We know that if you love your Zymil as much as most of our customers you’ll probably use it wherever milk is needed, but specifically how often do you drink Zymil either by itself, as part of a milk drink, or in your tea or coffee?

By Sharon Natoli, Accredited Practising Dietitian and Director of Food & Nutrition Australia

If you’ve recently found out you’re sensitive to lactose, grocery shopping may be more challenging than it used to be. Some sources of lactose are easy to identify, however others can be more tricky. It’s worth keeping in mind however, that many people who are sensitive to lactose can still include a certain amount in their diet without experiencing any negative effects, so small amounts in foods are unlikely to be a problem¹. However, it’s useful to be aware of all sources of lactose in the diet so you can best manage your intake and therefore help keep your symptoms at bay.  To find out more about the foods that contain lactose, the following tips will help.

3 Tips for identifying hidden sources of lactose

1. Check the ingredient list for milk derived ingredients

Lactose is a naturally occurring sugar found in milk so it is also present in ingredients derived, or made from, milk.  These include milk solids, non-fat milk solids, milk powder and yoghurt powder.

2. Dairy free does not mean lactose free

Be aware that a product can be dairy free, however still contain added lactose. This is because lactose can be added to foods as a pure ingredient.  Check for the word lactose in the ingredient list.

3. Check medications and supplements

Lactose can be used as a ‘filler’ in some medications and supplements.  Check the ingredient list on the bottle to identify whether lactose is used in any of your daily medications.

By being aware of all sources of lactose in your diet, you’ll be in control of your daily intake and your daily wellbeing!

1 Brannon PM, Carpenter TO, Fernandez JR, et al. NIH Consensus Development Conference Statement: Lactose Intolerance and Health. NIH Consens State Sci Statements 2010;27.

Despite all the food we ate during Christmas, despite how exhausting the whole festive season was, and despite all the alcohol we’ve consumed, there’s still something utterly invigorating about a new year isn’t there?. It’s a chance to wipe the slate clean, and although there’s a lot of cynicism about how new year’s resolutions aren’t kept, the truth is that a lot of us really do make good on our promises to ourselves too.

So what are your new year’s resolutions? Maybe you’ve been meaning to see a nutritionist to work on a diet plan, maybe you’ve been meaning to get your lactose intolerance properly tested, or just start eating better?

Please share your own resolutions in the comments section – you might be an inspiration for someone else to make a positive change in 2011.