If your body responds favorably to dairy, I say go for it. If not, I don’t see incorporating it as a necessity.
I’m often asked if I include dairy in my nutrition plan. Folks wonder about my take on it in general, including most recently when I posted a sample food journal. This doesn’t surprise me; dairy inclusion is one of the most consistently controversial topics when it comes to health.
Traditionally, Americans enjoy their dairy, consuming large quantities of milk and cheese, and we’re told to get multiple servings daily. On the other side of the spectrum, the “Paleo” crowd believes it’s unnatural, and they avoid it at all costs.
Personally, I eat butter from grass fed cows daily. I don’t shy away from cheese or milk, especially of the raw, organic variety. I also have two sons. Chase, my older son, gulps no less than 4 cups of milk every day and digs cheese. Dane, my younger son, has zero interest in drinking milk and won’t eat cheese unless it’s on a pizza. These two guys have grown up under the same roof and been exposed to the same choices. Yet one craves dairy, one rejects it.
This isn’t overly surprising. Humans are the only species that regularly consumes the milk product of another species, and we are generally the only species that consumes milk products past infancy. From authoritynutrition.com:
When we’re infants, our bodies produce a digestive enzyme called lactase, which breaks down lactose from mother’s milk. But many people lose the ability to do that in adulthood. In fact, about 75% of the world’s population is unable to break down lactose as adults, a phenomenon called lactose intolerance.
Is Dane’s rejection of dairy a signal from his body that he isn’t processing the lactose well? Possibly. Our systems won’t all respond in the same fashion.
For those of us who can process dairy, however, there are some potential health benefits. The most obvious one is, of course, calcium.
Numerous studies show that dairy products have clear benefits for bone health. They improve bone density in the young and lower the risk of fractures in the elderly.
The vitamin content is undeniable. From milkfacts.info:
Milk contains the water soluble vitamins thiamin (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin (vitamin B3), pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), vitamin B12 (cobalamin), vitamin C, and folate. Milk is a good source of thiamin, riboflavin and vitamin B12 .
For those of us trying to build or maintain muscle mass, dairy can be a valuable resource. I always chuckle when I walk by the Muscle Milk in the supermarket aisle. Muscle Milk, of course, contains no milk but is filled with plenty of artificial ingredients. Milk in its original form is nature’s original protein shake. A cup of milk tacked onto any meal provides 8 grams of protein.
Assuming you’re drinking and eating high quality dairy (that is, whole milk from grass-fed cows), it also provides important fatty acids, like CLAs and omega-3s, and significant quantities of fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin K. If you’re filling your plate or glass with low-fat or skim products, you lose out on most the benefits and are getting a heavy dose of sugar as well.
Luckily for individuals like Dane, all of these benefits can be sourced elsewhere. While I agree it does a body good, it doesn’t do every body good.
Strong will,
Kap
Curtis Ippolito says
Great post, Gabe! I love dairy, specifically cheese, always have. But since I’ve gone to whole milk, raw, grass-fed sources I’ve never enjoyed it more. And this may be unproven, but I eat less cheese now than when I ate low fat crap cheese. Gotta love grass-fed butter too. Love when it’s dark yellow. Oh, and don’t forget the beneficial bacteria you’re supplying your gut with when you eat raw dairy!
Aaron Polanco says
Love my milk Kap, tried some raw stuff per your suggestion… loved it. It even came in old school glass. There was a nice little post over at Dodgers Digest discussing the poor diets of minor league ball players and the changes you are implementing within the Dodgers’ farm system. Great stuff. http://dodgersdigest.com/2015/02/11/dodgers-gabe-kapler-minor-leaguers-healthy-eating/
Hollie Hamilton says
Cheese and strawberries is my favorite mid afternoon snack
Nathan Wynn says
Great post Dave. For the same reasons at Musclegen Research we have produced a flavorless, odorless instantized and hydrolized protein supplement called GenePro. It is a tri-peptide whey protein derived from grass fed cows on an organic dairy farm. We strip all of the binders, allergens and fillers from the protein molecule through multiple centrifuge passes and a forensic process called electrophoresis, yielding an absorption rate of 94%in the UPPER GI before reaching the stomach for digestion (industry standard is 31-34%). This reduces the protein molecule by 51% and allows you to mix it in ANY substance hot or cold. Our serving size for 30 grams of protein is only 1 tablespoon. Now I know you don’t personally endorse protein supplementation, but for those of us seeking an animal based protein supplementation option that are lactose intolerant and or suffer from Krohn’s Disease or other food allergy and or diabetic restrictions we have the scientific answer. If I can help any of your interested followers I can be reached by email at: nwynn@musclegenresearch.com . God Bless!
lien says
” I eat butter from grass fed cows daily. I don’t shy away from cheese or milk, especially of the raw, organic variety.” … thumbs up from me! … the key word is ‘grass-fed’ 🙂 … my favorite grass-fed butter is the cultured kind from Organic Valleys in the green foil … regarding raw i go for the raw cheeses most of the time, if pasteurized then i want to make sure it’s hormone-free … too bad that raw milk is getting such a bad rep in this country, it’s not that widely available 🙁
bill says
Great info Kap, thanks. I’ve switched to almond milk, but it sound like I might want to consume some organic milk on occasion. My folks had a Hickory Farms store for a couple of years, so I’ll never be able to quit cheese. I also do like to eat cows…I hope that doesn’t make me a bad person!
Justin Smith says
Thanks for the post Kap, great info. I was wondering if I was consuming too much sugar through the dairy. Im sticking to the organic full fat stuff, so I guess I will press on.
-Justin
NickX. says
Read my mind. Great timing