Does Powdered Milk Have Lactose?
Powdered milk is exactly what it sounds like. Also known as dried milk, or milk powder, it is a manufactured dairy product made by pasteurizing milk and thereafter evaporating it to the point of dryness. This process can be done whether at a factory or even at home.
Either way, none of its health benefits are depleted because a slow heating process is used so that the minerals and vitamins remain intact.
Why powdered milk?
In recent times, many have chosen powdered milk as being more convenient and so opted for it instead of its liquid counterpart because of the acclaimed safety and hygienic standards that its perceived to be prepared with.
For starters, many believe that because the milk is dried, the moisture content is reduced and therefore it can last longer and be better preserved. In this regard, research has it that dried milk has a longer shelf life than liquid milk and does not need to be refrigerated.
Does Powdered Milk Have Lactose?
However, even with the seeming benefits of dried milk which seem to outweigh the disadvantages, there are still concerns as to whether powdered milk contains lactose or not.
Indeed, more people are becoming aware of the need to regulate and control their health and lifestyle by adjusting their food choices. Hence, this bugging question.
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Resolving the query, ‘Does Powdered Milk Have Lactose’
In attempting to answer this question, it is important to state that the principal constituents of milk are water, fat, proteins, lactose (milk sugar) and minerals (salts), with lactose making up around 2- 8 percent. Lactose is the natural sugar found in milk and other dairy products made from milk like yoghurt and ice cream.
It is formed when two other sugars, glucose and galactose join together. Both glucose and galactose which are simpler sugars broken down by an enzyme called lactase, are used by our bodies for energy and various other functions.
Does Powdered Milk Have Lactose?
Yes! In a general sense, all milk, including powdered milk, contain lactose in different levels. However, plant based milk like coconut milk, soya-bean milk, oat milk do not contain lactose unlike animal based milk.
Believe it or not, powdered milk still contains lactose. It actually starts out as regular fluid or liquid milk. During processing, the milk goes into an evaporation tank until about one-third of the fluid evaporates.
After the evaporation stage, all batches get mixed together to form uniform milk products. The manufacturers simply add or take away milk fat as needed until the batch has a consistent amount of fat. The end result is a fine powder. Hence, the term ‘powdered milk.’ So, from the above process, powdered milk does not lose its lactose in between this process.
However, there are still claims that powdered milk has lower quantity of lactose. Indeed, dried milk made a hit in the global market with the introduction of low lactose powdered milk formula.
The idea was originally developed in 1995 for military personnel and over the years has been embraced by many in form of skimmed milk, in various ranges of full cream, instant cream and evaporated milk.
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Other alternatives
Surprisingly, lactose-free milk does exist although nothing exists to show whether it is mainly powdered or in liquid form. Companies now produce lactose-free milk by simply adding lactase to regular milk, thus breaking down the lactose in the regular milk into simple sugars that are easier to digest.
Therefore, since we have cleared the air as to the fact that powdered milk contains lactose, it only means that even with the introduction of lactose-free milk, no milk is totally free of lactose. All we can get is that the quantity of lactose in milk can be reduced to a bare minimum to accommodate persons who are lactose intolerant.
Note to lactose Intolerant Folks?
1. Read labels before buying food of any sort, including milk. Its funny how you would not know that some random medications sold over the counter contain lactose.
2. It is also expedient to look out for obvious ranges like whey, nougat, curds and milk by- products especially animal-based milk, all of which contain lactose.
3. If you cannot completely avoid these, another solution would be to take an enzyme supplement. These are over-the-counter medications available in either tablet or liquid drops, which play the role of lactase in your gut, to help break down the lactose no matter the amount, to simpler sugars.
However, be careful to take them before eating or drinking so that they activate themselves in time.
4. Try lactose alternatives, if you really have to. This is because it can be difficult for many to cut off lactose completely from their food or diet especially as milk and other dairy products are an important source of calcium and other nutrients our bodies need.
Whatever be the case, our final note will be to always speak to and consult your doctor before administering these medications first, to determine if they are generally safe for you.