About 75% of the world’s population have some degree of lactose intolerance — a digestive disorder that occurs when the small intestine does not produce enough of the enzyme lactase necessary for breaking down the natural sugar in milk.

Many people with lactose intolerance can still consume low to moderate portions of lactose, but some individuals may need to eliminate it from their diet completely to avoid experiencing symptoms like bloating and gas.

Here are the symptoms of lactose intolerance and how you can avoid them by making some simple dietary changes.

• Bloating
• Diarrhea
• Stomach cramps
• Nausea
• Vomiting

Here are a few substitutes for dairy products that can alleviate your symptoms:

Milk

• Cashew milk
• Oat milk
• Almond milk

Cheese

• Egg whites or tofu 
• Almond/cashew cheese 
• Boiled potatoes and carrots blended

Yogurt

• Coconut yogurt
• Almond yogurt
• Cashew yogurt

If you get symptoms after consuming even small amounts of lactose, you should always read nutrition labels. Many non-dairy foods contain lactose, such as bread and baked goods, processed meats like hotdogs and lunch meats to name a few.