lactose

Everyday

Lactose is the natural sugar found in milk and in foods made from milk, such as cheese, yoghurt and ice cream. tree →

In the lessons

In science and health lessons, some people are «lactose intolerant»: their bodies cannot break down lactose well, so milk gives them tummy aches, wind or diarrhoea. They may drink lactose-free milk or plant milks. Common phrases: «lactose intolerant», «lactose intolerance», «lactose-free milk», «milk sugar».

Examples

• Lactose is the sugar in milk. tree →
• My friend is lactose intolerant, so she drinks lactose-free milk. tree →
• Hard cheeses contain very little lactose. tree →
• Lactose intolerance can cause tummy pains. tree →
• The yoghurt label says «contains lactose». tree →
• Babies get lactose from breast milk. tree →
• Many people around the world cannot digest lactose well as adults. tree →

Note

Uncountable. Say LAK-toes. Trap: lactose intolerance is not the same as a milk allergy — an allergy is a reaction to milk proteins and can be dangerous. Words ending in «-ose» are often sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose).