Lactose intolerance? YOLO
February 16, 2024 1:39 AM Subscribe
Is there actual science behind the idea that lactose-intolerant people tend to be extra gung-ho about drinking milk and eating cheese despite the consequences?
I am one of those people. Lactose intolerant but I drink cream as a snack. It's a meme at this point - people will other food intolerances will usually do their best to avoid such food, but lactose-intolerant folk seem to be the most enthusiastic about the foods that give our stomachs grief.
I have heard of the stats about 70% of the world being lactose intolerant, though I'm sceptical (usually because media that publicizes that stat tend to imply that all Asians are lactose intolerance and as an Asian born & raised in Asia - there's milk EVERYWHERE). Is it just that there's so many of us that of course the Venn diagram between "can't have lactose" and "will dive headfirst into a pool of whipped cream" would be pretty big?
Is there some weird gene that lactose-intolerant folk have that makes us crave it more? What's the deal?
I am one of those people. Lactose intolerant but I drink cream as a snack. It's a meme at this point - people will other food intolerances will usually do their best to avoid such food, but lactose-intolerant folk seem to be the most enthusiastic about the foods that give our stomachs grief.
I have heard of the stats about 70% of the world being lactose intolerant, though I'm sceptical (usually because media that publicizes that stat tend to imply that all Asians are lactose intolerance and as an Asian born & raised in Asia - there's milk EVERYWHERE). Is it just that there's so many of us that of course the Venn diagram between "can't have lactose" and "will dive headfirst into a pool of whipped cream" would be pretty big?
Is there some weird gene that lactose-intolerant folk have that makes us crave it more? What's the deal?
My intolerance is alliums. I have become very good at exactly skating the line of how much I can have, with occasional indulgences, because hell no I'm not giving up garlic. (Or tree nuts which I also need to limit but they're Yum.)
posted by I claim sanctuary at 5:39 AM on February 16 [2 favorites]
posted by I claim sanctuary at 5:39 AM on February 16 [2 favorites]
Yeah I think that it's not unusual for people eat things that they enjoy even if they know those foods are going to make them fart. I know I do, and I think this is a universal part of the human experience. Speaking of alliums, I make these roasted leeks sometimes and they are so good that I will eat the whole recipe even though I know there's a good chance I will experience some fairly dramatic digestive symptoms as a result.
But also lots of dairy foods (including most of the really cravable ones) are actually low- or no- lactose! Cream has very little lactose in it (something like 0.2g per 100ml). Hard cheeses are close to lactose-free and cultured milk products like yogurt and kefir are low in lactose. You can drink straight dairy milk and do lactose digestion on the inside, but you can also do it on the outside: letting bacteria break down the lactose for you and then eating cheese/yogurt/etc. and/or skimming off the good fatty parts and leaving the lactose behind. Of course these products also keep better than plain milk (especially in pre-refrigeration times), which make them more practical. So yeah, pay attention to which dairy products, if any, actually give you trouble.
Also FWIW it's not quite correct to call the gene for lactose intolerance a "mutation" - it's more like some populations (Northern Europeans, some Kenyan ethnic groups, etc.) have one of several mutations that give them greater lactose tolerance. "Lactose intolerance" is the default.
posted by mskyle at 5:58 AM on February 16 [1 favorite]
But also lots of dairy foods (including most of the really cravable ones) are actually low- or no- lactose! Cream has very little lactose in it (something like 0.2g per 100ml). Hard cheeses are close to lactose-free and cultured milk products like yogurt and kefir are low in lactose. You can drink straight dairy milk and do lactose digestion on the inside, but you can also do it on the outside: letting bacteria break down the lactose for you and then eating cheese/yogurt/etc. and/or skimming off the good fatty parts and leaving the lactose behind. Of course these products also keep better than plain milk (especially in pre-refrigeration times), which make them more practical. So yeah, pay attention to which dairy products, if any, actually give you trouble.
