Benefits of Lactose For Infants Health

Lactose is a molecule known as disaccharide, a kind of predominant sugar that is found in breastmilk. It constitutes and delivers around 40 percent of energy to the consumer. It is widely considered as an optimum, ideal, and natural food for babies. It naturally helps babies with digestion. 

Benefits of Lactose For Infants Health
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Moreover, it is recommended by the World Health Organisation and top lactation consultants worldwide that exclusive breastfeeding is necessary for infants for up to 6 to 12 months for them to prevent diseases and stay healthy. In some places, it is also recommended to continue breastfeeding for about 24 months if conveniently possible for the mother. 

Mechanism and Components of Lactose: 

As mentioned above, lactose is a disaccharide meaning it’s sugar molecules contain two monosaccharide residues in it. It is formed by glucose and galactose that are linked through a glycosidic bond. The molecules of lactose help in digesting the enzyme lactase which is mainly present in the border membrane of the small intestine. 

In addition, the undigested lactose later continues to gather in the colon where it is stirred and fermented with the help of colonic microbiota. Lactate also assists in the function of continuing the digestion of lactose by producing fatty acids in the form of short-chains. 

Moreover, the prebiotic effect of lactose is considered to give rise to bifidobacteria and lactobacilli if not digested properly. This process serves as a recovering factor for the intestinal flora. This means that the bacteria, archaea and fungi that are present in the digestive tracts of humans known as the gut bacteria are improved through lactose, fermented and prebiotic foods. 

Increased awareness and education for mothers and pregnant women is important to prepare them for breastfeeding. It helps the babies in maintaining lactation which provides a complete and balanced diet to the child during pregnancy and after birth. The purpose is, it offers the properties of a wide and diverse range of foods for the baby through the mother’s diet. 

In addition to that, lactose consumption also provides increased mineral absorption that helps in lowering of pH. Moreover, it is considered that the rise of osmotic pressure increases the mineral solubility and enhances the transportation and circulation of calcium and other minerals inside the body.

 Nutritional Superiority of Breastfeeding 

Here we have mentioned the advantages and nutritional benefits of breastfeeding for infants as it contains a big amount of lactose in it. 

During the first week of delivery, the breast milk of a mother becomes yellow in color with stickiness. This phase is known as colostrum which is considered to be highly nutritious for the baby after the first few days of birth. 

The properties this milk contains include high levels of protein, anti-infective properties, vitamin A, etc. All of this works in the favour of infants' immune system and protects them from catching any virus or infection in the early stages of development. 

For women who are not able to breastfeed their baby can always choose the alternative of formula milk. Formula milk is formed to resemble breastmilk and contains high levels of lactose molecules in it. This Netherlands baby formula is best for this reason. Make sure to consult with your health care professional first.