Do you think dairy is healthy?

[thyme4change]

My kids eat diary like crazy, and they don't get sick very often - so I wouldn't put too much faith in that.

I'm a dairy-aholic. If it came from the udder of a cow, I'm in! I don't think it is unhealthy. I think the calcium is important. I also don't think it is completely necessary to be healthy.

[Deleted]

I don't think it is unhealthy, but like everything else, it should be eaten in moderation. I am a cheese-aholic. I LOVE cheese and would eat it 10 times a day if it wouldn't make me fat.

[Malarky]

I eat everything I like. I no longer listen to what the health food of the day is.

I figure it I can digest it, it's food. Everything in moderation.

One of the foods that is often touted as incredibly healthy-beans-makes me throw up, so it's off the list. So are a couple of foods that I just don't like
.
If you take away my dairy I'm not sure which would happen first. I would either kill someone because I like to start my day with milk in my coffee, or I would starve to death because just about everything I eat has milk, cheese, yogurt, butter or sour cream in it.

My oldest is a bone breaker. I had a hard time getting him to eat enough dairy when he was younger. Coupled with the hysteria about keeping kids sunscreened at all times, I think part of it is self (mother) inflicted. He needed a lot more calcium and vitamin D. He'll never get that developmental time back and will live with the consequences his whole life.

[The J]

Like everything else, it's fine in moderation. I've managed to drop a lot of weight simply by reducing my dairy and meat intake, but I still eat it.

[Malarky]

I've managed to drop a lot of weight simply by reducing my dairy and meat intake, but I still eat it
Read more: notmsnmoney.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=healthyliving&thread=2672&page=1#99581#ixzz1CfB2B7jF

As it should be. Until I quit smoking almost 3 years ago, the word diet wasn't even in my vocabulary.

MODERATION.

Of course, there are times now, when I lose the meaning of that.

[Malarky]

patstab,
You're old enough to remember when common sense was the norm. I kick myself everyday that I listened to popular culture.
Even for myself, because I no longer smoke, I don't spend as much time outside, and for the first time in my life, I'm vitamin D deprived. I grew up drinking whole milk, playing outside, and being incredibly healthy. As much as I tried to provide that for my kids, I let outside influences interfere.

[Jem0607]

Ever since we started drinking raw, organic milk straight from the farm, my kids haven't had as much as a runny nose and I have had less trouble with other allergies. I could never give up dairy.

[Opti]

I avoid dairy because it gives me bad sore throats and makes my sinusitis worse. I don't think its necessary for health there are things like leafy greens, sesame seeds, etc. that have a lot of calcium too.

In some people dairy can cause excess mucous, etc. so it really depends on how well you tolerate it. As everyone says moderation and knowing how things affect you are key. I think I might have been healthier growing up if the common wisdom had not included cram your kids with dairy foods.

[Deleted]

Diary is very good for you.

[reader79]

I don't eat dairy, my parents raised us on a vegan diet and I have stuck to it - except for Snickers, and sometimes bakery cakes. We used to have to make our own soymilk. It came as powder in a can, and you mixed it in with a pitcher of water. There was no Silk or 8th Continent.

I eat the soy yogurts, and some of the cheeses. I also make sure to get the Tropicana that has calcium added. When I bake I use margarine and Egg Replacer. If I actually see someone break open an egg and add it to a recipe I won't eat it, but if it comes pre-made from the store in Strawberry Shortcake form, then I'm good.

I probably need to visit a nutritionist, as my diet is not the best. I know that my mother did all sorts of research after she had her first child (my sister,) but I need to work on balancing things out.

[flopsy]

i've never had any health issues and i don't know if i could live without whole milk, 4% plain yogurt, cheese in excess, and a health dose of butter. i would not accept a vegan diet for children because there are so many potential gaps in vitamins and general nutrition if you aren't a well versed dietician.

[Mad Dawg Wiccan]

I eat a fair amount of cheese, but very rarely drink milk. I had it three meals a day as a kid, but when I was in Basic Training we were under orders to drink no milk and I lost my taste for it.
I don't even keep milk in the house except for powdered in case a recipe calls for it.

[kadee]

I know there have been some recent studies that say that the calcium in dairy isn't absorbed into the body like it is from other sources...green veggies.
I was born/raised on a dairy farm...I DON'T LIKE MILK! I like cheese, but I don't like cottage cheese, yogurt or sour cream (unless it's in icing) either! I like GOOD chocolate milk, which I can get at our local dairy.
I try to eat as much 'natural' foods as possible...real butter, real eggs, etc. We do some processed foods for convenience but not a lot.

[chiver78]

flopsy and chef, I'm with you both. I start every day with coffee, just milk. god/goddess/satan/whoever you may worship help you if you deprive me of that first cup. I also get most of my protein from cheeses, and will have a glass of 2% milk if I have heartburn. I've had the immune system of a lab rat for years, but I've eaten/drank dairy my whole life. I'd venture my issues are from other things than dairy.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

I stopped drinking cow's milk when I became diabetic ~ too high in sugars for me ~ so I switched to unsweetened vanilla almond milk (1/2 the calories and a fraction of the carbs). I don't worry about calcium since I average about 8-10 servings of daily veggies.