Also FWIW it's not quite correct to call the gene for lactose intolerance a "mutation" - it's more like some populations (Northern Europeans, some Kenyan ethnic groups, etc.) have one of several mutations that give them greater lactose tolerance. "Lactose intolerance" is the default.
posted by mskyle at 5:58 AM on February 16 [1 favorite]
Mod note: Couple comments removed. Please focus on what the OP is asking for: "... actual science behind the idea that lactose-intolerant people tend to be extra gung-ho about drinking milk and eating cheese despite the consequences"
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 6:16 AM on February 16
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 6:16 AM on February 16
I became lactose-intolerant as an adult (I'm mostly white), as did a couple of my siblings. I became highly intolerant while I was pregnant with my kid. Maybe relatedly my partner (who is Irish/Scottish/German) is lactose-intolerant and always has been, and our daughter seems able to handle dairy for now but prefers soy milk to plain cow's milk. I have read that the amount of lactase enzymes people have decreases over time so children are usually able to digest it.
For me some dairy (like ice cream or a bit of cheese) makes me just mildly gassy, others (actual milk) I will have cramps and pain, so I generally try to avoid it as much as possible because I find my system just doesn't want it even when I use a lactase supplement. I use vegan cheeses, have given up yogurt, and rely on soy milk for daily dairy replacement. My partner uses lactose-free milk but otherwise accepts the consequences (which are milder than mine). I have talked to people who are lactose intolerant but will eat pizza at a party because their symptoms don't happen until hours later.
posted by lafemma at 7:51 AM on February 16
For me some dairy (like ice cream or a bit of cheese) makes me just mildly gassy, others (actual milk) I will have cramps and pain, so I generally try to avoid it as much as possible because I find my system just doesn't want it even when I use a lactase supplement. I use vegan cheeses, have given up yogurt, and rely on soy milk for daily dairy replacement. My partner uses lactose-free milk but otherwise accepts the consequences (which are milder than mine). I have talked to people who are lactose intolerant but will eat pizza at a party because their symptoms don't happen until hours later.
posted by lafemma at 7:51 AM on February 16
I don't know much about this but I do know how to poke around google scholar and read research articles. Some interesting highlights that talk at least a little bit about people who eat dairy even though they have some degree of lactose intolerance:
The acceptability of milk and milk products in populations with a high prevalence of lactose intolerance
Prevalence and Presentation of Lactose Intolerance and Effects on Dairy Product Intake in Healthy Subjects and Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome
The prevalence of self-reported lactose intolerance and the consumption of dairy foods among African American adults are less than expected
Lactose Intolerance, Dairy Avoidance, and Treatment Options
- this one is freely accessible, and take note of tables 1-2: they lay out several different causes and a system of nomenclature for various effects beyond just calling everything "lactose intolerance".
For older papers like these, you can usually get a copy from sci-hub.
posted by SaltySalticid at 10:59 AM on February 16 [1 favorite]
The acceptability of milk and milk products in populations with a high prevalence of lactose intolerance
Prevalence and Presentation of Lactose Intolerance and Effects on Dairy Product Intake in Healthy Subjects and Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome
The prevalence of self-reported lactose intolerance and the consumption of dairy foods among African American adults are less than expected
Lactose Intolerance, Dairy Avoidance, and Treatment Options
- this one is freely accessible, and take note of tables 1-2: they lay out several different causes and a system of nomenclature for various effects beyond just calling everything "lactose intolerance".
For older papers like these, you can usually get a copy from sci-hub.
posted by SaltySalticid at 10:59 AM on February 16 [1 favorite]
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Are they though? I know plenty of people with other intolerances (not allergies) who eat the food they are intolerant to. They figure the consequences are worth it. Maybe lactose intolerant folks reckon a bit of stomach disquiet is worth it for that delicious dairy.
Also the symptoms of intolerance can be anything from slight discomfort to you're now BFFs with your toilet. If there's so many lactose intolerant people there's got to be a fair proportion who can have a milkshake occasionally and basically be fine.
Speaking for myself, I don't know for sure that I'm lactose intolerant, but I can get pretty Bad Consequences if I have a heap of milk. Cream and/or icecream is fine though, although I can't have lots and lots, I can probably have a standard dessert type portion. Many cheeses don't have much lactose if at all.
Why do you do it? Do you really suffer after having cream or is not too bad/worth it?
posted by pianissimo at 5:02 AM on February 16 [1 favorite]