Why may yogurt be easier to consume for people with low lactase levels?

Yogurt is often easier to consume for individuals with low levels of lactase because of the role played by lactic-acid bacteria during its production.

Lactase is the enzyme responsible for breaking down lactose, or milk sugar, into simpler sugars that the body can absorb. When individuals have a deficiency in this enzyme, they experience lactose intolerance, where undigested lactose ferments in the gastrointestinal tract, causing distress.1

During the creation of yogurt, specific bacteria—typically Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus—are added to milk. These lactic-acid bacteria perform fermentation, a process that converts carbohydrates into lactic acid. By breaking down the lactose present in the milk during this fermentation process, the bacteria reduce the amount of lactose that the consumer must digest, making the final product more tolerable for those with low lactase levels.231