Lactose Intolerance: A Pumpkin Pie for the Rest of Us

For some people, pizza and ice cream are treats to look forward to.  But for others, pizza and ice cream eaten at the same meal could result in an rearward explosion.  What am I talking about?  It’s called Lactose Intolerance. 

The inability to digest lactose, a sugar found in milk and other dairy products, results in painful cramps and diarrhea for those unlucky enough to be in the club.  Surprisingly, there are only about 100 clinical trials involving treatment for  lactose intoleranct patients listed on PubMed, despite the fact that almost 75% of adults worldwide are affected to some degree. 

People with lactose intolerance generally tolerate fermented dairy products such as yogurt or kefir better than non-fermented dairy products, because the bacteria have digested the lactose for you already. Probiotics, or healthy gut-dwelling bacteria such as acidophilus, are found in an increasingly wider variety of foods.  Supplementation with probiotics has been found anecdotally and in some trials to improve symptoms of lactose intolerance, but in a systematic review of all available trials of probiotics for lactose intolerance, Levri et al found no aggregate benefit.   The authors concede that further studies of particular strains or preparations may yeild more consistent positive results. 

Another more popular treatment option includes the use of chewable lactase tablets to be taken at the time a dairy product is consumed.  Lactase is an the enzyme missing in lactose intolerant persons that facilitates digestion of the sugar.  Sanders et al found that lactase tablets reduced the severity of lactose intolerance symptoms such as abdominal cramping, belching, flatulence, and diarrhea 8 hours after dairy consumption.  Bloating was reduced for the next 8 hours. 

Other options for treatment might include reducing dairy intake and taking calcium and vitamin D supplementation instead. 

This Thanksgiving, instead of being a “party pooper” (pun intended) and making pumpkin pies with dairy, give your lactose intolerant guests a chance to enjoy the bounty, and make this recipe for a dark chocolate butternut squash pie that is dairy-free.

Butternut Squash Pie for the Lactose Intolerant

1 butternut squash (peeled/seeded/diced)(makes about two cups)
4 star anise
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3 extra large eggs
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1 oz 100% cacao (unsweetened Ghirardelli chocolate), finely chopped
2 tablespoons of all purpose flour

1. Peel, seed and chop a whole butternut squash
2. Put in a pot with the star anise,  cover with water and boil until soft (about 40 minutes).
3. Drain water and discard the star anise.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
5. In a large bowl, mash the squash and mix in all ingredients except for eggs until smooth.  The warmth of the mixture will melt the finely chopped chocolate.
4. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
5. Mix in the eggs when the mixture is almost room temperature.
6. Pour mixture into a store-made or homemade pie crust and bake for 45 to 50 minutes at
350 degrees.

Serve warm, or better yet, after several hours of refrigeration.  Enjoy!

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Carolyn
Posts: 1

Squash Pie
Reply #1 on : Tue December 29, 2009, 12:19:04

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Pumpkin or squash pies are usually made with cream or canned milk, which forms a custard consistency with the eggs. Have you tried using one of the milk substitutes, such as Lactaid, in place of the milk, to see if you can achieve a pie that is almost like the traditional dish?

Just wondering. Yours sounds good.

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