asanta - 29 February 2012 11:31 PM

You didn’t address George’s comment about lactose intolerance. I’m thinking a majority of the muslim population is lactose intolerant after infancy.

Does it make a difference if it is the child’s mother’s milk?  If I recall correctly the Quran indicates that a child should be breastfed the 1st two years of life.

Lactose Intolerance:

  Most mammals - after weaning- lose the ability to produce lactase and thereby split the disaccharide lactose into its monosaccharide components.  Thus those people who retain the ability to produce lactase into adulthood should perhaps be considered to be the exception rather than the rule.

  Lactose is cleaved by lactase in the small intestine where it is absorbed.  However, if you don’t have lactase, then the lactose passes into the large intestine where the bacteria there have a big party with it, make a lot of gas, and in general have a real ball causing discomfort to their human host.
TT.