Is Nestlé Bear Brand milk suitable for lactose intolerant people?

Is Bear Brand lactose free?

No. On Nestle’s Philippines product page for Bear Brand Fortified Powdered Milk Drink, the allergen line ‘This product contains’ lists lactose. The page does not call the product lactose-free or low-lactose. Another Nestle Philippines page for the 1.9 kg pack could not be opened by us (403), so we cannot quote its text. Bear Brand products differ by country, so check the label of the one you buy.

How much lactose does it have?

We found no official lactose figure for Bear Brand. The Nestle page gives a serving of 3 tablespoons (33 g) in a 200 mL glass of water but its nutrition facts are an image we could not read. For comparison, USDA lists whole cows’ milk at 5.05 g lactose per 100 g.

What does lactose intolerance cause?

The NHS says symptoms start a few minutes to a few hours after food or drink containing lactose: tummy pain, bloating, wind, diarrhoea or constipation, and feeling sick. Symptoms can often be prevented by eating smaller portions of lactose-containing foods or avoiding them. The NHS also says a lactase supplement taken before lactose may help some people, and not to cut out foods without advice from a GP or dietitian.

What counts as lactose-free?

Rules differ by country. In India, FSSAI defines low lactose milk as under 1% lactose and lactose free milk as under 0.1%. Nestle’s Philippines lactose article suggests lactose-free or lactose-reduced milks such as soymilk, and does not describe Bear Brand as lactose-free.