: a disaccharide sugar C12H22O11 that is present in milk and yields glucose and galactose upon hydrolysis and yields especially lactic acid upon fermentation
Examples of lactose in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Lactase supplements are mostly used by people who have difficulty digesting lactose found in dairy products.
—
Brittany Lubeck, Ms, Rdn, Verywell Health, 7 Mar. 2024
This intolerance is when your body can’t properly break down a sugar in milk called lactose, causing GI symptoms like bloating or diarrhea.
—Toby Amidor, Rd, Health, 23 Mar. 2024
The carbohydrate sources are corn syrup solids and lactose, and the protein comes from whey.
—Lainey Younkin, Ms, Rd, Parents, 15 Mar. 2024
Therefore, people who have difficulty digesting lactose can still absorb calcium from dairy products.
—Brittany Lubeck, Ms, Rdn, Verywell Health, 7 Mar. 2024
Compared with compound proteins, isolates contain more protein and less fat, carbs, and lactose, the latter of which can cause GI distress and digestion issues for some, Dr. Titchenal explains.
—Jenny McCoy, Glamour, 2 Feb. 2024
Certain medical conditions, such as celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease, can lead to secondary lactose intolerance.
—Erica Lamberg, Fox News, 8 Feb. 2024
This enzyme breaks down the lactose sugar into two smaller, digestible components.
—USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2024
Sugars like fructose, sucrose, and dietary glucose are found naturally in many fruits and vegetables, while maltose is found in many grains and lactose is found in dairy products, per Harvard Medical School.
—Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2024
Brittany Lubeck, Ms, Rdn, Verywell Health, 7 Mar. 2024
This intolerance is when your body can’t properly break down a sugar in milk called lactose, causing GI symptoms like bloating or diarrhea.
—Toby Amidor, Rd, Health, 23 Mar. 2024
The carbohydrate sources are corn syrup solids and lactose, and the protein comes from whey.
—Lainey Younkin, Ms, Rd, Parents, 15 Mar. 2024
Therefore, people who have difficulty digesting lactose can still absorb calcium from dairy products.
—Brittany Lubeck, Ms, Rdn, Verywell Health, 7 Mar. 2024
Compared with compound proteins, isolates contain more protein and less fat, carbs, and lactose, the latter of which can cause GI distress and digestion issues for some, Dr. Titchenal explains.
—Jenny McCoy, Glamour, 2 Feb. 2024
Certain medical conditions, such as celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease, can lead to secondary lactose intolerance.
—Erica Lamberg, Fox News, 8 Feb. 2024
This enzyme breaks down the lactose sugar into two smaller, digestible components.
—USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2024
Sugars like fructose, sucrose, and dietary glucose are found naturally in many fruits and vegetables, while maltose is found in many grains and lactose is found in dairy products, per Harvard Medical School.
—Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lactose.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near lactose
Cite this Entry
“Lactose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lactose. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
lactose
noun
lac·tose
ˈlak-ˌtōs 
: a sugar present in milk that breaks down to give glucose and galactose and on fermentation gives especially lactic acid
called also milk sugar
Medical Definition
lactose
noun
lac·tose
ˈlak-ˌtōs, -ˌtōz
: a disaccharide sugar C12H22O11 that is present in milk, yields glucose and galactose upon hydrolysis, yields especially lactic acid upon fermentation, and is used chiefly in foods, medicines, and culture media (as for the manufacture of penicillin)
called also milk sugar
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