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If you're lactose intolerant, you're probably all too familiar with the "intestinal distress" (abdominal cramping and bloating, gas, or diarrhea) you suffer each time you consume milk or some other dairy product. These unpleasant symptoms are caused by your body's inability to properly digest milk sugar, or lactose. So it's likely that you steer clear of these calcium-rich foods and risk a deficiency of this mineral that's so vital to your overall well being, as well as your dental health.
Here are ten ways to get calcium into your diet, even if you're lactose intolerant:
1. Continue to eat dairy foods, but space your servings several hours apart.
2. Eat other foods, for example, a piece of fruit, a high carbohydrate food, or a protein-rich food, together with the dairy item.
3. Try eating hard, aged cheeses like cheddar or Swiss; they contain less lactose than milk.
4. Yogurt with active cultures, or bacteria, contain enzymes that break down the lactose, so you don't suffer the ill effects.
5. Try reduced-lactose milk and cheese, available at most grocery stores.
6. You can purchase a liquid that you add to milk that breaks down most of the lactose; add a few drops to milk before drinking.
7. You can also take special enzymes in pill form before consuming dairy products. The enzymes help your body digest the lactose.
8. Calcium- and vitamin D-fortified soy milk, a non-dairy milk substitute, is available in health food stores and many larger grocery stores. Check the label and purchase the brand that contains the most calcium.
9. You can also buy calcium-fortified orange juice. Like soy milk, the calcium content varies by brand, so read labels and compare.
10. Finally, many non-dairy foods are rich in calcium. Try broccoli, kale and collard greens, canned sardines or salmon (eaten without removing the small bones), or tofu.