Should people who are lactose-intolerant take pills that allow them to eat milk products?
Dr. Paige: People should be encouraged to follow a diet that is culturally appropriate for them. Encouraging Asians in the United States to drink milk when this was not a traditional part of the diet may not be appropriate. Encouraging lactose-intolerant African Americans to abandon the consumption of “pot liquor,” the calcium-rich water in which collard greens and other broad leafy greens were cooked, in favor of milk is neither respectful of the culture nor nutritionally appropriate. Individuals who have traditionally consumed milk and discover increasing intolerance in older age, and who wish to continue drinking milk, can consume a lactose-hydrolyzed milk.
