This debate is new to me. Yogurt definitely is dairy. I guess it depends on the context. I have heard of some people who have lactose intolerance who can tolerate yogurt. Some who argue it is better to avoid dairy, in general, say yogurt is okay because of the cultures.
Yes, yogurt's dairy. It's made from milk. I think yogurt is an amazing food full of active cultures that are great for your intestinal tract and healthy digestion...
The reason some ppl with lactose intolerance can tolerate yogurt is because the cultures semi-digest the dairy/lactose.
My take - EAT YOGURT.
Hey there. Yes, yogurt is dairy. We all need a VARIETY of foods. Milk, yogurt, and cheese all contain a lot of protein and calcium. They are all healthful foods in appropriate portions in the context of a balanced diet. Yogurt does contain live bacteria (cultures) but every brand has a different amount in it (it just so happens I did a study on this in college for my biology class). My advice: do not rank one dairy food as "better" than another. No food is good, better, best or bad. There is no such thing as "good or bad" foods - just good or bad portions!!! Eat yogurt, cheese, and drink milk. Enjoy!
Last edited by runnergirl; 03-24-2005 at 03:34 PM.
Hey there. I am a Registered Dietitian. Yes, yogurt is milk. But to suggest that yogurt is "much better than milk" as veggie girl states is just not true. We all need a VARIETY of foods. Milk, yogurt, and cheese all contain a lot of protein and calcium. They are all healthful foods in appropriate portions in the context of a balanced diet. Yogurt does contain live bacteria (cultures) but every brand has a different amount in it (it just so happens I did a study on this in college for my biology class). My advice: do not rank one dairy food as "better" than another. No food is good, better, best or bad. There is no such thing as "good or bad" foods - just good or bad portions!!! Eat yogurt, cheese, and drink milk. Enjoy!
Just curious, whats 'the dietitians' take on dairy products and acne? or, food and acne in general for that matter? Because, its always quite a controversial debate on the acne board.
Yes, I say enjoy your yogurt. Low fat would be better for your cardiac health though. In terms of the acne-food connection, you are correct. It is controversial and the jury is still "out" on this issue. Acne has also been linked to stress, genetics, age, and of course, environmental conditions/climate. Personally, in my practice, I do notice that those who follow a healthy, well-balanced diet tend to have better skin. Especially if they make the effort to drink lots of water and also stay out of the sun and harsh climates. But to link certain foods to acne itself? I haven't heard any convincing scientific evidence that this occurs. It tends to be more care-by-case and testimonial that people may feel a certain food "triggers" their acne.
Yup, yogourt is from a cow. (except soy yogourt)..I'm severely lactose intolerant and everyone stares at me scratching their head when they see me eating it. As others have said, it's the bacteria in it that breaks down the lactose. mmm...yogourt
I heard that the calcium in milk is pretty much useless in human beings. Milk is designed for baby cows. No other species drinks milk after it has been weaned. Since I thought about it, I only drink Soya milk now. Am I the only one who finds drinking milk out of another mammals breast a bit odd?!! Humans are crazy. We get more unnatural every day. Just my oppinion.
No, pheobe, you are certainly not the only one who finds drinking other animal's milk a bit odd, there are a number of people who have posted that opinion. The assertion that we are the only species that does it has never been very meaningful for me. We are the only species that does many things and eats many things. We are the only ones that cook and clothe ourselves, and on and on, and use computers. So I don't understand why drinking milk is highlighted by some.
I have issues with milk. Both of my children cannot digest it. The hormones in food freak me out to no end, and that goes for milk and meat. The calcium available in milk is not readily absorbed by the human body. For alot of us, milk thickens mucos, which can be pretty awful. My youngest gets ear infections if she has too much dairy. I find milk to be very congesting, digestive-wise and sinus-wise. My older daughter is racked with violent stomach cramps if she consumes too much dairy. They do like veggies, and the calcium they get from their veggies is much more easily digested and absorbed. I had to battle my oldest's school on the milk issue-they had a rule that the kids had to drink ALL their milk at lunch, and I sent a not explaining her allergies. I said, if she wants it, fine, but I would not ever FORCE her to have something that when consumed in excess makes her sick. They told me it was government regulations (for the daycare part of the school) about the milk issue. I said fine, here is a doc's note explaining how when she was little, she experienced projectile vomiting and severe cramps from milk--so kindly do not MAKE her drink it!!!
