Full-fat milk has always been blamed for being the culprit for weight gain and so many other problems. But is it true? Is full-fat milk unhealthy? Certainly, not. You will be surprised to know that whole milk is reclaiming its reputation as a healthier option in comparison to low-fat and skim alternatives.
Why did we switch to skim milk?
During the 1990s, health professionals advised people to cut back on fat from their diet, including fat from dairy like milk. Because of this, more and more people started opting for low-fat and fat-free dairy. Manufacturers started pumping their products with artificial ingredients and sugar to make them taste better. This resulted in us consuming a day’s worth of sugar in a single serving of flavored milk, yogurt, and more.
Fat-free and skim milk are not satisfying and fat-free yoghurts are full of added sugars, and they also deprive us of the health benefits of full-fat dairy. When people focus on cutting fat, they start eating more refined carbs and sugar as a substitute, which has its health risks.
Full-fat dairy products may help you to stick to your weight loss goals, while people believe otherwise. A ten-year-long study conducted on 18,000 middle-aged healthy weight women found that women who drank more whole milk and consumed full-fat dairy products were less likely to become overweight and obese as compared to women who did not consume full-fat dairy.
Another small study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that daily consumption of whole milk increased the participant’s HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) levels, while skim milk consumption did not. Other studies found that kids who consumed whole milk had better Vitamin D levels than their peers who drank low-fat milk. Researchers found that milk fat helps the body absorb more Vitamin D.
Organic whole milk dairy products have the added advantage of being higher in omega-3 fatty acids, which helps in maintaining a healthy weight and managing type 2 diabetes. Studies have found that organic milk from a cow has more heart-healthy polyunsaturated fatty acids, omega-3 fats, vitamin E, iron, and CLA as compared to conventionally farmed milk.
Reference:
