Lactose tolerance test: Your doctor needs to administer this test. First, you fast overnight and in the morning before being tested. Your doctor will take a blood sample and then give you a drink with 50 grams of lactose (milk contains about 12 grams/glass). Two hours after you drink the lactose-laced beverage, your doctor will take another blood sample. If you are not lactose intolerant, your blood-sugar level will rise because your body is able to break down the sugar. If you are lactose intolerant, your blood sugar either won't rise, or will not rise completely. If you have a lactose problem, you're also likely to have bloating, cramps, and diarrhea.

Hydrogen breath test: For this test, you simply breathe into a bag to collect a sample of the gasses in your breath. Then you drink a solution containing a little lactose and breathe into another bag. These samples are sent to a laboratory where methane and hydrogen gasses are tested. Methane levels are usually zero to seven parts per million (ppm). If the level between your two samples is 12 ppm or more, you are lactose intolerant. Hydrogen is normally 10 ppm, but people who are lactose intolerant often have 20 ppm after ingesting dairy. Some hydrogen breath tests only measure hydrogen. But any undigested carbohydrates (either sugars or starches) will cause more hydrogen to be released. So if you're using this test, be sure you're being tested for both methane and hydrogen. Don't do this test when you're taking antibiotics, since antibiotics destroy the bacteria that help break down carbohydrates, and the test won't be accurate.

Stool acidity test: When undigested lactose is broken down by intestinal bacteria, various acids – like lactic acid – are produced. So a high amount of acid in the stool is a good indication of potential lactose intolerance. While lactose tolerance and hydrogen breath tests are more accurate, they are not completely safe for children and infants. This test is. If you suspect a child has difficulty digesting milk sugars, you can simply get their stool examined for acidity or eliminate all dairy and see if their symptoms are reduced.

Good-tasting dairy alternatives
Being lactose intolerant isn't as bad as it may seem at first. In the past, it was difficult to find tasty substitutes for dairy. Now it just takes a little time and effort. Once you've found non-dairy foods you enjoy, it's simple. After attending conferences on natural foods over the years and testing hundreds of samples on friends and patients, here are a few suggestions I've come up with. The products I'm listing here were those the majority of people liked.

Creme de la Soy is a non-dairy, lactose-free, creamer made by Westsoy, that may be used in coffee, tea, and other beverages. It contains no hydrogenated oils and comes in original, amaretto, and vanilla flavoring.

Imagine Foods has delicious creamy Portobello mushroom, squash, and broccoli soups (using soy milk) packaged in boxes. Stock up on a few and just heat, or use as a base for other soups. Or puree half of any soup you make for a thicker and creamier consistency. You can also blend in tofu or a can of drained, rinsed, navy beans, which increases the protein content and results in a thick, creamy soup.

While they're not low in sugar or fat, delicious ice cream substitutes include Imagine Foods' Rice Dream Supreme and Soy Dream frozen desserts. They taste like the real thing. Try other brands and see if there are other ice cream substitutes you like. And remember that sorbets contain no dairy.