Should I consume Milk and dairy Products. Today I am going to talk about a very common question asked to me , Should I take Dairy and Milk products, will they increase my weight and cause bloating
.Dairy as we know has been an important part of our diet since years. It is calorie dense and provide us essential nutrients like calcium, Vitamin D, Vitamin b12 and protein.
1) Calcium which we get from milk is bioavailable ie easily absorbed in our body and helps in bone development
2) Vitamin D helps in calcium absorption and Vitamin B12 is very important for our nerves
3) Protein we get from milk and dairy products is high quality protein and it helps in tissue repair &recovering after injury. Milk protein is good for building muscle mass and muscle strength.
According to Ayurveda cows milk is considered as sattvic ie pure , of high quality, good for memory boosting ,good for our emotional health and spiritual well being . It is also considered as next to mothers milk so it can be given to infants as well. It is light and easy to digest so people who find milk heavy to digest can go for cows milk. You should prefer having A2 cows milk as it is obtained from desi cow and it is easy to digest as compared to A2 cow milk. Try to take milk directly from your local farm near by , if not then A2 cow milk is also available in packets nowadays. Buffalo milk is rich in calories and high in protein so people who are into heavy exercise, gymming can opt for buffalo milk. Also buffalo milk can be used for making curd, which is very good source of probiotic and making white butter/ makhan at home. You should prefer having white butter over yellow butter as it is lower in calories and easy to digest.
Now what is the right way of drinking milk?
We should boil the milk properly at least 4-5 minutes on sim after it rises the top. Avoid having it directly from refrigerator as cold milk is heavy for your gut. Those who have high kapha dosha can add ginger, cinnamon, black pepper in their milk. If we add Turmeric to milk it becomes an anti-inflammatory drink and acts as immunity booster . It can be healthy evening drink for your child and if taken in the night it relaxes and calms you. Milk added with kesar/saffron is good for your skin and respiratory issues like cough, cold ,asthma .
Ayurveda also uses milk for medicinal preparations like Arjunsheerpak is very good for Heart health and reducing high cholesterol.
Ashwgandha taken with milk helps in lowering cortisol levels, thus fighting stress & sleep disorders.
Shatavari powder taken with milk is very good for lactation ,helps in overcoming menopausal symptoms and is very good for overall women health
Now there are certain Medical conditions where you should avoid Dairy
1) If you are Lactose Intolerant ie you lack lactase enzyme which digests milk, then you can have issues like bloating , diarrhoea, nausea
2) If you are Allergic to milk protein. It is seen mostly in kids below 3 years of age and some also overcome this allergy as they grow older
.3) Avoid Milk and Dairy products in Autoimmune conditions like type 1 diabetes, Multiple sclerosis, Rheumatoid arthritis, irritable Bowel syndrome and other Inflammatory disease.
IN these medical conditions dairy alternatives can be used like Almond milk, soymilk, coconut milk, curd. Try preparing them fresh at home as tetrapacks may have added preservatives in them. You can take milk in the Breakfast as according to research ,complex carbohydrate and protein is good combination to start your day, also having milk with carbohydrate minimizes the risk of rise in blood sugar as compared to having carbohydrate alone. Buttermilk/chach helps indigestion food, curd is a good probiotic so they can be added to your meals.
There are certain Food combinations which you should avoid with milk ie Fish, Banana ,melons and citrus fruits. If you take them with milk then you may face digestion related issues. A 2020 review in Advances IN nutrition found no strong evidence linking milk consumption to chronic disease .so instead of totally avoiding milk and milk products you should be mindful, when to take and how to take dairy. If you need any guidance then you can connect to me, stay healthy.