The Big Dairy Debate

I mix up the fat content in the dairy I consume depending on what the food is ... my preferred milk to drink is reduced fat - 2%, yogurt is usually full fat, and I like the plain regular yogurt vs. the Greek style for taste and texture. Cheese .. it depends on what kind. Hard cheeses are usually full fat but soft cheese like cottage, ricotta, or cream cheese are reduced fat. Kefir is usually made at home from the milk I have on hand but if I buy it, then it's the full fat variety.

None of the dairy I consume is no-fat. I found that, for myself, fat-free dairy has too much sugar in it and needs the higher fat content to keep blood sugar levels steady. However, while I consume some dairy on a daily basis, it's, all-together, not more than 2 servings per day from the different sources I like to have on hand.

Rarely do I eat ice cream but when I do it is regular full fat or frozen yogurt. I also like to have some Goat's milk cheese on hand and don't really pay much attention to the fat content because it's there are less varieties to select from in my grocery.

I'm prediabetic in my fasting BG. I follow a LCHF diet to deal with it. Very low carb - I follow a ketogenic diet. I try to keep my carbs around 20g per day and eat high fat so regular doesn't fit my macros. I only use whipping cream (35% fat) or heavy cream (56%). If I need it thinner I add a bit of water (no milk sugars and similar fat content to homo milk).

For dairy products, I use sour cream (14%), hard cheeses and cream cheese, and yogurt (10+% and unsweetened).

A few years ago I tried skipping dairy for a year when my autoimmune diseases were a problem. Some find milk to be inflammatory so skipping or limiting dairy may be something you want to try. Instead of dairy I used coconut cream. A nice substitute.

forlaura wrote: »

@BinaryPulsar Hello, thank you for your response... I keep my carbs between 15 and 30 as per the Dietician, and limit my fruits and other starchy veggies to specific portion sizes, no added sugar in anything, and as of late, I am off breads and grains though that will be another ordeal when and the time comes to add those back in!! I am happy to hear you are managing with what is working for you, it's all we can do to stay on top of our unique circumstances...

I don't need carbs that low. I usually eat around 150. But anywhere in the range of 100 to 200. About 30% of my calories in carbs. But potentially up to 35 or 40%. I have to keep my sugar lowish. Not crazy low, but not high. I can't digest grains, starches, or fodmaps. Some of this might be temporary as my body recovers. But, I don't know. And it could take another year or so. I am recovering from medical injuries (wrongly prescribed and overprescribed unnecessary and harmful meds, it's a long story). Hopefully the kefir might be helping my body regain the ability to eventually digest foods again. Can't know for sure, but it's a possibility.

forlaura wrote: »

@Nikion901 Hello, thank you for your response... I drink plant based milks mostly and also do not eat too much dairy... Is Keifer a plain, unsweetened drink? I am not familiar with it. I love goat cheese and from all I read about it, it seems to have great nutritional value as well. I know the more vegetables I eat the better, so I am trying to focus on increasing consumption of those, keep the good fats included with the protein and other carbs, no refined sugars or carbs, though... I know it is subjective, but I would imagine there are universal variables to how certain foods affect our sugar levels. From the studies I have read on dairy, I still am not convinced either way. :)

Ok, Kefir is a fermentation, usually done with milk (cow, goat, or sheep), although you can also grow water kefir ... which I have never had but have read about. It tasts like very liquidy yogurt. Lifeway sells it in quart milk-bottle type containers and offers fruit flavored as well as plain, no-fat as well as whole milk. You ferment it differently than how yogurt made in that it uses 'kefir grains' that you have to get from some one who is fermenting their own or buy the starter grains. My dad drank Kefir throughout his life and turned me on to it when I was a girl. I really prefer fermented milk products over drinking milk straight, although there is nothing quite a glass of milk when I have a piece of cake or a couple of cookies!

I don't give up any foods, although I do restrict (or save) for special occasions ... like the occcasional piece of birthday cake or Christmas cookie. Even the occasional ice cream cone is a special treat that I go to an ice cream parlor to enjoy it at rather than bring those foods into the sockpile at home. Works for me. Good luck.

tlc010283 wrote: »

Dairy will keep you from your goals. Way too much sugar

I guess it depends what your goal is.
My goal was to lose weight and is now to maintain at my acheived weight level.

I have milk in coffee and on cereals, drink milk and eat yogurt and cheese - all of these on very regular basis.
Did not stop me from getting to my goals.

Re question in OP - I drink low fat milk. Full fat tastes too creamy to me now. Mostly low fat yogurt. Regular fat cheese.

forlaura wrote: »

@BinaryPulsar
It is a trial and error of sorts it seems. Thanks for your feedback, and wish you well on your journey...

Thank you. You too. I am doing much better now that we understand my malabsorption disorder. But, of course hoping to not have malabsorption forever. Edit to add: Oh I didn't realize you were the OP.

^^ but that isn't so for milk. Low fat milk does not have added sugar.