Dairy is an important part of the diets of many older Americans. According to a survey by the International Food Information Council of 2021, almost 70% of men and women older than 55 years consume them in one way or another , several days a week.
However, some people think that non-dairy milk is healthier, they question whether dairy is necessary or believe that dairy is harmful. It is a fact that they are rich not only in nutrients, especially protein, calcium and potassium (and milk has vitamin D), but also in saturated fat for whole milk varieties. Additionally, raising dairy cows has environmental impacts. Our review of the evidence can help you decide if and what kind you want to consume dairy.
Dairy and disease prevention
When you turn to science, the general idea is that dairy may be good for you, but not everything we think we know about dairy turns out to be accurate.
Heart disease: Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend reducing saturated fat that put heart health at risk by eating low-fat and fat-free dairy products instead of whole dairy products. But “you can’t judge a food by its saturated fat content,” says Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, dean of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University in Boston. “There are many different saturated fats and each has different potential health effects.”
Studies have increasingly found that consuming whole dairy products does not increase the risk of heart disease or stroke afterward. of everything, and they can be beneficial. For example, in a Lancet study of 2018 with 136,384 people from 35 to 70 years, those who consumed more than two servings of whole dairy products per day were at risk less to develop cardiovascular disease and death than those who ate less than half a serving.
Osteoporosis: dairy products are rich in calcium for bone building. A cup of milk has from 275 mg to 300 mg, or about a quarter of the daily need. However, larger studies have not found that dairy products in adults help protect against osteoporosis or fractures.
Diabetes: dairy products, yogurt in particular, can help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. review of studies by 2018 in the journal Current Nutrition Reports, people who ate ⅓ a ½ cup of yogurt a day they had 14% less risk than those who did not consume this product. Cheese can also be a protector, Mozaffarian says. It is an excellent source of menaquinone or vitamin K2 that, by itself, can end the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Cancer: there is no strong evidence of a link between the consumption of dairy products and the development of breast, ovarian or bladder cancer. Additionally, milk and dairy reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, probably due to calcium, studies show. In a review of an investigation by 384 in the International Journal of Cancer, for each daily increase in 300 mg of calcium from dairy products and / or supplements there was a risk reduction of approximately 8%. However, there is some support for a connection between high dairy consumption and endometrial and prostate cancers.
Overweight / obesity: “Overall evidence indicates little or no effect of dairy on weight control, with the possible exception of a moderate benefit from yogurt,” says Walter Willett, MD, professor of epidemiology and nutrition. at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health in Boston. But dairy also doesn’t seem to promote weight gain . A review of studies by 2020 published in the journal Advances in Nutrition also found that the risk obesity is not higher when consuming whole dairy products instead of low-fat ones.
How to incorporate dairy into your diet
Both Willett and Mozaffarian say that dairy is not essential for good health. If you don’t eat them, “you can still have a healthy diet,” says Mozaffarian, “but it’s more complicated.” Take your personal health goals and tastes into account when considering these tips.
You don’t need to eat 3 servings a day. That’s the Dietary Guidelines recommendation, but most Americans eat less, which is fine, according to both researchers. Mozaffarian recommends 2 servings, one of yogurt and another of cheese , for general good health. Willet says the goal is one serving.
But if you consume little or no dairy, make sure you get the key nutrients that dairy provides from other foods. Legumes, nuts, eggs and lean meats provide protein, as well as fruits, vegetables and grains have potassium, but it is more difficult to obtain calcium and vitamin D . You need a lot of kale, broccoli, tofu, walnuts, and navy beans to match the calcium in dairy. By not drinking milk, you are eliminating one of the main sources of vitamin D. Fatty fish, egg yolks, and mushrooms also contain it. Or, talk to your doctor about supplements.
Focus on yogurt. Yogurt is probably the best dairy option , Willett says, possibly due to its healthy probiotic bacteria. (So if you’re cutting out yogurt, consider adding other sources of natural probiotics, like kimchi and sauerkraut, to your diet.) Certain cheeses, including cheddar and mozzarella, also have some probiotics. The best is natural yogurt with fruit or with a little honey or syrup to give it sweetness. The high sugar content of many flavored yogurts may counteract some of their health benefits.
Don’t be obsessed with fat. If you eat one or two servings a day, it probably doesn’t make much difference if it’s skim, low-fat, or whole. Also, switching from full-fat versions to low-fat ones can be counterproductive. “When people switch from whole to low-fat dairy, they are not reducing their caloric intake,” says Mozaffarian. “Over the months and years, the decrease in fat is simply offset naturally by eating more carbohydrates. And possibly, the fat in milk is better for you than starch and sugar. ”
Choose the milk you like. Drinking cow’s milk, regardless of fat content, “doesn’t seem to have any major benefits or harms,” Mozaffarian says. So let your taste guide you. If you opt for non-dairy milk, choose one that has no added sugars and provides approximately the same amount of calcium as cow’s milk.
If you are lactose intolerant
Lactose, a sugar found in milk and other dairy products, is broken down in the body by the enzyme lactase. If lactase is not adequate, you can experience digestive problems from ingesting dairy products. This may help.
Set limits. Lactose intolerant people can generally consume a small amount of dairy products, about a cup of milk or 12 grams of lactose, with few or fewer symptoms, or even more in the meals distributed throughout the day.
Choose dairy products without lactose. These products “predigest” lactose eliminating it almost completely. Studies suggest its nutritional effects are similar to regular dairy.
Try aged cheeses (cheddar, gouda, Parmesan, or Swiss). These have little or no lactose, thanks to their preparation.
The best vanilla yogurt according to CR tests
If the Plain yogurt is too acidic for your taste, consider trying a low-added sugar flavored yogurt. CR nutrition experts recommend choosing one with 6 grams or less, or about 1½ teaspoon, of added sugars. We found a few that hit that mark and tasted good too in our recent vanilla yogurt tests. Or you could try make your own yogurt t.
Editor’s Note: A version of this article also appeared in the November issue of 2020 by Consumer Reports On Health .
Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright © 2021, Consumer Reports, Inc.
Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with the advertisers on this site. Consumer Reports is an independent nonprofit organization that works with consumers to create a just, safe, and healthy world. CR does not endorse products or services and does not accept advertising. Copyright © 2021, Consumer Reports, Inc.