Is almond milk right for you?

If you’re one of the 50 million North Americans who can’t digest lactose, you’ll need other sources of calcium and vitamin D3. Kevin Soden, MD, makes some helpful recommendations.

Transcript

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Up to 50 million adults in North America can't digest lactose. If you're off dairy, you'll need other sources

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of calcium and vitamin D3.

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Hi. I'm Dr. Soden here with a smart tip for folks with lactose intolerance. If that's you, you already know about the digestive discomfort

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caused by lactose, a naturally occurring sugar found in cow's milk. You're not alone.

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Up to 50 million adults in North America can't digest lactose. That includes 90% of Asians, 75% of African-Americans,

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and almost half of people of Mediterranean descent. Many Jewish people, Mexican-Americans, and Native Americans also have a tough time with dairy.

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If you're off dairy, you'll need other sources of calcium and vitamin D3. For calcium, try dark, leafy greens, sardines, salmon,

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and beans, plus a 600-milligram daily supplement. For D3, turn to salmon, canned albacore tuna,

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and a daily supplement of 1,000 international units of vitamin D3. But you still need something to pour over your morning cereal.

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Enter unsweetened almond milk. 1 cup of almond milk has healthy fats, 50% of the recommended daily allowance for vitamin E and B12,

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45% of your calcium, and 25% of your vitamin D. It has a mild, nutty flavor that goes well with cereal

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and even your morning coffee. I'm Dr. Soden. For more ways to nourish your health, watch all our smart tips.