I get a lot of questions about dairy. Especially from those who either can’t have it/choose not to have it due to intolerance, sensitivity, potential inflammation, etc. Here’s a great journal article or the brief summary from doctors Walter Willet (OG in the nutrition field) and David Ludwig (2020) if you’d like to dive deep into the research of if milk is even necessary/worthy of its Dietary Guidelines recommendation.
Food is information for your body.
Not all information is the same.
And then there’s this:
Not all dairy is the same.
Think of the animal, what the animal eats, how the animal was raised, the molecular composition (ex: A1 vs A2 proteins), how the dairy is processed, the nutrition profile, etc. All of this matters and the source matters when it comes to the impact on our health.
Necessity? No
Potential benefits? Yes, come back to the source, processing, type, how it impacts microbiome, etc.
Potential harm? Yes (especially how the Standard American Diet/industrialized dairy includes it), come back to the source, processing, type, nutrition profile, added sugar, etc.
Enjoyment factor? Solid
Enough evidence to follow USDA Guidelines related to dairy, especially for adults in relation to cow’s milk, low fat, processing, etc. recommendations? No… No.
Take this information as you will. Find your balance with flexible food choices. Above all – you do you. Ask questions, learn more about the food you eat, make a decision, and then enjoy what you’re eating. My current enjoyment regarding dairy looks like: grass fed butter (cow) and *A2 dairy (sheep, goat, buffalo; even A2 cow dairy when I find it) in the form of yogurt and kefir (probiotic win) or cheese.
*A lot of A2 dairy will be pasture raised and grass fed, but it’s always good to double check.
I’m the nutritionist and educator behind Eats 2 Know, LLC. With a simplified approach to nutrition, I showcase that eating healthy is attainable, even if you’re on a budget or crunched for time.
The nutritionist and educator behind Eats 2 Know, LLC.
