Eat That Whole Fat Dairy!

·     I swear. It makes me want to rip the hairs out of my head every time I hear someone ask for skim milk or say “non-fat dairy is healthier for you” or “I’m trying to watch my weight so I need low fat options”.

STOP. PLEASE STOP.

 Like anything else in life, it is SO important to do your own research before you follow or believe something ANYONE OR ANYTHING EVER TELLS YOU TO BE THE TRUTH.

If the government decided one day to promote a new nutritional guideline that had cupcakes as the grounding for a proper diet, would you automatically believe them and start eating cupcakes for breakfast and lunch every day? No! So why has everyone so easily bought into the idea of low-fat for the past 30 or so years?

It’s because Americans want a quick fix for every aspect of life, and when the government persuaded public health advocates and doctors to preach low fat in the 20^th century, it stuck! It sounds so easy. Eat foods low in fat and you will lose fat on your body, right?

THEY COULDN’T BE MORE WRONG. First of all, what is the biggest commitment to eating a healthy diet? Choose foods that are exactly as they come in nature or as close as possible to it. And how does milk come in nature? Does it come in 2% or 1% variety? Absolutely not! It comes with all those delicious milk fats, and they are there for a reason.

It also comes down to biology and scientific facts. So let’s look at some important points. I’ll keep them simple and short:

• ·         Butyrate, a compound found in full fat dairy, gives energy to the cells in the colon and can protect from bacteria finding its way into the bloodstream. Cellular energy is the key to how your brain, organs, and muscles work in synergy.
• ·         Milk fat is an excellent source of fat soluble vitamins including Vitamins A and K2 which help digest and absorb micronutrients in vegetables and fruits when you eat them.
• ·         Consuming fat slows down the digestion process, so you will feel fuller longer, and if you pair the fat with sugary foods, it will slow the process of sugar entering the bloodstream which means less of an insulin spike.
• In the same period of time that the consumption of lo-fat products grew in the US, the rates of type 2 diabetes and obesity increased EXPONENTIALLY. Think about that for a moment. As we supposedly ate "HEALTHIER" more and more people became sick at a quicker pace. Now not only adults struggle with diabetes and obesity, but America's children are gaining more weight and are at a risk for heart disease every year. Still think it's the fat to blame?
• Saturated fat (such as the fat found in dairy) has the power to increase HDL (the GOOD cholesterol in your body) and can lower triglycerides in the blood. With a higher ratio of HDL to LDL (the bad cholesterol in the body) you will have BETTER protection against heart disease. 
• "Most saturated fat in milk has no effect on circulating cholesterol and no negative implications for human health" Take a look if you want to read more. (http://www.todaysdietitian.com/news/exclusive0912.shtml). 

I could go on for pages and pages with more information, but I know I would lost most you as readers, so I will leave it at that for now.

I will skip posting about various statistical studies and the implications they have on what to believe. There are SOOO many research studies with different and/or skewed results, so it is up to you to read and analyze the research if you are interested.

Now the thought of eating more fat, especially saturated fat, may seem repulsive or completely wrong to you, and it is because our country has been indoctrinated for far too long. Before going and brushing off what I am saying, I ask that you do a small, minute amount of research. Look at the PRIMARY studies and statistics.

Countless numbers of cultures have and still do rely on saturated dairy fats as a consistent part of their lifestyle, and they flourish with long, healthy lives. I am confident that America CAN be one of those cultures. We just need to come together, re-educate, and listen to our bodies once again. 

It is clear that we have been forced to believe something that simply is not true and may be harming health. So next time you are at the store grab that tub of full fat yogurt. Start pouring half-and-half or whipping cream (ORGANIC if you can) into your coffee instead of skim milk. Choose ice cream over non-fat frozen yogurt! Your body, energy, vitality, and taste buds will absolutely thank you for it in the long AND short run!