Dairy Important Information

You don’t need to be a cancer patient or survivor to know that you may need to make some changes to your diet.

Recently, I was told by my GI that I have IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). After enormous amounts of research, I found that I am not the only one with so called “poopy problems.” In fact, everyone has some form of IBS. It usually shows its face around times of stress or certain insalubrious diet changes.

I researched every food and the affect it has on people with more forceful IBS. Eventually I decided that if I was to be influenced from what I read online, I would starve to death before my “poopy problems” even took effect!

I made my own diet changes. As obvious as it may seem, I made it my goal to eat two servings of vegetables a day. The same went for fruit. The rest of the foods I ate came with trial and error.

To this day one question I am always asked is, doesn’t dairy upset your stomach? How do you get enough calcium? The answer is yes, dairy does bother me and no, I am not lactose intolerant.

These very questions bring me to the purpose of this blog post. How does someone chose which milk to buy? Which yogurt? In most grocers today the choices for milk go far beyond 2%, whole, and fat free. How about those choices plus organic, almond milk, soy, rice…the list continues.

So which source of calcium is better on your next bowl of cereal? Let’s dig in!

Cow’s milk: Available in whole, 2%, 1%, and skim. Cow’s milk is the best choice for those with no dairy sensitivity. It has the highest daily calcium value and double the amount of protein than any other milk.

Soy milk: Soy milk has more of a thickness to it than that of cow’s milk. Soy milk comes in a variety of flavors, and is made by soaking soybeans and grinding them with water. It is low in calories, high in protein and calcium, and has no saturated fat. There is ongoing research of soybeans, and as some studies suggest soy can inhibit protein and mineral absorption offsetting its health benefits.

Goat’s milk: Used all around the world as a compliment to cow’s milk, goat milk is more easily digested because its protein molecules are sized differently than cow’s milk. Goat’s milk and whole cow’s milk contain the same amount of protein however, goat’s milk contains more tryptophan, an essential amino acid. The pitfall, goat’s milk contains lactose, sorry dairy free-ers!

Almond milk: A personal favorite! Almond milk has the same thickness and texture as cow’s milk and is lactose and dairy free! Almond milks’ high vitamin and mineral and low fat content make it comparable to cow’s milk however, it only contains 1 gram of protein per cup rather than 7-8 grams in soy and cow’s milk. Note: Always check the ingredients in almond milk, some brands add unnecessary sugar.

Rice milk: Low in fat and calories, rice milk is also lactose and soy-free. The problem with rice milk is that it contains little to no nutritional benefits.

Coconut milk: Thick and creamy, coconut milk is best used for cooking! It is more easily digested than diary milks and low in cholesterol. Watch out for those calories! Coconut milk has almost 500 calories per cup.

Raw milk: Some note it as “nature’s perfect food.” Raw milk comes from cows, goats, or sheep and is unpasteurized, meaning no processing. Make an informed choice to drink raw milk. Cons include harbored bacteria in your milk such as, salmonella,  E. coli and listeria.

Organic milk: Sleep better at night knowing that your organic milk was made without growth hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, or synthetic fertilizers. With some debate, organic milk is not much-if any healthier than regular cow’s milk and cost more than double the price.

This may seem like a lot to soak in, but more and more consumers are looking to go “all-natural”, dairy-free and of course green! Make sure you are making the best decision for yourself and your family.

Use this as a guide the next time you are shopping for milk or yogurt. Please feel free to leave your comments on which kind of milk satisfies you best and why!

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