Is Dairy Good Or Bad For You?

milk and cookies

20 Jan Is Dairy Good Or Bad For You?

Posted at 09:05h in Food by

Whether or not we should consume dairy products is a hotly debated topic. On one side of the argument you have the dairy industry who would have you believe that if you didn’t consume your daily dose of milk, your bones would crumble. On the other side of the argument you have the vegan movement. They point to the fact that eating dairy isn’t natural for humans and that dairy farming involves cruelty to animals many of us are unaware of and it significantly contributes to global warming. So is dairy healthy? Let’s discuss.

IS DAIRY HEALTHY?

Personally I don’t eat dairy. It took me a long time to realise that dairy was responsible for causing my skin to break out. I had mild acne for years and I hated it. As much as I loved cheese, cutting it out was worth it for clear skin.

Of course, whether or not you choose to do so is your decision, but here are some pros and cons so that your choice is an informed one.

THE PROS


Dairy does contain a number of beneficial nutrients. As well as calcium it’s also a source of protein, vitamins D and B12 and phosphorous. And aside from tasting good, that’s about where the benefits of dairy end. It’s important to highlight that there are no nutrients in dairy products that you can’t get from other foods.

THE CONS

 
Human beings weren’t designed to drink milk after the weaning period. Not from our own species and certainly not from a completely different species altogether. Some groups of people in the world have consumed dairy for many years and therefore have genetically adapted to tolerate it. Others haven’t and for those people in particular it can cause problems. Two of the most common problems associated with dairy tend to be digestive and skin issues.
 
If you’re trying to lose weight, let’s not forget the primary role of cows milk – growing a small calf into a grown cow. We’re not entirely sure how the growth hormones naturally present in milk affect humans but some studies are linking these growth factors to increased risk of diseases such as cancers. Milk also contains a surprising amount of the naturally occurring sugar lactose. A cup of milk contains just over three teaspoons.
 
We can’t discuss consuming animal produce without considering animal welfare issues. Contrary to the image of happy cows grazing in grassy fields we’ve all become accustomed to seeing, dairy farming can be surprisingly intensive. There are nearly 800 livestock mega farms in the UK and these are certainly not all sheds of chickens. Many intensively farmed dairy cows suffer with mastitis and routine antibiotic use is not uncommon. Unless you’re buying organic milk you risk consuming antibiotic residues and you eat or drink dairy.
 
Last but not least we come to bone health. The dairy industry would have you believe that milk is the only food that contains dairy. It really isn’t. A while ago I spoke to Marie Claire about good non-dairy sources of calcium. There are plenty!
 
Calcium deficiency is not a common one, but vitamin D deficiency is. If you’re concerned about bone density, then ensuring you have optimal amounts of vitamin D is a crucial consideration.

IN SUMMARY

 
The importance of dairy is overrated and it’s by no means an essential food group.
 
If you’ve read this and are considering reducing / eliminating dairy from your diet, the good news is that there are now more dairy alternatives than ever. To get you started you can check out my posts on the best dairy free milks and my favourite dairy free chocolates.
 
On the other hand, if you do decide to keep dairy in your diet, always choose organic. Not only are you eliminating some of the negative aspects of dairy, high animal welfare standards must be adhered to in order to be certified organic.

Print page
0 Likes


SARAH LAW

Sarah has worked with hundreds of clients over the past decade to help them live in a healthy body that they feel confident in.


Sarah spent a large part of her teens and 20’s as a professional dancer battling with orthorexia and an unhealthy relationship with food and her body. This created a desire to understand the human body more so she could finally cut through the confusion and end the cycle of yoyo dieting. This fuelled her passion to help other women do the same.

 

Sarah specialises in supporting women who are struggling to lose weight due to underlying health issues. She’s helped many women manage their weight during and after the menopause, as well as clients with thyroid disease and immune system dysfunction. Sarah loves food and sharing healthy recipes with her clients. Her aim is to ensure that clients don’t feel deprived and instead, achieve their weight loss and health goals in a positive and sustainable way.

 

To enquire about working with Sarah, please contact us.

AILSA HICHENS

 

Ailsa is one of our most experienced practitioners. She specialises in helping clients to lose weight, develop a healthy relationship with food and finally feel comfortable in their skin. Ailsa’s mission is for everyone she works with to enjoy the journey and that working with a nutritionist should not be a punishment, but your access to a new possibility.

 

Ailsa is not only an experienced weight loss nutritionist, she is also a skilled coach. She helps our clients overcome emotional eating, destructive habits and self-sabotaging behaviours that have prevented successful weight loss in the past. Ailsa has spent years in clinic working with clients who have experienced yo-yo dieting and have discovered that long term weight loss is not just about eating less until you can stand it no longer.

 

Working with Ailsa you will be comprehensively supported, not only in improving your nutrition and lifestyle, but also your eating habits and your relationship with food. When you work on all these elements together, the results can be truly astonishing.

 

To enquire about working with Ailsa, please contact us.

Test Nikki is our Practice Manager, managing our team of practitioners and heading up the day-to-day running of the business. Nikki is involved in the strategic development of our practice, coming from a strong business background in town planning. A Florida girl, Nikki relocated to the UK in 2014 with her husband and two children.

NIKKI ANDRIANI

 

Nikki is our Practice Manager, managing our team of practitioners and heading up the day-to-day running of th clinic.

 

Nikki is involved in the strategic development of our practice, coming from a strong business background in town planning.

 

A Florida girl, Nikki relocated to the UK in 2014 with her husband and two children.

STÉPHANIE ACHAR

Stéphanie is a skilled nutritional therapist and functional medicine practitioner with additional training in eating disorders, disordered eating and obesity. She believes that working towards both physiological and mental health is key in achieving optimum wellbeing.

 

Stéphanie’s personal experience of emotional eating and the ongoing struggle to find the right support led her to combine the science of nutrition with behavioural coaching to motivate and empower her clients. She specialises in helping people who struggle with their weight and their relationship with food. She helps them develop a healthier and more peaceful relationship with food and their bodies.

 

To enquire about working with Stéphanie, please contact us.

INNA WEARN

Inna is passionate about supporting women on their journey to improved health and wellbeing. She believes that the solution to effective weight loss does not lie in ever more restrictive diets, but a more sophisticated approach that optimises health and vitality, as well as promoting effective weight loss.

 

Working with Inna you will benefit from her in-depth knowledge of female health and hormones. She will support you in developing a healthy diet, lifestyle and mindset that ensures you reach your ideal weight and maintain it in the years to come.

 

Inna is passionate about food with a wide repertoire of delicious healthy recipes and meal ideas to ensure your weight loss journey is as enjoyable as possible!

 

To enquire about working with Inna, please contact us.

ANIA MASON

 

Ania is a firm believer that improving your health and losing weight should be a positive, empowering journey, not one centred around deprivation.

 

After being diagnosed with two autoimmune conditions in her twenties, Ania spent several years educating herself on the power of food and nutrition. She put it all into practise and changed her diet and lifestyle, reversing her endometriosis and thyroid disease. After experiencing such a significant improvement in her health, Ania had a big desire to help others. She embarked on a four year journey to study nutrition, graduating from the Institute for Optimum Nutrition with distinction.

 

Ania specialises in autoimmunity and works with clients who have underlying health issues preventing successful weight loss. Her expertise enables her to successfully support our clients with conditions such as hypothyroidsm (underactive thyroid), PCOS and diabetes. 

 

To enquire about working with Ania, please contact us.

Get weekly weight loss & wellness updates.

Subscribe and receive your free download:

 

7 STEPS TO INTELLIGENT WEIGHT LOSS