Full-fat milk has always been blamed to be the culprit for weight gain and so many other problems. But is it really true? Is full-fat milk really unhealthy? Certainly, not. You will be surprised to know that whole milk is reclaiming its reputation as a healthier option in comparison to low fat and skim alternatives.
Why did we switch to skim milk?
During the 1990s, the health professionals advised people to cut back on fat from their diet including fat from dairy like milk. Because of which more and more people started opting for low fat and fat-free dairy. Manufacturers started pumping their products with artificial ingredients and sugar in order to make them taste better. This resulted in us consuming a day’s worth of sugar in a single serving of flavoured milk, yoghurt and more.
Fat-free and skim milk are not satisfying and fat-free yoghurts are full of added sugars and they also deprive us of the health benefits of full-fat dairy.
When people focus on cutting fat, they start eating more refined carbs and sugar as a substitute, which has its own health risk.
Surprising fact
Full-fat dairy products may actually help you to stick to your weight loss goals, while people believe otherwise. A ten-year long study conducted on 18,000 middle-aged healthy weight women found that women who drank more whole milk and consumed full-fat dairy products were less likely to become overweight and obese as compared to women who did not consume full-fat dairy.
Another small study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that daily consumption of whole milk increased the participant’s HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) levels, while the skim milk consumption did not.
Other studies found that kids who consumed whole milk had better Vitamin D levels than their peers who drank low-fat milk. Researchers found that milk fat helps the body absorb more Vitamin D.
Healthy fats
We do not need to fear the healthy fats. If you are a part of the cohort that believes in avoiding full-fat dairy, you must reconsider.
Organic whole milk
Organic whole milk dairy products have the added advantage of being higher in omega 3 fatty acids, which helps in maintaining healthy weight and management type 2 diabetes.
Overdoing is not a good thing
Just like any other food group, overdoing on dairy is not a good idea. If you can tolerate dairy well, you can have three servings in a day in the form of milk, yoghurt, cheese or more.
Benefits of dairy products
Milk and other dairy products are an excellent source of calcium. And women, if you know, you need 1,000 milligrams of calcium in a day.
If you are lactose intolerant
If you cannot digest lactose, the natural sugar in milk, opt for lactose-free dairy products. You can opt for Greek yoghurt, which is very low in lactose due to the way it’s made and cheese also does not contain lactose and thus can be eaten by people who are lactose intolerant.
Verdict
If you are lactose intolerant or are on the DASH (FULL FORM) diet, do not opt for full-fat milk. Rest of you can feel free to add full-fat dairy in daily diet. Studies have found that organic milk from a cow has more heart-healthy polyunsaturated fatty acids, omega 3 fats, vitamin E, iron and CLA as compared to the conventionally farmed milk.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article should not be considered as a substitute for physician’s advice. Please consult your treating physician for more details.