For both health and fair reasons, dairy products can raise serious concerns. On the health side, countless people who’ve cut out dairy have noticed improvements to their well-being.
Hailey Wright is a Hamilton resident that’s been dairy-free for four years. She says “I stopped eating dairy mostly because I developed lactose intolerance at sixteen. But it was also from the stomach pains and acne that I was receiving from it.”
Shopping food bag and clean eating concept / Pixabay
Wright has noticed a lot of benefits ever since she cut dairy out of her diet. She says “It caused a lot of acne and bloating as well. I just don’t think that people are supposed to be ingesting cow’s milk anyways. I just don’t think that it’s healthy for humans to be drinking at an adult age. Maybe for children who are trying to get those healthy fats but I don’t think for anyone who is about 10 and up, that it’s healthy in large amounts.”
Samantha Gianotti is a Registered Dietician at Western University. She’s been focusing on Nutrition and Mental Health Counseling for 10 years.
She says “People might choose to go dairy free for personal health reasons because dairy products such as cheese and milk can be high fat. It’s the type of dairy fat is a saturated fat that can be linked to chronic diseases such as heart conditions and high cholesterol. Other people may not tolerate milk very well. If they have digestive concerns and dairy products caused them symptoms like bowel problems, then someone may choose a milk alternative to help ease those symptoms.”
Meal plan concept/ Pixabay
If you have been thinking about going dairy free, then you might be wondering what the truth is about milk, such as does it cause digestive stress and help you lose weight? These questions are common when you are thinking about making the switch to a dairy free diet.
Gianotti says “I think that sometimes there’s also misconceptions about dairy. People ask me often about it, do dairy products contain hormones, we read things or we hear stories. We also have to remember that a Canadian dairy and milk is different than American. There are certain growth hormones and certain antibiotics and things that are used in other countries like the United States that are not allowed in Canada. It’s just about doing your research and knowing really what is in our dairy.”
Dairy products are a convenient source of nutrients like calcium and Vitamin D. If you decide to make the switch, you still need to be aware that you can get the right amount of nutrients. Gianotti says “It’s really important that you consider if you want to choose a milk replacement, is that giving you what the milk was. So read the labels to see is it fortified with those B vitamins and those minerals.”
The benefits of the dairy-free lifestyle are extensive. If you choose to go dairy-free, make sure it’s what makes you feel good on both the inside and outside. For more information or if you may be thinking about switching to dairy-free, make sure to check out www.unlockfood.ca
