Three benefits of eliminating dairy from your diet.
Milk is consumed by babies, children, and grown-adults alike. Cheese almost seems addicting to some. Dairy is in almost every food product. Who doesn’t remember those “Got Milk?” advertisements being plastered everywhere from magazines, billboards, to tv commercials? The dairy industry does an amazing job at swaying the general public to consume milk and cheese on a daily basis, but dairy might not be as beneficial to our health as they would like us to believe. Many people are negatively affected by dairy and don’t even realize it. Here are three benefits of cutting dairy out of your diet for good.
Weight loss
Many people consume a high amount of dairy products each and every day. Milk, cheese, creamer, yogurt, pizza, ice cream, and lots of other food items contain dairy in its ingredient list. People are not aware of how high in calories most of these foods are, and are mindlessly consuming above their daily recommended calorie intake, thus steadily gaining body fat over a long period of time. Cutting dairy out of your diet could allow you to lose body fat because you are eating less calories than your body is used to, allowing your fat cells to shrink and pounds to shed. Try paying attention to food labels the next time you reach for cheese, yogurt, or coffee creamer; you might be surprised at how calorie-dense and sugar-filled these dairy products are. Instead, opt for healthier foods that have a lower calorie count, and pay attention to the fat and sugar content in each item. Overall, people who are eliminating things such as pizza and mac n cheese and eating more nutrient-dense foods will likely see a drop in the scale.
Skin
Ever eat cheese or drink a glass of milk and notice your face breaks out the very next day? Skin might also feel rough, rashes appear, or rosacea flair-ups occur. Dairy has continuously been linked to skin issues for many reasons. Doctors and Dermatologists alike will recommend cutting diary out as a means of observing skin issues. One study explains that dairy contains nutrients similar to the hormone testosterone, which can stimulate oil glands in our skin, thus causing skin issues to occur. Other studies suggest the whey protein and sugar content in milk causes a reaction to people’s skin. Either way, many people who are frustrated with their skin are ditching dairy and finding that it helps with decreasing outbreaks and other skin issues.
Better Digestion
Studies have found that nearly 70% of people globally are lactose-intolerant and don’t even know it. Have you ever had a bowl of ice cream, slice of pizza, or a glass of milk and notice you have a stomach-ache a little while later? Your stomach blows up, you feel cramps, gassy, and there is a high level of discomfort. These may be clues that your body is lactose-intolerant, in which you cannot process the nutrient called lactose (sugar) found in dairy products. If you notice any of these symptoms, you can be tested by your physician through a breath test or a blood test to see if you are in fact lactose-intolerant. For those who are sensitive to dairy, you can use dairy alternatives such as almond milk, soy milk, or flax milk in place of dairy milk, or cashew cheese in place of dairy cheese. There are many dairy alternatives out there now for consumers. Feeling extremely uncomfortable after eating is not normal, so observe how your body is feeling after you consume dairy products and see if this could be the culprit to your digestion issues.
As Featured in Scottsdale Health Magazine
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