 15.8 g

Total Intake for the Day: Calories: 1215. Fat: 47.8 g, Proteins: 82.7 g, Carbs: 121.8 g

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Option 2 – Keto-Friendly Lactose Intolerance Weight Loss Meal Plan

Finding a lactose intolerance weight loss diet while doing keto might be quite hard. For a successful keto lactose-free diet, you would have to forgo cheeses and butter, which are heavily emphasized on in a ketogenic diet. However here is what a day of keto lactose intolerance weight loss diet would look like (12)