Myth

Dairy/Milk is Pro-Inflammatory

Though milk is not necessary for a healthy diet, there is a fair bit of pseudoscience surrounding claims that dairy is bad for us.  One such claim is that dairy is “pro-inflammatory.” A study just published in the journal Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition investigated evidence for the dairy-inflammation link.  Researchers reviewed 52 clinical trials conducted in humans, and found that consumption of dairy products, particular fermented products, is associated with anti-inflammatory properties, meaning that dairy consumption potentially reduces chronic inflammation and could benefit health.

• Dairy products and inflammation: A review of the clinical evidence (Critical Reviews in Food Science, August 2015).
• Should You Give Up Dairy Because ‘It Causes Inflammation?’(Fitness Reloaded)

Skim / Lowfat Milk is bad for you

The fat in dairy products is mostly saturated, and decades of research link high saturated fat intakes to type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and heart disease.  Though new research suggests that dairy fat might not be as harmful as once thought, we still have much to learn about the influence of various types of fats on health. If you are someone who consumes a lot of dairy, choosing only full-fat options means the saturated fat and calorie intake can add up quite a bit; and that’s in addition to the saturated fats you’re getting from meat and other foods. That’s a lot of calories that a person might not need, and calories that aren’t providing much nutrition, and potential harm.  If it’s “healthy” fats you are interested in, look for those whose health effects are backed by solid scientific evidence from a variety of studies: these are the fats found vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fish.

Contrary to some beliefs, nonfat milk is healthy and there is nothing in process that makes it unhealthy (the fat is spun out in a centrifuge).

• Fools, Fanatics and Fat-Free Milk (David Katz)
• How Bad for You is Lowfat Milk? (Monica Reinagle, MS, LDN)