Lactose-free diet: what happens to our organism if we eliminate milk and dairy products

What happens to our organism if lactose is eliminated from the diet? More and more people decide not to eat milk and dairy products anymore due to intolerances or to detoxify the body. Then let’s discover the pros and cons of a lactose-free diet: what are the advantages for the organism and what are the disadvantages.

What happens to our organism if we eliminate lactose? More and more people are choosing not to consume milk and dairy products anymore and to follow a lactose-free diet, to detoxify the body, but above all because of intolerances. Lactose is indeed one of the most common allergens and can cause annoying symptoms like abdominal bloating, poor digestion, pimples, blackheads.

Most people have problems with milk due to lactase, an enzyme that helps digest cow's milk. Those who choose to follow a lactose-free diet will therefore have to eliminate milk, yogurt, cheese, butter, but also unsuspected foods such as crackers, loaf of bread, wafers and fast food burgers. The shopping list becomes shorter and the food that can be consumed is reduced, even if at the supermarket it is possible to find many alternatives to avoid depriving yourself of certain foods. Let's find out then what are the pros and cons of a lactose-free diet and what happens to our organism when we decide to give up milk and dairy products.

Advantages of a lactose-free diet

The advantages of a diet without milk and derivatives are many: first of all you will be safe from intolerances and allergies. After a few days, you will also notice a more beautiful and luminous skin, healthy skin without imperfections and without rashes and redness. Many people with eczema, pimples and psoriasis have noticed improvements by eliminating dairy products from their diet: this is precisely because dairy products are one of the most common allergens. Abdominal swelling is also removed: lactose causes digestive difficulties and air in the stomach. By eliminating the lactose we could therefore say goodbye also to the swollen belly and feel lighter, also improving digestion. Following a diet without milk and dairy products will also help us lose weight: all because of the fats contained in the cheeses, including those considered "lean", such as ricotta cheese, even more when paired with pasta and bread: fats that are usually deposited on points critics like buttocks, hips and thighs.

What are the disadvantages and risks of a milk and dairy-free diet?

Even if a lactose-free diet can bring us a number of benefits to our body, there are also disadvantages to know. First of all eliminating milk and derivatives from our diet could cause a deficiency of vitamin D and calcium. However, this has sparked a heated debate among nutritionists: according to many nutritionists, in fact, the calcium taken through dairy products can be replaced by consuming other foods, especially green leafy vegetables such as spinach. The same is also true for vitamin D, which we can take through the consumption of fish and eggs. To avoid a shortage, it will therefore be necessary to take the right foods.

Lactose deficiency, especially if you used to consume dairy products every day, or in excessive doses, could cause some symptoms similar to abstinence, such as fatigue and insomnia. This is because, dairy products and cheeses are classified as addictive foods: they contain special proteins, caseins, which act on the brain like opioids. Furthermore, eliminating dairy products completely from our diet also means eliminating important nutrients: their contribution is mainly composed of saturated fats, proteins and cholesterol, which contribute to the formation of cells and tissues.

In addition to vitamin D and calcium, they also contain vitamin A and other mineral salts such as phosphorus and magnesium, which are useful in preventing bone fragility and osteoporosis: integration with other foods containing these nutrients is therefore essential. In addition to fish, eggs, spinach, there are also legumes, meat, broccoli and black cabbage.

Lactose-free diet: what precautions to take

Before starting a lactose-free diet it is essential to seek the advice of your doctor or nutritionist. In the case of intolerance, for example, symptoms can be attenuated by reducing the consumption of those foods that cause greater discomfort to the body, otherwise, as we have already said, it is necessary to supplement them with substitute foods. For those suffering from lactose intolerance the advice is to consume lactose-free foods: in fact there are many lactose-free products that do not alter their nutritional value. Alternatively, milk can be replaced with vegetable drinks such as soy, rice, almond, oat, all highly nutritious foods. There are then dairy products that contain a low amount of lactose, such as yogurt that, during processing, is hydrolyzed by the bacteria that digest it for us: lactose-free yogurt is available for sale, for those who don't want to risk it. Another suggestion could be to consume seasoned cheeses: the aging, in fact, naturally deprives them of lactose. Otherwise you can replace the cheeses with tofu, also known as soy cheese, a completely vegetable product rich in protein.