[whoisjohngalt]

About 8-9 yrs ago I became interested in nutrition. I started reading books and articles and "latest" research and I only learned one thing - if you want to find a "study" that something is good for you, you will find it. If you want to find a "study" that something is bad for you, you will find it.

A lot of what your body can tolerate and how it effects "you" depends on genetics, your life style and some even say your blood type (there is a book about it). So, I feed my family using a little bit of common sense and little bit of their preferences. We'll see what happens.

About dairy - one of my grandmothers LOVED LOVED LOVED dairy. She could eat sour cream with a spoon and was drinking milk like it was going out of style. Never had any problems from it and died at 93. To my grandfather dairy was not even a food group. If the meal didn't have a piece of meat, it wasn't a meal, but a snack. Died at 92. Point? We are all different and should listen to our bodies instead of all those "experts"

Lena

[kadee]

I think we ALL need to stop & think about how much advertising has affected our thinking that we "NEED" certain products.
Orange juice is another product that we have been advertised into thinking we need/is good for us! So it isn't just milk/dairy products. White bread was one that was advertised into being the most popular....sunbeam, wonder bread....and a lot of this advertising started back in the 50's-60's and now has been passed down thru the generations as truths...when we really don't know & newer research keeps coming up with different results.

[Cookies Galore]

I don't eat much dairy. I love me some good cheese and yogurt, but everything else I can do without. I bake without eggs and dairy, and do a damn tasty job of it!
I eat plenty of calcium-rich veggies and legumes, and don't feel like I'm missing anything. If I could eliminate all animal products, I would. But I love cheese and sushi too much.

[Tiny]

I don't think dairy (milk, cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, yogurt) is 'unhealthy'. I don't understand why the only choices are All or Nothing. I guess that puts me in the Moderation and Portion Control camp.
I suspect the '3 servings' of dairy a day is inspired more by the dairy industry than true nutritional needs but I also HIGHLY doubt 8 ounce of milk, an ounce of cheese, and an 8 ounce serving of yogurt every day (or a serving of creamcheese, an ounce of cheese, and a glass of milk OR any other 3 serving combo of diary) will cause pre-mature death.
As a kid and teen I drank alot of milk - it was a source of Protein and Calcium and Vitamin D. My milk consumption dropped off in my late 20's thru my mid 40's. I've never said no to cheese. I'm currently conscientiously having a serving of "Dairy" every day (as part of the Wieght Watchers plan - I'm suppose to have 3 but I just can't seem to do it consistently). This week I'm having a cup of yogurt as a snack everyday. Last week it was a String Cheese stick, the week before that it was Cottage cheese with some fruit everyday.... I doubt it's gonna kill me and it's not impeding my weight loss.
I am leaning more and more towards becoming an Ovo-Lacto Vegetarian so I am eating less meat...
Moderation and portion control.

[Cookies Galore]

Mar 2, 2011 17:33:45 GMT -5 @wrongsideof30 said:

I secretly think that some of my vegan friends are "vegans" to mask an eating disorder (anorexia)...

That doesn't make sense. Many vegans are actually very passionate about food and what they put into their bodies.

I know that the vegans and strict vegetarians I know are very excited about food, because every meal is a creation to them. I know that's only from my little corner of the world, but someone having a different diet doesn't equal eating disorder.

[Mad Dawg Wiccan]

Mar 2, 2011 17:33:45 GMT -5 @wrongsideof30 said:

I secretly think that some of my vegan friends are "vegans" to mask an eating disorder (anorexia)...

Studies have shown that something like nearly 90% of anorexic/bulimic teenaged girls first showed "symptoms" of the disease by becoming vegetarians/vegans.

[craig]

Feb 6, 2011 17:14:06 GMT -5 flopsy said:

i've never had any health issues and i don't know if i could live without whole milk, 4% plain yogurt, cheese in excess, and a health dose of butter. i would not accept a vegan diet for children because there are so many potential gaps in vitamins and general nutrition if you aren't a well versed dietician.

I feel this way exactly. KARMA

[pig]

Dairly is very healthy. Just go with skim and low fat products.

[Deleted]

Have you ever tasted fat free "cheese"?

[pig]

Yeah and I agree it's horrible. But then again I'm not trying to lose weight so I eat the real stuff. But if you're trying to lose then I would say it's better than nothing.

[Deleted]

I agree, I was just teasing. I have tasted it and I don't like it. I prefer the real stuff.

[pig]

Indeed. My wife bought some low fat mayo and it still in the fridge....untouched after the first taste from months ago.

[Deleted]

LOL. Better eat that up before it spoils. Maybe on a fat free cheese sandwhich?

[pig]

[Frappuccino]

I'm in the moderation camp which is why I stay away from cheese. I am addicted to cheese and yogurt. They regularly call my name at the grocery store.

I use a tablespoon of butter and mayo regularly without any problems. I've never been a fan of drinking milk, but I know it is high in sugar.