Why skim milk is healthy

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Whole Milk 3. We know a few things about skim milk. Surprising as it seems, farmers know that feeding skim milk to pigs is a reliable strategy for rapid weight gain. This practice dates back to experiments performed at Oregon State Agricultural College in the s — if not earlier — and farmers still follow it today.

For the record, that is no longer the case. Does this have anything to do with obesity and diabetes? If you have the answer, please share it. Organic milk, from grass-fed cows, has a much more favorable nutrient profile than milk from conventional, grain-fed cows. Not only do grass-fed cows make milk with significantly more beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, but because they are less stressed than conventionally raised cows, they also tend to produce more milk and richer milk.

A study in the journal Circulation demonstrated fewer cases of diabetes in individuals whose blood contained higher levels of three specific fatty acids derived from whole-fat milk:.

One separate study reported that intake of whole milk increased HDL cholesterol concentration compared to skimmed milk.

Now what? Would I recommend whole milk? For this reason, the guidelines recommend consuming only low fat or skim milk 1 , 2. In recent years, this recommendation has been called into question. There is now plenty of experimental data to indicate that eating saturated fat does not cause heart disease 9. In the past, whole milk was considered unhealthy because of its saturated fat content, but recent research does not support this recommendation.

There is very little scientific evidence that suggests you should be avoiding saturated fat in your diet. In fact, a review of 21 studies concluded that there is no significant evidence that saturated fat increases the risk of heart disease. Another study found that saturated fat intake was not associated with heart disease, stroke, heart attack, or heart-disease related death 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , The old hypothesis is that saturated fat increases cholesterol levels and high cholesterol levels increase the risk of heart disease.

However, the relationship between saturated fat and cholesterol is more complicated than that. HDL has a protective effect against heart disease 15 , Additionally, not all LDL is dangerous.

Interestingly, saturated fat actually changes LDL from the small, dense particles to the large, less harmful particles 23 , However, it is important to note that some studies have linked full fat dairy intake with an increased risk of diabetes and prediabetes, while others have shown a neutral effect. One study found that skim and fermented dairy products correlated to prediabetes, but full fat and nonfermented dairy products had a positive outcome with prediabetes 25 , There is no solid evidence that saturated fat increases the risk of heart disease.

It also raises HDL good cholesterol levels. Many people avoid drinking whole milk because they assume the extra fat and calories will cause them to gain weight. Interestingly, the opposite is probably true. Many studies have shown that consuming high fat dairy products, such as whole milk, may actually help prevent weight gain.

In one review, 11 out of 16 studies found an association between consuming high fat dairy and a lower risk of developing obesity Another study found that dairy fat intake is not linked to a higher risk of weight gain, cardiovascular disease, or type 2 diabetes One very large study noted that women who consumed the highest amounts of high fat dairy products were the least likely to become overweight over time This is significant because abdominal obesity, in which fat accumulates around the waistline, may be the worst kind of weight gain.

Studies have found that having fat around your middle increases your risk for dying from heart disease and cancer 31 , The relationship between milk and weight management has been a research top for several years, and findings have been inconsistent. A study indicates that omega-3 fatty acids are naturally low in milk because cows do not convert the raw materials or supplements they feed on sufficiently.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans advise that people choose fat-free or low fat milk instead of whole milk. From the table above, the nonfat nutritional profiles across the different types of milk are similar.

Because manufacturers add vitamins A and D to milk, people consuming the low or nonfat versions generally do not miss out on these nutrients. For people who wish to maintain a moderate weight, choosing skim or low fat may be a wise choice, as these contain fewer calories. A cup of skim milk contains milligrams mg of calcium — nearly a third of the daily adult calcium requirement of 1, mg.

The milk proteins casein and whey have a high concentration of branched-chain amino acids, which studies suggest play an important role in muscle synthesis. Milk also contains polyunsaturated fatty acids, which help prevent inflammation and heart disease, according to research. The United States government currently advises people to consume low fat or skim milk instead of whole milk.

However, according to a review , this advice derives from the lipid hypothesis, which states that dietary saturated fat and cholesterol raise the risk of cardiovascular disease CVD. The review authors suggest more recent research has identified more complex mechanisms for CVD development that do not implicate saturated fat and dietary cholesterol. They conclude there is a lack of evidence suggesting full fat dairy products raise CVD risk. However, this is an ongoing debate amongst experts, and to date, there is no consensus.

Additionally, an older meta-analysis of 21 studies indicated no significant evidence to suggest that dietary saturated fat increases the risk of heart disease. Another potential risk of consuming milk is lactose intolerance.