We are just a part of the large group of people who cannot tolerate milk products very well. More power to you if you can, I guess. I would NOT rely on it as a primary source of calcium.
hillaryb, ensure your kids are getting enough calcium in their diet..until they're in their 20s their bones will be growing and needing it. check that any alternatives (soy milk or whatever) are enriched with calcium. i obviously don't know the whole story and don't want to tell you how to raise your family..but it's just a concern that comes along with being lactose intolerant..(i know you can buy "juice boxes" of milk alternatives, maybe they'll accept that at their school)
Like I mentioned in my other post, my kids love calcium-rich veggies. My youngest drinks a little bit of soy milk. There are far better sources of calcium out there than dairy. If anything, being that we get our calcium from sources other than dairy, that are more readily absorbable, my kids probably get more useful levels of the mineral than most of their peers. There is a definate shift going on in the medical, and health community as far as opinions on milk. Old-school beliefs that it is our only good source of certain vitamins and minerals are being disproved by new info relating digestability to the absorption of such nutrients. And then there are also those of us who shake our head and say :" But I am NOT a baby cow!" lol
hilary b, i agree that there is a growing shift towards skepticism about the health benefits of milk. i just saw the latest issue of alternative medicine magazine, and the cover story is about setting straight some common misconceptions about the health "benefits" of or "natural need" for cow's milk.
a lot of soymilks have as much calcium and vitamin d as dairy milk. and of course there are a ton of very healthy and calcium rich plant foods, too.
if you want the benefits of acidofilus and other cultures found in yogurt, but for whatever reason want to avoid dairy, soy yogurt is a great option! it contains the same types of cultures which are good for digestion and colon health, but none of the milk which isn't. whole soy has good soy yogurts and yogurt drinks, as do wildwood, and silk. whole soy also makes a frozen soy yogurt with live cultures. all of these things are totally dairy free.
__________________
Go Vegan- For the Earth, Your Health, and the Animals!
a lot of soymilks have as much calcium and vitamin d as dairy milk. and of course there are a ton of very healthy and calcium rich plant foods, too.
Though, the calcium in soymilk is not naturally occurring, but added in processing . . . so in terms of calcium content, it has no advantage over taking a supplement.
that's true.
i was just thinking for some people who might want to eat the same foods like breakfast cereals, etc, it's good to keep in mind that if you switch from dairy milk to soymilk, as long as you get a fortified one, you're getting the same amount of calcium you were before the switch. (the vitamin d in regular dairy milk is added synthetics, too, so it's essentially another supplement via food. not saying it's any better or worse, just that its not naturally occuring. there's always sunlight for that one too, anyway. i should go get some! it's such a nice day here!... oh no, i'm going on a parenthetical tangent, aren't i? )
some other calcium rich plant foods if you'd rather get stuff straight from non-fortified foods are things like dark leafy greens(kale, bok choy, spinach, chard), dried fruits especially figs, tahini and sesame seeds, whole grains, etc.
__________________
Go Vegan- For the Earth, Your Health, and the Animals!
haha, I didnt mean to go off on a tangent. I was just so irked at the daycare/preschool--apparently according to them, the government says they HAVE to make the kids drink the milk. These are the same guys that think chicken nuggets and french fries are a nutritionally-balanced lunch. I live in the good old United States, land of alarmingly huge rates of childhood obesity. I know this may seem extremist, but I saw an interview the other day with a naturopath and he said processed foods seem to have some pretty scary effects on the general population. Cancer rates are sky high, and he suspected preservatives may be a hidden culprit. It almost makes sense to me. I worry alot about cancer anyway, because i had it at the age of 15. So, yes, I worry about the adverse effects of the crap we eat around here. Anyway, this naturopath said he felt that someday the effects of these processed food/preservative laden foods would be discovered, let "out of the bag" so to speak, and the food industry would be turned inside out, much like what happens in the pharmaceutical industry with unsafe medications. I dont know. I really for some reason tend to believe this guys thinking. When you think about what most people consume on a daily basis, if it isnt bogged down with synthetic hormones, its got additives that I cant even spell or pronounce--I dont think our bodies were built to process that stuff without any adverse effects.
Dont get me wrong, Im not a perfect eater. I strive to stick to the outside of the grocery store--produce, meat, eggs (but alas these contain the hormones) beans, etc, but we still eat crap too. Significantly less of it, though, that is for sure!
If only more people thought like you Hillary!
I find it quite frightening what goes into some food. I don't see how people think it won't have any negative effect. Crap in = crap out, really! It's only logical. Well maybe the world will wake up one day, if it's not too late. All we can do is do the best for ourselves and our kids.
Hooray for organic spinach!!
)
