it does a body good, or does it?
Mom says we need it to grow, my vegan buddy thinks it's odd to drink another animal’s milk, and Doc says it might contribute to irritable bowel syndrome. Who’s right? Maybe they all are.
There’s evidence that our ancestors from 4000 BC where milking cattle for human consumption. Here's what we know after 6000 years of consuming milk.
pros:
Good source of calcium, vitamin D, potassium and protein
Lowers morning blood pressure
Increases HDL (good cholesterol)
Lowers triglycerides
Fermented milk like yogurt is high in probiotics
Full fat milk products are also higher in protein which can help with weight loss
cons:
High in saturated fats (but is that so bad?)
Cheese is high in sodium
Ice cream and some yogurts are high in sugar
Unpasteurized milk can be deadly
Low fat milk products linked to higher weights in children
70% of adults are lactose intolerant which could lead to more gastrointestinal issues
confused yet? let's see if we can clear it up for you...
First of all, remember that everyone is different and everyone’s health goals are different as well. Most people ask themselves if dairy is good for them when they are trying to achieve one of the following goals:
Weight loss or weight maintenance: Diets that are higher in protein and fats tend to help weight loss. Children who consume dairy products are linked to elevated weights during toddler and preschool years. But their weights returned to normal by adolescent years. Studies in adults show that a diet which includes dairy can help you lose weight and maintain it, but the dairy should be full fat. Low fat dairy products were linked to higher body weights.
Improved gastrointestinal symptoms: 70% of adults experience some lactose intolerance, but most can still tolerate up to 12g of lactose (1 cup of milk) in one intake and approximately 18g spread out over the day. If you have irritable bowel syndrome or chronic bloating, we often suggest a 2 week dairy free period. If you feel better, it might be worth it to further reduce your dairy intake. You may want to try consuming more fermented milk products instead like full fat greek yogurt which is high in natural probiotics.
Reduction of inflammation in the setting of autoimmune disease: Studies are very limited on the effect of dairy on inflammation. Many people suffer from conditions associated with high levels of inflammation. These conditions include autoimmune disease like arthritis, fibromyalgia, thyroid disease, and chronic fatigue to name a few. Many people try elimination diets to help them decide which foods might trigger inflammation. Before considering a dairy free diet, we would suggest trying a diet free from processed foods for 2-3 weeks first. Processed foods are usually anything out of a box or bag as preservatives have a stronger link to inflammation than dairy products.
pillarMD plan:
Choose full fat dairy products.
Avoid dairy products with added sugars.
Try adding fruit or no sugar added preserves to plain, full fat yogurt instead of prepackaged sweetened yogurt.
Try eating fruit and cheese for dessert, but stay away from the crackers and bread.
Avoid eating large amounts of dairy in one setting to prevent lactose intolerance symptoms.
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