"Is dairy good or bad for you?" Post that question to social media and you'll find so much debate about this food group, that you might mistake it for a political campaign.



On the pro-dairy side, you'll see answers such as:




"I've been drinking a gallon of milk a day since I was a little kid."



"It's one of the food groups."



"My dietitian told me to eat it/drink it."



"I need it for strong bones."




On the anti-dairy side, you'll see people respond with answers like:




"It causes digestive problems."



"Dairy causes cancer."



"Humans aren't cows and therefore shouldn't consume cow's milk."



"It's not fair to the cows."



"It's an animal product and animal products are bad for you."




Ask them how they came to their conclusions and you'll find most people don't really know why they believe what they believe. Maybe a friend told them something. Perhaps they read an alaramist's blog post. Maybe they saw a biased advertisement.



Like many of the polarizing topics in nutrition, the answers lie in the middle. There are actually few topics where you can generalize across the population...eliminating gluten, limiting alcohol consumption, and avoiding BPA being part of that very short list.



In this article, I'll outline the most common concerns and exaggerations related to dairy consumption. "Dairy" is a broad category of food as well. Where it's appropriate, I've differentiated between milk, cheese, whey protein, and fermented dairy.







4 Reasons Dairy Is Good For You



I'll start by explaining why dairy is good for you, provided you can eat or drink it. Then, I'll get into the reasons why it's not for everyone.



1. Muscle Growth and Improved Body Composition



Muscle growth or maintenance is important at any age. From a toddler developing strength and coordination so he can walk without falling over, to an elderly adult, trying to maintain strength and coordination, so he can walk without falling over, and all of the quality-of-life between those two stages of life, the more muscle you have (naturally), the better you'll function.



That's why I weave this statement into as many articles as I can...



Muscle is your quality-of-life savings account. The more you have as you enter old age, the longer you'll be able to maintain your quality-of-life.



Of course, muscle doesn't grow on its own. You need to follow a great strength training program. But then you also need to eat a high-protein diet, too. And in terms of protein quality, it's hard to beat dairy.



Dairy contains two proteins, casein and whey. Both are high in essential amino acids, though whey tends to be tolerated better than casein.



Whey Protein



Whey protein is rich in essential amino acids, including the branched-chain amino acids leucine, isoleucine, and valine. It is also made of bioactive fractions like lactalbumin and lactoferrin.



Supplementing with whey protein may




decrease appetite



reduce body weight and body fat



improve glucose tolerance and help maintain normal blood sugar levels



support normal lipid levels



and stimulate protein synthesis better than consumption of other protein sources.




In one study, participants were simply instructed to add whey protein to their normal diet, and not change anything else. They lost weight, reduced their waist size, and improved body composition.



Whey protein is easy to digest and absorb, and mixes well in food and beverages, which is why it's the main ingredient in high-quality health foods like Quest Bars and Halo Top.



Casein



Casein is the other protein in dairy. When you think of cottage cheese, the liquid is whey protein, the solid curds are the casein.



Casein is also rich in essential amino acids, but is digested differently from whey. It takes longer to break down, and unfortunately, is more likely to cause an allergic response in people.



Between the two protein sources, whey has considerably more research supporting its health benefi...