[HiTech RedNeck]

Lactose can’t be absorbed in the human digestive tract directly, but in the lactase enzyme converted form it doesn’t have the molecular backbone for triglycerides that fructose has. Lactose wouldn’t be useful to sweeten anything, though, and an excess can bring on bloating and loose bowels.

[OneWingedShark]

Lactose can’t be absorbed in the human digestive tract directly, but in the lactase enzyme converted form it doesn’t have the molecular backbone for triglycerides that fructose has.

And that means what, practically speaking? I was mostly asking because of an article I'd read some years back that revealed Lactose as the sugar the brain uses.

Lactose wouldn’t be useful to sweeten anything, though, and an excess can bring on bloating and loose bowels

I'm not sure that's entirely correct, the [traditional] Cream Stout has a sweet undertone that is due, I think, to the Lactose.