The Science Behind Fat Free Dairy And Why Whole Milk Is Better

HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT HOW FAT FREE MILK IS MADE? Cows don’t have selective utters that produce non-fat, low fat, and whole milk. It’s all whole milk, in it’s natural state!

If you are a firm believer in consuming natural products in it’s natural state, then stop consuming FAT FREE DAIRY. As many of you already know, the only diary I do consume is either cultured or from goats milk (easier to digest and is less inflammatory). But I will digress regarding the “dairy topic” because I want to focus here on fat free / low fat vs. whole milk. And even if you’re like me who doesn’t consume milk but perhaps DOES consume yogurt – this is for you!

Since yogurt is made from milk (and everything else dairy based), it’s important to know that skim milk is more than just milk without fat. Fat free milk is fortified with synthetic vitamins and milk solids to replace the vitamins, calcium, and protein lost in fat-removal.

How It’s Made:
In the manufacturing process, liquid milk is forced through tiny holes at very high pressure, which causes the cholesterol in the milk to oxidize, and toxic nitrates to form. Oxidized cholesterol contributes to the buildup of plaque in the arteries, while un-oxidized cholesterol from unprocessed foods is actually an antioxidant to help fight inflammation in the body. The proteins found in non fat milk (and their byproducts) are so manipulated that they are unrecognizable by the body and can actually CONTRIBUTE to inflammation.

Companies also use milk solids in many products for various reasons and the FDA does not require companies to list it separately in the ingredients of milk because at the end of the day, it’s still “milk.” So there’s no way to be sure that it is or isn’t in your fat-free or low-fat dairy products. Be careful, some yogurt brands (and MANY vegan alternative yogurts) contain thickeners, gums, stabilizers and aren’t even cultured for the time period needed to make it a true cultured product. Some only “culture” their yogurts for as little as a few hours to speed up the manufacturing possess and that obviously is not enough time for any cultures to form. This can cause stomach upsets.

Something else I want to point out is when people say “I went off dairy and feel so much better” that’s usually because they go 100% off dairy including cheese, ice creams, etc. so of course they will feel better. Rarely do you hear of anyone saying “I went off dairy except cultured dairy.” Right? This is why I only consume cultured dairy as it actually beneficial to the gut and has helped me personally during healing.

 

Does Fat Free Really Help You Loose Weight?

So many people opt for non and low fat yogurt and diary products to help keep their calories and fat intake low for weight loss / weight control. Sure, restricting calories may lead to temporary weight loss, but then the metabolism adjusts to the weight loss and then that’s where you plateau and may even start to see weight gain because your metabolism slowed down due to the decrease in calories…ugh, here I go again ranting on a topic not pertaining to this! haha (just had to put my opinion in here that restricting calories/food to loose weight is NOT the answer!)

The FAT in diary isn’t making us FAT. In fact, fat free milk may actually cause weight gain.

Saturated animal fats from healthy, pasture-raised animals contain beneficial omega-3s (which most of us only think come from fish, flax or nuts), and contain vitamins C, E and B12.

Americans started ditching whole milk due to its high saturated fat content and skim milk became the new “heart healthy” food. Fat free milk was a revolution! People bought (and still do) into the theory of less fat = slimmer waste line. This behavior pattern has continued for decades despite the average American still having weight issues (among multiple other health problems).

This study shows that skim and 1% milk was associated in weight gain but whole milk was not. The higher sugar content from fat free dairy plus the fact that there’s no fat to satisfy is the result of your brain unable to register that it’s full, therefore you continue eating more to satisfy those cravings.

Try switching to whole milk yogurt and for a week and watch your cravings decrease! Not only are you getting a healthy options full of REAL vitamins, mineral, calcium and probiotics, but it also tastes so much better!

But here I go again, kinda going off topic as to my MAIN reason why fat free contains chemicals.

BUT WHAT ABOUT ORGANIC? IS THAT PROCESSED DIFFERENTLY?

Well, what what makes milk organic?
According to strict organic regulations put in place by the USDA, organic milk must come from a cow that has not been treated with antibiotics, has not been given hormones (for either reproduction or growth) and has been fed a 100% organic diet and at least 30 percent of its diet on a pasture. And farmers in more desirable weather regions are expected to allow their cows to graze as long as possible. The remainder of the cows’ food must be grown without chemical fertilizers, pesticides or genetically modified seeds.

Antibiotics:
Again, per the USDA organic guidelines, organic milk comes from a cow that has not been given antibiotics. If a cow at an organic dairy farm does have to be treated with antibiotics, the farmer can no longer use her milk (or at least claim it as organic).

So organic milk/dairy is determined by how the cows are fed, cared for, etc. not on how the products AFTER THE FACT are made (such as yogurt, kefir, etc.). Make sense?

Years of creating low-fat and fat-free dairy products have resulted in milk products that requires synthetic and processed additives to make it nutritionally equivalent to what it once was—whole milk. But “nutritionally equivalent” doesn’t make it nutritionally nourishing. A perfect example why non-dairy milks with add synthetic vitamins really don’t benefit the consumer. It’s all marketing….just because nut milks don’t contain as much calcium compared to milk, doesn’t make them less of a product. There are plenty of other foods containing these vitamins and minerals. Ok, went off the subject of why whole milk products are better again! Haha…but my entire point is, eat a food in the form it was originated. It clearly worked for people 200 years ago.

I’d love to hear your thoughts, comments, or any questions you may have HERE! See ya on the gram!