Choose at least 3 non-dairy foods that contain at least 20%
or 200 mg calcium.
Recognize 2 symptoms of lactose intolerance.
Identify 2 tips on how to manage dairy products.
First name
Last name
Birthday of name entered above
Why do we need calcium in our
diets?
Calcium plays a critical role in building strong and healthy
bones. It is also essential for bone and teeth development and
maintenance, muscle contraction and nerve transmission. A deficiency
can lead to heart palpitations, muscle cramps, and tooth/bone
weakening.
Activity 1:
Most of us have trouble getting enough calcium in our daily diets. It is
estimated that roughly 75% of Americans don't get the recommended amounts of
calcium that they need on a daily basis. When you don't consume enough
calcium, your body robs what it needs from your bones and weakens them.
This puts you at risk for a disease called:
arthritis
osteoarthritis
osteoporosis
Milk products are the richest source of dietary calcium, yet some people
have problems digesting these dairy products. When a person cannot
digest lactose, the sugar in milk, they may have lactose intolerance.
What is Lactose Intolerance?
True lactose intolerance means that your body has trouble processing the
lactose that is in milk and other dairy products (It is not an
allergy). Your body has an enzyme called lactase which breaks apart the
lactose in the milk. People with lactose intolerance have difficulty
digesting milk because their bodies don't have enough lactase. You need
lactase to fully break down the lactose into a simple sugar that your body can
use. However, most children can tolerate lactose.
African-American, Mexican-American, and American Indian children and Asian
Pacific Islanders are more likely than Caucasian children to be lactose
intolerant. Even if a child is diagnosed with lactose intolerance, he
can usually drink one to two cups of milk a day without experiencing abdominal
discomfort.
A doctor can determine true lactose intolerance by conducting a hydrogen
breath test. If you think that you or your child may be lactose
intolerant, talk to your doctor. AVOID TRYING TO DIAGNOSE
YOURSELF.
Even if your doctor diagnoses you with lactose intolerance, you can still
drink milk. You will have to test your tolerance. Start off with a
small amount and gradually increase the portion size until you notice
symptoms.
Once again, lactose intolerance is one type of food
intolerance. It's
not an allergy. Milk allergies occur when the body's immune system
reacts to the protein in milk. Lactose
intolerance occurs when the body has trouble breaking down the milk sugar.
If are lactose intolerant you may experience some symptoms such as
bloating, nausea, gas, diarrhea, and abdominal discomfort after eating or
drinking foods containing lactose. Many people have less severe symptoms
and can handle a glass of milk. Others may feel discomfort after
drinking a small amount.
Activity 2:
1. Can you name 2 symptoms of Lactose
Intolerance?
1.
2.
2. Answer: True or False
1.
Lactose intolerance is the same as being allergic to milk.
True
False
2.
If I have lactose intolerance, I can't tolerate any milk or dairy
products at all.
True
False
3.
If I have the symptoms of lactose intolerance, I should consult a
physician and avoid diagnosing myself.
True
False
If I am Lactose Intolerant does that
mean I can't eat any dairy products?
There are still some dairy products you may be able to eat without the
symptoms. Cheese is often well tolerated. More than half the
amount of lactose is removed when cheese is made. Aged, hard cheeses
such as Cheddar, Colby, Swiss and Parmesan are low in lactose which makes it
easier to digest.
Yogurt is another dairy product that can be digested without the symptoms
of lactose intolerance. Choose the yogurt that contains "lactobacillus".
This is a "friendly" bacteria used to make yogurt and helps you
digest the lactose.
Some people can tolerate one to two cups of milk a
day. The trick is
to drink it with other foods. Don't drink milk on an empty
stomach. Eating solid foods with a serving of dairy products will help
to slow the digestion of lactose which in turn helps to alleviate some of the
symptoms of lactose intolerance.
You can reduce the lactose in dairy products by adding lactase drops to
milk. WIC also offers you a choice of acidophilus milk. In this
milk, the amount of lactose is reduced. In addition to this, Lactaid
milk is available on store shelves. Lactaid is a milk, but the milk
sugar has already been digested by the lactase enzyme. You will need to
see a nutritionist to determine if you need a special food package to obtain
this kind of milk. *Remember, if your child in under 2 years and receives the
lactaid milk you will need to provide extra fat in his diet. Lactaid
milk is only offered in low fat. Children under 2 years need whole milk
for the extra fat.
