Question

8. A student eats breakfast every morning that includes milk and peanut butter toast. One day, she feels bloated and uncomfortable afterward. Her teacher explains that some people cannot digest lactose—the sugar in milk—because they no longer produce the enzyme lactase. Meanwhile, the student reads that peanut butter and wheat bread together can form a complete protein by providing all the essential amino acids. She wonders if the discomfort is due to not having all the amino acids she needs, or if it’s connected to the milkThe student decides to drink almond milk instead of cow’s milk for a week, and she feels much better.

What best explains why the student felt uncomfortable after drinking milk but not after switching to almond milk?

Responses

A. Cow’s milk lacks enough protein for digestion, while almond milk provides all amino acids needed.
A. Cow’s milk lacks enough protein for digestion, while almond milk provides all amino acids needed.

B. Cow’s milk carbohydrates were stored as glycogen, making her stomach feel bloated.
B. Cow’s milk carbohydrates were stored as glycogen, making her stomach feel bloated.

C. The peanut butter and bread combination caused the amino acids in milk to react badly.
C. The peanut butter and bread combination caused the amino acids in milk to react badly.

D. The student’s body stopped producing lactase, so she couldn’t break down lactose in cow’s milk.
D. The student’s body stopped producing lactase, so she couldn’t break down lactose in cow’s milk.

E. The body rejected cow’s milk because the fats and proteins were absorbed too quickly.

Answer 1

D. The student’s body stopped producing lactase, so she couldn’t break down lactose in cow’s milk.

Lactose intolerance results from low lactase activity; undigested lactose is fermented by gut bacteria, producing gas and bloating. Almond milk is lactose‑free, so it didn’t cause those symptoms. The other options are incorrect because the problem is not a lack of amino acids or protein, glycogen storage doesn’t cause immediate bloating after a meal, amino acids don’t “react badly” together in the gut, and rapid absorption of fats/proteins wouldn’t explain the specific reaction to cow’s milk.