Boiling milk does not remove lactose. There are, however solutions for those who are lactose intolerant and don’t have access to lactose-free milk. Lactase enzymes can be added to regular milk to remove lactose, you can drink milk that is naturally lower in lactose , add foods high in calcium to your diet to replace the need for milk or you can take lactase tablets. All of these are effective solutions for a lactose intolerant person to get proper nutrients while avoiding the discomforts of lactose intolerance.

Lactase Enzymes

Lactase enzymes can be purchased in drops that are added to milk. Add 30 drops of lactase enzyme to half a gallon of milk and allow it to sit refrigerated for 24 hours before consuming. This process will remove 99 percent of lactose from milk. Because lactose is a sugar that naturally occurs in milk, lactase treated milk may taste a little sweeter than regular cows milk. The sweetness is mild and may not even be noticed by some. Lactase drops can be found at most grocery or drug stores.

Milk Alternatives

Goat’s milk, soy milk and rice milk are all effective substitutes for regular cow’s milk for those who are lactose intolerant. Soy milk and rice milk are both milk alternatives that are naturally lactose-free because they are not derived from animals. Both soy and rice milk taste different from cow’s milk, but are very similar in texture and viscosity. Goat’s milk is very similar in flavor to cow’s milk and, although it does still contain lactose, goat’s milk is easier for the human body to digest than cow’s milk because it is absorbed more readily to the intestines and can be consumed by most lactose intolerant individuals without the usual negative effects of cow’s milk.

Diet Alterations

Eat dairy products that contain much lower levels of lactose. Buttermilk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream and frozen yogurts all contain calcium but much lower levels of lactose as an effect of the processing that they go through. Eat these items in smaller 3 to 4 oz. portions at a time and gradually build up to larger portions to measure the effect on you. Leafy greens, oysters, sardines, salmon, shrimp, broccoli and calcium enriched juices can be added back to a no milk diet. All of these foods can be eaten to make up the 1,200 to 1,500 mg of calcium daily that the United States Department of Agriculture suggests.

Lactase Tablets

Lactase tablets are very similar to lactase drops in the way that they contain the enzyme lactase that breaks down lactose. Lactase tablets are taken prior to eating food containing milk because they are effective in breaking down the lactase as it is digested. Multiple forms of the tablets are made to either be chewed or swallowed whole and are available at most grocery and drug stores.