5 Reasons for Going Dairy-Free

Know the harmful effects of consuming dairy.

Reasons to exclude dairy from your diet.

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Dairy products, especially milk itself, are considered to be nutrient-dense foods beneficial for the health and that is one of the reasons that doctors, elders, and even health organisations emphasise on consuming dairy products daily.

There are mixed effects of dairy on health and according to PubMed Central, half the world actually struggles to digest dairy products and overconsumption might be hazardous for health.

1. Dairy and Acne 

According to Healthline, there are various pieces of research which prove that there is a connection between acne and consumption of dairy. Dairy can cause or worsen acne. The exact reason is still under study.

According to PubMed Central, animals are often treated with hormones and when we consume dairy, this may throw our hormones off balance and affect our skin. Other reasons might be the presence of growth hormones in milk or mixing milk with refined foods that increase the insulin levels which is a known reason for acne.

2. Dairy and Cancer 

According to the US National Institutes of Health, consumption of dairy stimulates the release of insulin protein like IGF-1 which increases the risk of certain cancers like prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, and breast cancer.

But there is evidence that all dairy products might not contribute to the increase in risk of cancer and there might be different reasons why dairy products might increase the chances of certain kind of cancer. For example, the high calcium content in dairy can be a cause of prostate cancer.

3. Lactose Intolerance

Lactose is a carbohydrate and this milk sugar consists of glucose and galactose which can be broken down and digested with the help of an enzyme called lactase.

According to PubMed Central, 65% of people around the world lose their ability to digest lactose in their adulthood which leads to a common problem of lactose intolerance. The common side effects of consuming dairy in lactose-intolerant people might include gas, bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, etc.

4. Weight Gain 

According to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, dairy products contain saturated fats which are the prime reason for weight gain. Therefore, doctors advise switching to a plant-based diet if you want to lose weight.

Moreover, the low-fat versions of dairy products are replaced by excess sugar which is again harmful. On the other side, the plant-based alternatives do not contain sugar or saturated fats which make them a healthier option.

5. Effect on the Environment

According to the NIH, dairy is the second largest food industry after meat which is responsible for 20% of the greenhouse emissions. Methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide are some of the major contributors to global warming.

We can get rid of this problem if we replace it with a plant-based diet but we might not be able to meet the required intake of vitamin D and calcium and that is why the diet is to be prepared carefully by an expert.