My take on dairy. Can you enjoy it as part of a healthy, hormonally balanced diet?
One of the first questions I get from a new client is if they have to go dairy free. And to their surprise, my answer isn’t definitive one way or the other — it depends.
Dairy isn’t inherently bad for us. After all, many cultures have been consuming milk for centuries with no issues. In fact, populations with the longest health-spans integrate dairy as part of their daily diet.
The issue is that conventional dairy products in America are one of our most significant exposures to excess hormones such as estrogen and IGF-1 (a hormone that stimulates cell growth and prevents unhealthy cells from dying off) as well as antibiotics and other pharmaceuticals.
Conventional dairy is also high in inflammatory omega-6 fats and pesticides from being fed a diet of GMO corn/soy/grains. And, the ultra-high pasteurization kills all of the beneficial enzymes to help our body digest the protein (casein) and sugar (lactose) naturally found in milk.
Can dairy be part of a healthy diet?
It Depends —
Dairy is inflammatory for roughly 50% of people who consume it — likely due to a combination of genetics, poor gut health, and improper sourcing.
The biggest benefits we get from consuming dairy are from its vitamin D, calcium, and fat content — which we can easily source elsewhere.
That being said, I do think dairy can have a place in a healthy diet if it’s well tolerated, sourced properly, and consumed in moderation.
How do I know if I’m dairy intolerant?
I hate to break it to you, but most people are intolerant on some level due to —
1) Inability to digest the lactose and/or casein found in milk.
2) Hormones, pesticides, antibiotics, and other toxins overwhelming already taxed detox and immune systems.
Symptoms range from the obvious gas, bloating, diarrhea, and general stomach upset to brain fog, fatigue, and skin issues such as acne and eczema.
The good news is that the healthier your gut, the more likely it is you can tolerate dairy. This is something I can personally vouch for — now being able to add cream to my coffee and enjoy some parmesan cheese or goat’s milk yogurt on occasion without issue.
If you feel like you have gut related issues, book a consult with me here and let’s get to the bottom of it.
How does Dairy affect Your hormones?
Milk is naturally higher in hormones whether it’s conventional or grass-fed. There’s no getting around it. Those exogenous hormones can disrupt our body’s natural hormone cycle and create a greater demand on our liver to detox them properly.
If you’re struggling from hormone imbalances, skin breakouts, eczema, endometriosis, fibroids, or an estrogen-related cancer (to name a few) I suggest avoiding dairy completely.
What about calcium and bone health?
I can’t tell you how many clients are worried about calcium for either their personal bone heath or that of their children — but as I mentioned above, we can get calcium from many other sources.
A few of my favorites are broccoli, sesame/tahini, salmon, sardines, chia seeds, white beans, sunflower seeds, and almonds.
If you’re consuming a well rounded, nutritionally dense diet there’s no real need to consume dairy for calcium.
Also, calcium absorption is directly related to your vitamin D levels — if you’re levels are lower than optimal (<50 nmol/L) you should consider supplementing.
If you do consume it —
Moderation is key.
I tell my clients to enjoy dairy when it counts.
For me, it’s the occasional coffee with half and half, good parmesan over pasta, bread with butter, or a bowl of berries with greek yogurt. I’d say I enjoy dairy in some form 2-4x/week on average.
Always — organic, grass-fed, full-fat dairy.
Always, always, always.
This is a non-negotiable for me. If it’s not all three of these things, you shouldn’t be eating it.
Look for A2 Milk.
The protein specifically found in most American dairy is A1 casein. It’s this variant that’s been shown to be an inflammatory trigger vs. the A2 casein found in sheep or goat milk. Certain European breeds of cattle have a higher ratio of A2 protein and more US manufacturers are starting to get on board thanks to consumer demand. You’ll know if it’s A2 based on the labeling — most brands say it loud and proud.
OPt for Goat and sheep.
Piggybacking off the above. If you’re sensitive to dairy, goat and sheep milk products are a great place to start thanks to their A2 content as well as the fact that most farms are smaller and have better practices than large commercial dairy plants.
The higher the fat, the better.
This is why you’ll see ghee (clarified butter) being an exception in most otherwise-dairy free diets. The same goes for quality butter for many. A high fat content means most of the casein and lactose have been removed which leads to easier digestion.
The same goes for full-fat yogurt and cottage cheese — there’s less of a chance you’ll react, plus the fat content increases nutrient absorption and helps balance blood sugar levels. Skim milk anything is a pure sugar bomb sending you on a blood sugar rollercoaster.
Choose fermented dairy.
Fermenting dairy adds in beneficial probiotics that do some of the digesting for you (i.e. there’s less lactose in the final product). Foods like yogurt, kefir, and cultured cottage cheese are also high in protein which keeps blood sugar levels stable.
The fermentation process also increases vitamin content, increases nutrient availability, and extends shelf life.
Hard cheese is better.
Definitely opt for goat or sheep milk cheese when possible. But if it’s a choice between burrata or parmesan — harder cheeses contain less lactose and are usually better tolerated.
What about my kids?
This is a personal choice as many pediatricians push weaning at one year to cow’s milk. However, I personally am not a fan of this as too much milk can crowd out other nutrients and lead to picky eating behaviors.
When it comes to older kids and teenagers — too much dairy can lead to early onset menstruation and increased skin issues like cystic acne.
As mentioned above, our kids can get plenty of calcium, protein, and fat from other whole food sources.
With regard to Leena, I used Holle goat milk formula until she was 13-months and then weaned her off milk completely with the exception of a small cup of cashew milk when I make my morning coffee. She consumes dairy in other forms in moderation — such as grass-fed cheddar in a quesadilla, butter on lentil pasta, cultured cottage cheese or yogurt as a snack, and goat cheese on toast or crackers. But we never make it a focus.
FAvorite Non-Dairy options
These days you can find a non-dairy option for virtually anything. But many are loaded with gums, fillers, and other not so great ingredients.
I also don’t like oat milk for several reasons — 1) if not organic it’s high in the pesticide glyphosate, 2) most include inflammatory omega-6 oils for viscosity, and 3) the carbohydrates turn into what is essentially liquid sugar that sets you up for blood sugar spikes throughout the day.
My go-to brands include:
CocoJune (yogurt)
Culina (yogurt)
Miyokos (cheese, butter, spreads)
Kite Hill (cheese, spreads, dips)
Three Trees (nut milk)
Elmhurst (nut milk)
MALK (nut milk)
Native Forrest (canned coconut milk)
