🧪 Lactose
Also known as: milk sugar
Milk sugar, ~4.8%.
Lactose is milk sugar. It is found almost only in the milk of mammals. A lactose molecule is made of two simple sugars: glucose and galactose. Its chemical formula is C12H22O11. Cow's milk contains about 4.8% lactose, or roughly 4.8 g per 100 ml. It is the main carbohydrate in milk: it provides about 40% of the calories in whole milk.
Lactose is hardly sweet: it is 3–5 times less sweet than ordinary sugar. For the body to absorb it, it needs an enzyme called lactase. Lactase splits lactose into glucose and galactose. If there is too little lactase, lactose moves further down the gut, bacteria feed on it there, and bloating and stomach pain follow. This is called lactose intolerance.
Lactic acid bacteria also feed on lactose and turn it into lactic acid. That is why kefir and yogurt have less lactose than milk. A lot of lactose goes into the whey when cheese is made, and it is extracted from whey for industry. Lactose is added to infant formula and used as a base for tablets. Lactose also turns up in unexpected places: in baked goods, sauces, salad dressings and protein shakes.
How it connects to milk
Links
- Where it is found
- 🥛 Milk, 🥛 Breast milk, 🥛 Donkey milk, 🧀 Whey
- What it gives
- 🧪 Lactic acid
- What it affects
- ❤️ Lactose intolerance
- Wine and milk
- 🍷 Grape sugar, 🍷 Glucose
Frequently asked questions
How much lactose is in milk?
Cow's milk has about 4.8 g of lactose per 100 ml, which is roughly 12 g in a glass. The milk of other animals usually has from 2 to 8%.
Is there lactose in cheese and yogurt?
Yes, but less than in milk. Some lactose goes into the whey, and some is eaten by the starter bacteria.
Is lactose a sugar?
Yes, it is a natural milk sugar made of glucose and galactose. It is much less sweet than ordinary sugar.
History
Similar
🧪 Whey protein · 🧪 Water · 🧪 Phosphorus · 🧪 Vitamin B12 · 🧪 Vitamin A · 🦴 Calcium