Lactose-reduce milk contains the same amounts of protein, vitamins A, D and
riboflavin, and the minerals calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium as regular
milk. Some lactose-reduced milk is also calcium fortified. Check
the Nutrition Facts label for the amounts of nutrients in milk.
Activity 3:
1. Can you identify 2 tips on
managing dairy products with lactose intolerance?
1.
2.
Do other non-dairy foods contain
lactose?
Some non-dairy foods may include ingredients that contain lactose. The
ingredient list on food packages informs you of lactose-containing ingredients
in the food. Although dairy products are the most common sources of
lactose, some nondairy processed or baked foods contain smaller amounts.
People who have symptoms of lactose intolerance when they consume small
amounts of milk or dairy products should look for words such as:
*whey
*lactose
*nonfat milk solids
*buttermilk
*malted milk
*margarine
*sweet
*sour cream
Some breads, dry cereals, cookies, instant soups, breakfast drinks, and
milk chocolate contain small amounts of lactose. Ask a pharmacist if
medications you take contain lactose.
Can I get calcium from non-dairy
products?
You can certainly obtain calcium from non-dairy products. A lot of
foods are now fortified with calcium. Fortified means 'to strengthen
or enrich'. For example you can now buy 'V-8' juice fortified with 30%
calcium along with fortified orange juice. Dark green leafy vegetables and
beans contain calcium. There are other food groups that contain calcium. You
will need to practice reading food labels to determine how much calcium is in
a certain food.
With today's food labels, consumers get:
nutrition information about almost every food in the grocery store
distinctive, easy-to-read formats that enable consumers to more
quickly find the information they need to make healthful food
choices
information on the amount per serving of saturated fat,
cholesterol, dietary fiber, and other nutrients of major health
concern
nutrient reference values, expressed as %
Daily Values, that help consumers see how a food fits into an
overall daily diet
uniform definitions for terms that describe a food's nutrient
content--such as "light," "low-fat," and
"high-fiber"--to ensure that such terms mean the same for
any product on which they appear
claims about the relationship between a nutrient or food and a
disease or health-related condition, such as calcium
and osteoporosis, and fat and cancer. These are helpful for
people who are concerned about eating foods that may help keep them
healthier longer.
Below is a list of foods that contain calcium. On the Nutrition Label
calcium is listed in %. If a food has 250mg of calcium, the Nutrition
Label will list it as 25% calcium. Take a look at the different foods
that contain calcium.
*The foods that are highlighted are non-dairy products.
Food Item
serving size
% calcium
mg of calcium
Calcium fortified orange juice (read
label; cereal differ)
You
have completed the Child Class on “Lactose Intolerance”.If you have any questions or comments, please e-mail one of our
nutritionists.We’ll be glad to
answer any of your questions. Continue scrolling to check your answers.
Osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis means porous bones. This bone-crippling disease
affects half of all American women over age 50.
Activity
2:
Symptoms
of Lactose Intolerance include: bloating, nausea, gas, diarrhea,
and abdominal discomfort.
True or False:
1. False. Milk allergies occur when the body's immune system
reacts to the protein in milk. Lactose Intolerance occurs when the
body has trouble breaking down the milk sugar.
2. False. Different people can handle different amounts of
lactose. Some studies have shown that most poeple with lactose
intolerance can still drink some milk and eat dairy products.
3. True. Avoid diagnosing yourself; always consult a
physician.
Activity
3:
1.
Eat cheese
2. Eat yogurt
drink milk on full stomach
add lactase enzymes
Try lactose-reduced milk
Activity
4:
1.
Look at chart for answers
2. Hopefully, YES!
3. Add fortified Orange Juice to your breakfast.
4. Fortified Orange Juice
Calcium fortified V-8 juice
Calcium fortified cereal
Canned salmon with bones
Canned sardines with bones
Tofu processed with calcium sulfate
*
If you have an extra minute, please fill out our survey on the WIC home page
(where you chose this class) so we can better serve you. Thanks.
