Nutrition Nugget: Dairy
Bite-Size Reads for Your Health & Your Waistline
Cheese and yogurt and milk, oh my!
As a child, how often were you reminded to drink your milk? Remember the “Got Milk?” commercials? They told us we needed it for strong and healthy bones. For some, every dinner included a lecture on how important dairy was for overall health. I hated milk. I’m still not a big fan and the more I learned about nutrition the more I understood why. (Oh! And our parents were wrong.)
There are hidden truths about dairy many people don’t know. Here are two surprising facts:
1. Everyone is basically allergic to lactose (after approx. age 7).
2. Dairy is not our best source of calcium. (Thanks, marketing gurus and milk lobbyists!)
No, it’s not a typo, we are all technically lactose intolerant and here is why. When we are young, we all have an enzyme known as lactase. The function of the lactase enzyme is to break down lactose, the sugar in dairy. As we age, the production of lactase fades and eventually isn’t there at all. In fact, by age 7, most of us no longer produce sufficient lactase; certainly, by our teenage years, it’s gone and we lose the ability to break down lactose. This leads to experiencing symptoms of lactose intolerance such as bloating, gas, stomach cramping, diarrhea, nausea and sometimes even skin rash. These often occur shortly after consumption; shortly meaning anywhere from 30-minutes to two hours.
Many who enjoy a glass of dairy milk or other dairy products as adults still have an allergy to lactose; it just doesn’t bother them. There is, however, a small group of people with a genetic mutation allowing them to tolerate lactose throughout life. If that’s you, cool! If not, don’t worry!
After all, we are the only species that actually consumes the milk of another species! And as I said above, dairy is really overrated as a source of calcium, prebiotics and probiotics.
Let us dig into that second fact: the false advertisement of dairy.
Dairy has long been proclaimed to be the number one source of calcium and in more recent years we’ve seen commercials touting the prebiotics and probiotics in yogurt. This is simply not true. First, many cannot stomach the lactose and the body’s response to the allergen supersedes the possible absorption of nutrients in it. In addition, to receive therapeutic amounts of calcium, prebiotics and probiotics, one would need to eat an enormous quantity of dairy; it’s truly inefficient.
It’s not well-known, but the best source of calcium is actually dark, leafy greens.
For prebiotics and probiotics, look for fiber rich foods, like fruits and vegetables, which create a pro-biotic environment in your gut. We can also use supplements to support both of these. This could be the topic of another entire article. For now, simply choose carefully, be sure the probiotic bacteria are alive and the proper bugs are delivered to the proper places in your body.
But I get it. Sometimes cheese makes a sandwich or a salad infinitely more satisfying. And there are certainly days when the easiest breakfast might be yogurt. Here are some keys to follow when digging into dairy:
- Choose low-fat or no-fat varieties. Dairy is not our healthiest source of fat, so look to use other foods to get our proper intake of quality fat each day.
- Be wary of the sugar content in dairy products. Often when a product is low-fat or no-fat, the nutrition facts will show higher sugar content. Read the ingredients to see if this is the producers adding sugar or if it’s the lactose, the natural sugar found in dairy. If it’s added sugar, you will see sweeteners listed in the ingredients. Do your best to find those with as little sugar as possible, avoiding added sugars and go for the ones with the shortest list of ingredients.
- When choosing yogurt as breakfast or a snack, I recommend plain, low-fat greek yogurt which has more protein than other varieties. Be sure to pair it with additional protein, fiber and healthy fats to balance out the meal. I recommend some almonds or walnuts and berries.
- When it comes to whey protein in bars and shakes, remember that whey comes from dairy. If your allergy/sensitivity is to lactose, look for whey protein isolate which does not contain lactose. If your allergy/sensitivity is to whey, it’s best to avoid it altogether, choosing bars and shakes made from pea protein.
A quick note on dairy substitutes. Those made from nuts (almond milk, cashew milk), grain (hemp), or soy do not offer the perceived benefits of dairy, nutritionally speaking. They can definitely give you that creamy texture or flavor for your coffee, cereal, etc. When it comes to dairy substitutes, be sure to read the labels for the nutrition facts and ingredients to determine what nutritive value it is providing and remember to round-out the meal as described above with protein and fiber.
All in, dairy is not the necessity many of us were tricked into believing it is. Maybe you have that genetic mutation allowing you to tolerate lactose throughout life…awesome! Just be mindful when choosing your dairy products. Maybe you are like me and your relationship with dairy is…less than friendly. No worries! You get plenty of calcium and pre- and probiotics through dark, leafy greens and other fiber rich fruits and vegetables.
Regardless of your dairy tolerance, take this information and implement one or two tips. You’ll be that much closer to the best version of you!
