"Is Dairy Good for Me?" Things To Take Into Consideration

There is so much drama around dairy these days.

“Dairy is inflammatory”

“Dairy is anti-inflammatory”

“Dairy is hard to digest”

“Dairy is easily digestible”

“Dairy makes you gain weight”

“Dairy helps you lose weight”

“Fat free is best”

“Full fat is best”

“Don’t eat dairy ever”

“Eat dairy regularly”

So, after internet searches leading you astray and making you even more confused than you were before, don’t you just want to know the answer to the question “is dairy good for ME?”

The answer, my friends, is… it depends.

 

It Depends Who You Are: Ancestral Roots

Historically, humans have been consuming some sort of dairy all over the earth over thousands of years in traditional, wholesome forms. Second to meat, dairy was a substantial source of energy and nutrients for individuals because, while you can eat a cow once, you can milk it for years (1). Blue Zones research, which has revealed the dietary habits of the longest-lived people, shows that almost all five regions of the world where people live past 100 consume some sort of dairy (2). Two Blue Zones of particular interest are in Ikaria, Greece and Sardinia, Italy located in the Mediterranean. These populations consume goat and sheep milk products regularly.

Certain populations of humans, most notably those of European and African descent, have been shown to have a genetic factor that allows them to overcome lactose intolerance (ie: their genes have adapted to become tolerant to consuming milk protein over time). On the other hand, nearly 90% of Asians have shown lactose intolerance, and an astounding 100% of Native Americans (3).

This is likely due to accessibility to farming technology and cows, as well as geographical location and education.

Even still, the Journal of the American Dietetic Association showed that kefir (a fermented source of dairy) improves lactose digestion and tolerance in adults with lactose malabsorption (4). So, there’s more to the story here.

 

It Depends How You Are: Gut Health

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It might be you, not the dairy at all! There are about 100 trillion bacteria in our digestive tract. The collection of the good bacteria and the bad bacteria in our gut collectively make up what is called the intestinal microbiome. Every time we ingest something, the immune system in our gut has to decide what is healthy and what is harmful. A strong, thriving microbiome (with a greater ratio of “good cells” to bad ones) is equipped to fend off foreign pathogens like viruses and bacteria. A weak microbiome (with “bad cells” outweighing the good) can leave us with increased intestinal permeability. When our gut is weak, digesting dairy (along with several other foods) can be problematic. Gastrointestinal symptoms include bloating, indigestion, constipation and/or diarrhea, but many believe increased intestinal permeability also contributes to several other diseases.

What causes gut dysfunction?

  • antibiotics

  • overuse of prescription medications (ladies, this includes birth control)

  • harmful pathogens

  • environmental toxins

  • an inflammatory diet (overabundance of omega 6 oils, sugar, and presence of allergenic foods)

  • stress

In Dr. Josh Axe’s book Eat Dirt, he mentions probiotics, digestive enzymes, and sufficient stomach acid as ways to tend to your delicate gut microbiome. Dr. Axe details the five types of gut dysfunction and practical steps for solving them. If you suspect you are suffering from an undiagnosed gut condition, I suggest seeking out treatment options or a gastroenterology referral from your primary care physician. Once you’ve treated underlying conditions and improve your gut health, the right sources of dairy may not be a problem for you any more. So, what are the right sources?!

 

It Depends What You Choose: Quality Sources

Highly commercialized dairy products can be a far cry from the dairy eaten in generations passed. Did you know that Kraft singles are not able to be called cheese because it only contains 51% of real cheese? In addition, the poor treatment of cows on industrialized farms (feeding practices and hormone injections) impact the quality of the dairy they produce. One study found cows were fed rotting skittles to bulk them up!
It’s not a doubt in my mind that the treatment of cows and the additives in “cheese,” contribute to the ill-effects some experience with dairy.

cottagecheesebowl

Factors to consider…

  • thickening agents
    (opt for blocks of cheese over crumbled varieties, which contain “anti-caking agents”)

  • fat free varieties
    (long-standing and misguided concerns that saturated fat causes heart disease have contributed to the low fat/no fat dairy craze)

  • hormones found in conventional varieties
    (conventionally raised dairy (aka not organic or grass-fed) is rich in omega-6 fats and too low in omega-3s. When the ratio of these fats is lopsided, it sets the stage for chronic inflammation and disease (1).

 

Quality sources:

Grass-fed

  • rich in healthy fats (CLA and omega-3s)

  • higher amounts of beta carotene (due to grass diet) and vitamin A and E (8)

Full fat

  • promotes satiety post-meal

  • may support fertility (see study below)

Probiotic-rich varieties

  • provide beneficial bacteria that support digestion and gut health

  • look for “lactobacillus paracasei" on the label

Imported cheeses (specifically goat and sheep milk varieties)

  • dairy production is under stricter regulations in the European Union than in the U.S

  • different breeds of cow offer a2 over a1 genetics, making it easier to digest

  • Spanish, Italian, Irish, and Greek cheeses are commonly imported

Unsweetened varieties

  • reduce overall sugar intake during the day

dairyinfographicrisingrooted

Benefits of consuming dairy:

In growing children, long-term milk consumption is associated with larger stature, higher bone mineral mass, and decreased fracture risk before puberty when compared to kids who avoided dairy consumption. (5)

Women who consume full fat dairy products were less likely to have ovulatory disorders (anovulation, missing periods) than those who consume low fat or non-fat dairy products (6)

Men who ate fermented dairy products like yogurt and cheese had a smaller risk of coronary artery disease than men who ate less of these products (7)

 

Ditching Dairy (if needed)

If you have worked on healing your gut are choosing quality sources of cow’s, goat’s, and sheep’s milk dairy, and still find yourself having a reaction (skin breakouts, digestive distress, migraines), going dairy free is easier than ever before! There are many alternative milk, yogurt, cheese, and even ice cream options to enjoy on the market today. Working with a health coach can help you shop for what you need at the grocery store, create meals that fit your diet, and foster a healthy mindset around disease management as well as dietary and lifestyle changes. Just be sure to talk to your doctor or dietitian too about supplementation to fill the gaps on any nutrients you may be missing out on from forgoing the real deal dairy!