What’s the Good, Bad & Ugly About Dairy?
Written by Connor Nellans
The saying, “one size does not fit all” applies to most things, including dairy. We often get questions about if it’s ok to include dairy in our diets and the answer is, it depends. What we do know is that dairy is not inherently bad and should really be examined on a person to person basis.
The Simple Dairy Test
We know that sounds vague, but if you really want to know if dairy is ok for YOUR diet, there’s a simple test you can do and it doesn’t cost a thing! Try removing all dairy from your diet for 30-60 days then note any changes you’ve noticed. You might not notice them from just their removal because things you’ve lived with things like gas, bloating, acne and sinus congestion and they seem like a normal part of your life. So after the 30-60 days without dairy, reintroduce it to your diet and see what happens.
In our experience, what happens after reintroduction is not usually positive for most people and they decide they want to keep it out because they don’t feel that good with dairy in their diet. However, some don’t notice any negative effects so they may opt to keep it in. This is a very simple test to figure out how your body reacts to dairy as many of us have been eating dairy since we were young and have never gone on extended periods of time without consuming it.
Dairy OK? Here’s How to Use it
If you find that dairy does not impact you negatively, then dairy can used in a positive way in your diet. One of the positives with dairy is that it can be a convenient way to get more protein into your diet. Milk and whey protein powders are a great way to consume more protein if you struggle with eating enough protein throughout the day.
Dairy a NO? Try These Options Instead
If you find, after reintroducing dairy, that your body responds poorly to it, there are many options for you as well! Some great dairy replacements include almond milk, cashew cheese, and hemp or pea protein powders. These are all great options to satisfy those milk and/or cheese cravings as they come up and the hemp and pea protein powders are great replacement options for whey protein powder.
Whether you think you have issues stemming from dairy or not, I encourage everyone to give this 30-60 dairy elimination a try to see if you in fact are one of the people who is better off without it in your diet. It may clear up some unexpected issues that you didn’t know were caused by your dairy consumption.
Looking for more ideas about what to eat or guidance with your nutrition? Join the Invictus Nutrition Program online where you will have the support of coaches – Connor Nellans and Jenn Ryan – and others in the Invictus community from around the world who are going through the same program.
