What are the advantages and disadvantages of dairy?

You want to make sure that your family eats a healthy diet, right? Some foods are obviously healthy and some are obviously unhealthy. Everyone knows that a fresh garden salad provides lots of nutrients, whereas a frosting covered doughnut is clearly not good for you. However, some foods aren’t quite as cut and dried.

Dairy can contribute to a healthy diet, but you have to be mindful about the type and quantity of dairy that you consume. Dairy products offer protein, calcium, and many other nutrients, but they can also lead to digestive upset and contain high levels of saturated fat and sugar. Here are a few pros and cons of dairy products.

Benefits of dairy products

Dairy products are a convenient source of nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, potassium, and protein.

Calcium, potassium, and vitamin D are all essential to good bone health. These nutrients ensure proper bone growth and development in children, increase bone density, and help adults maintain bone mass.

A diet that includes the bone strengthening nutrients found in dairy can help reduce your risk of osteoporosis.

According to the USDA, diets that include dairy are associated with a lower risk of both cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes in adults.

Potassium rich diets may also help maintain healthy blood pressure by limiting the effects of sodium.

Negatives of dairy products

Many dairy foods are high in saturated fats. Saturated fats increases low-density lipoprotein (LDL) – or “bad” – cholesterol levels. Higher LDL levels increase your risk for coronary heart disease.

Some people have a lactose intolerance. Those who are lactose intolerant cannot properly digest lactose, which is the sugar found in milk. This can lead to diarrhea, stomach aches, or other gastrointestinal issues.

Many dairy products, such as cheeses, are high in sodium. Sugar is also added to some dairy products — not just ice cream, but also yogurt, frozen yogurt, cheesecake, and other desserts. Milk contains natural sugar, so when more is added to sweetened yogurt, you can end up with a breakfast treat that’s the equivalent of that frosting-laden doughnut.

There’s been a growing interest in raw milk lately. Some claim that raw milk is better for your health because it’s more natural, or because the pasteurization process eliminates health benefits of milk. According to the CDC, unpasteurized milk and cheese can be dangerous, and do not offer significant health advantages.

So, is dairy healthy?

The type of dairy you consume is important. Whether or not dairy is healthy depends largely on the type of dairy you eat or drink.

Check labels for nutritional information and a list of ingredients. Look for dairy that’s low in fat and low in sugar.

Good health – and even a healthy diet – is not determined by one single food group. Dairy can be included in a healthy diet, but you must eat other healthy foods, manage caloric intake, exercise regularly, and avoid unhealthy habits in order to maintain wellness. Regular visits with your doctor is also important to maintaining wellness. Schedule an appointment with a MANA physician today!

As the definition of a healthy diet evolves, the inclusion of dairy is an ongoing debate.

Whether you choose to eat these products or not, it’s important to remember that good health is not based on a single food group, and every person’s nutritional needs differ based on age, gender and health history.

June, also known as National Dairy Month, is right around the corner, so now is a great time to learn more about the pros and cons of dairy products and how they may impact health.

Pros of a dairy-inclusive diet

Dairy products include milk, cheese, butter, ice cream, yogurt, dry milk products, condensed milk and whey products. Although the nutritional label for any given item varies, some of the known pros of a dairy-inclusive diet include:

• It offers good nutrition: Depending on the product, dairy can offer a range of nine essential nutrients – calcium, potassium, phosphorus, protein, vitamins A, D and B12, riboflavin and niacin. Just one cup of fortified dairy milk, specifically from pasture-raised or grass-fed cows, provides 24 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin D, a nutritional deficiency common in Michiganders. As a valuable source of calcium, dairy products also support bone growth and density, while helping to fight the risk of osteoporosis.

• It’s protein-packed: Cow’s milk and other dairy products offer a good source of protein and amino acids. Protein promotes muscle growth and the maintenance of lean muscle mass. It also gives the body a natural sustained energy boost and helps build/repair bodily tissue.

• It helps regulate the body: Yogurt is a natural probiotic and supports a healthy gut. Probiotics are live bacteria that enhance the immune system and promote healthy digestion. The potassium, sodium and calcium in milk, cheese and yogurt also offers electrolytes, which help keep the body balanced to sustain hydration.

Cons of a dairy-inclusive diet

The only time a person should eliminate a food group from their diet is when they’re directed to do so by a doctor or health care team. With that said, some of the legitimate reasons a person might exclude dairy from their diet, include:

• Many are intolerant: About 75 percent of the world’s population has a lactose intolerance—a reaction that makes it impossible to properly digest the natural dairy sugar, lactose, found in dairy products. This commonly results in symptoms of gassiness, bloating, flatulence, stomach pains, gut issues and can even cause more drastic symptoms of nausea, diarrhea, vomiting or constipation.

• It’s high in saturated fat: Some dairy products, particularly whole milk, butter and cheese, should be consumed in moderation due to their saturated fat content. While fat is a macronutrient the body needs to function, experts recommend adults consume only 20 to 35 percent of their daily calories from fat, with more plant-based fats (such as olive oil, avocado, nuts, etc.) than others. This is due to the fact that trans and saturated fats are known to increase total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol LDL levels, heightening the risk for heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and obesity.

• It can carry disease: Consuming raw dairy milk and its products can lead to serious illness. Without pasteurization, the process of heating milk to a specific temperature to kill bacteria, parasites and viruses can thrive, spreading disease. Brucella, E. coli, Listeria and Salmonella are just some of the germs commonly found in unpasteurized products.

Dairy alternatives

Calcium-rich Foods

• Almonds

• Beans

• Broccoli

• Collard greens

• Kale

• Rice and soy milk

• Seeds (chia and poppy)

Vitamin D-rich Foods

• Beef liver

• Fortified cereal

• Mackerel

• Mushrooms

• Salmon

• Sardines

• Tuna

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