Simply Laura Lea. Laura Lea
Читать онлайн книгу.alt="Image"/> Most factory-farmed dairy is the result of inhumane practices that I don’t want to support
I still stand by all of the above. However, while dairy
is not for everyone, research and experience has
led me to believe that consumption of high-quality
dairy in moderation is welcome in a healthy lifestyle.
Again, this doesn’t apply to those with allergies,
sensitivities, or intolerances to all dairy, and I highly
recommend working with a medical professional to
determine if you have any of these conditions.
When I was almost through with the first book,
I created a recipe that required yogurt and another
that I wanted to garnish with some cheddar cheese,
just for looks. At the time, I barely ate any dairy at
all. The only plain, full-fat, grass-fed yogurt I could
find was a large container, so I resigned myself to
eating it slowly over a few weeks. Similarly, I couldn’t
find anything smaller than an 8-ounce block of 100
percent grass-fed cheddar cheese. And something
magical happened. As I slowly spooned and nibbled
my way through the yogurt and cheese, my digestion
began to improve and regulate in a way I hadn’t
experienced in years. I also felt less bloated after
fibrous meals, which had been an ongoing source
of frustration.
It was very clear that dairy was to be thanked
for these health improvements, specifically, the
beneficial probiotics that it contains. Our gut
health is directly linked to the health of our gut
microbiome, which is simply the compilation of
microorganisms in that particular environment.
Probiotics are considered “good” bacteria, because
when they populate our microbiome, they aid in
digestion, combat inflammation, and can even
improve responses to chemotherapy. I believe
that my gut needs the types of probiotic strains
that are bio-available in dairy, and I have included
high-quality dairy in my diet ever since that
yogurt/cheese experiment.
When I began this book, I dedicated time to
learning the science behind the health benefits of
dairy, but I also wanted to dispel some common
myths about the “downsides” of dairy—most
importantly, the misconception that the saturated
fat in all dairy products is harmful. As researcher
Charles Benbrook noted in an article in PLOS One:
Dairy products contribute significantly to dietary intakes
of saturated fat in the United States and Europe, which
has led to widely endorsed recommendations to limit
consumption of whole milk and other high-fat dairy
products, in favor of low- and non-fat dairy products.
However . . . they give little or no consideration to the
cardiovascular disease-risk reducing components in milk
fat, especially omega-3 fatty acids, conjugated linoleic
acid . . . protective minerals, and a beneficial effect on
serum HDL (“good”) cholesterol.1
We must consider that milk fat with a high omega-3
fatty acid content, which is found in pasture-raised
dairy, may actually help combat cardiovascular
disease. Here are a few research excerpts that
describe possible benefits of grass-fed dairy:
fatty acids play critical roles in the development of
eyes, the brain, and the nervous system. Adequate
omega-3 intakes can also slow the loss of cognitive
function among the elderly.3
While I consider plain, full-fat dairy from 100
percent pasture-raised cows to be ideal, I know that
it is not accessible for everyone. That said, organic
dairy is increasingly available in most grocery stores,
as well as Target and Walmart. What “organic” means
THREE TIERS OF DAIRY QUALITY
1. “Grassmilk” cows receive an essentially 100
percent organic grass and legume forage-
based diet, via pasture and stored feeds like
hay and silage. . . . [G]rassmilk provides by far
the highest level of omega-3s.
2. “Organic” cows receive, on average, about
80 percent of their daily Dry Matter Intake
(DMI) from forage-based feeds and 20
percent from grain and concentrates.
3. “Conventional” cows are fed rations in
which forage-based feeds account for an
estimated 53 percent of daily DMI, with the
other 47 percent coming from grains and
concentrates. Conventional management
accounts for over 90 percent