Tag: Glucose and galactose

The vast majority of the world’s population, around 65%, has a reduced ability to digest lactose after infancy. The chemical reaction for breaking down lactose is a hydrolytic process, catalyzed by the enzyme lactase, which splits the disaccharide into two simpler sugars.

An estimated 68% of the world's population struggles to digest lactose, the natural sugar found in milk. If you are among them and have noticed a sweet taste in lactose-free milk, you might wonder: does lactose-free milk have artificial sweeteners? The surprising answer is that for unflavored versions, the sweetness is natural, resulting from the enzymatic process used to make it digestible.

According to the U.S. Dairy industry, an 8-ounce glass of plain cow's milk contains about 12 grams of natural sugar, known as lactose. A frequent question for those managing dietary needs is, **'Has lactose-free milk got less sugar?'**, and the simple answer may surprise you.