Feel Free To Choose Cheese

As an avid dairy consumer, I feel like I’m alone in the world. But should I be the only one singing its benefits? I don’t think so.

So, for those who love their dairy, I’m writing this for you. You no longer have to hide in the closet. You can now relax, sit back, and savor a food you truly enjoy.

I understand that some people have to avoid dairy due to lactose intolerance, allergy, or sensitivity. And there may be something they can do about that in the future as we learn more about the gut.

Others may choose to not consume it. But it should be a choice, made from a position of knowledge. It shouldn’t be because a practitioner told them to avoid it without a legitimate reason provided.

Think that doesn’t happen? I know it does. In one section of the health world, there is a very large group of practitioners who automatically remove dairy for all patients or clients, no matter what the health issue may be. I know many of them.

And the patient or client is lucky if that’s the only food they remove.

Several years ago, I was attending a practitioner seminar which came with a lunch – always an iffy thing from a taste perspective. The host proudly announced that it was gluten-free and dairy-free. From the safety of my seat in the audience, I said out loud “That’s too bad”. I knew the host could not hear me and I said it more for my benefit.

A young lady about 20 years my junior, leaned over and said “Don’t worry, you’ll learn.”

In a world of patronizing comments that we all find ourselves enduring; this comment is number 1 on my list.

My big comeback? “No, I won’t”. I was so caught off guard, it’s all I could say.

This story illustrates how things are in the world, in general, and the health world, in particular. People believe what they are told. They don’t investigate. They don’t apply any critical thinking. They don’t read the research. They don’t ask questions. As long as they like or respect the person doing the telling, there’s a full buy-in.

The sad part is that the young lady was studying to be a naturopath. And that means she’ll spread misinformation to all her future patients.

As thousands of practitioners before her have done and who continue to do so.

So, why is dairy on the hit list?

Here are some of the reasons given for avoiding cow’s milk:

1.It’s inflammatory: This is why the biggest reason people believe dairy should be avoided. I’ve been asked a few times if I could provide research proving that dairy is inflammatory. Unfortunately, for the askers, and not for me, the research doesn’t support this. I always send them this research review of 52 clinical studies that states dairy is not inflammatory. It even concluded that for those with metabolic disorders, it can be anti-inflammatory.

Only those who have dairy allergies or sensitivities have an inflammatory response. This is true for all allergies or sensitivities to food or the environment. But that’s not the dairy’s fault, although there are many who promote this line of thinking.  They think everyone has a problem with dairy. Who are these “many”? Thousands of health practitioners and influencers.

I’ve even heard some practitioners suggest that other allergies are caused by dairy – Iike this makes any sense. These are people who clearly don’t understand how the gut works.

Another statement I hear is that dairy causes gut issues. No, gut issues cause dairy issues – and only for some people.

Where did they get the idea that dairy was inflammatory? Someone told them – a teacher or another practitioner or they decided it for themselves because dairy is an issue for them. That happens a lot with food. A practitioner removes some foods from their diet, creates a theory for it, then writes a book, hits the lecture and TV circuit, and makes a lot of money.

Yes, often, this is the way information about our food is spread.

But the facts don’t support this, especially in the case of dairy.

How hard was it for me to find the research review stating dairy was not inflammatory?  A quick Google search did the trick. It would be wonderful if, when people are tempted to repeat what they hear, they would do a Google search first before they spread misinformation.

I doubt the 52 clinical trials in the review will change the minds of those who have been promoting the idea that dairy is inflammatory.   People believe what they believe and facts often don’t matter. Unfortunately, a food with many benefits is being removed from too many diets for no reason.

2. It has 4 times the protein of human milk so it is hard to digest: Since we are consuming it for food and it does not have much protein – the fact that it has more human milk is irrelevant.

3. We lose the enzyme to digest lactose: Specific lactobacillus strains break down lactose (this would include enzyme action). If a person can’t tolerate lactose, then they have lost strains of good bacteria that can help break it down.

And you want to be able to ingest dairy and break it down, whether you choose to consume it or not. This is not something to just write off and be forever declaring you’re lactose intolerant. You need these strains of bacteria to be healthy for other reasons.

When you consume fermented dairy such as yogurt, kefir, and aged cheese, lactose is broken down as part of the fermenting process. The longer it ferments the more lactose is broken down. Cheese can be fermented for years, producing a sharper taste and developing a creamier texture.

Many people who are lactose intolerant may be able to tolerate fermented dairy, depending on how much they’re missing of the key strains of bacteria, and how much lactose has been broken down in the fermented dairy. And if they still can’t tolerate it, taking a lactase enzyme will help finish the process.

When bacteria break down lactose, they produce GOS (galactooligosaccharides), a prebiotic food for colon bacteria, which, in turn, produces short-chain fatty acids like butyrate. It has many benefits in the body including supporting the gut, brain, and liver health.

A person can regain the ability to digest lactose – I know many people who have but it takes time and there is no exact strategy. Consuming fermented dairy will provide some of the GOS that’s needed in the colon. And if that means taking an enzyme to digest the rest of the lactose in the fermented dairy, so be it. Having GOS in the colon is worth it

Butter contains butyric acid, the precursor to butyrate – not a lot, but some. – just another option. And butyrate is also available as a supplement.

The strains that break down lactose have many other benefits that the body needs. In the long term, solving the lactose-intolerant issue is best, if possible.

4. Casein Issues: This is the key protein in dairy. A lot of people have had a lot to say about casein. Except it is speculative. It’s one thing to say someone may have an allergy or sensitivity to casein. This can happen – which is not the fault of the dairy. All allergies and sensitivities are a gut-immune issue in the person. However, this can be tested and confirmed.

But this is also where the theories about casein go awry. Allergies and sensitivities produce an inflammatory response. Inflammation is linked to many health conditions. Now casein is the reason for numerous health issues according to some people. It’s quite the leap. Inflammation is not a back-and-white issue - there are different inflammation pathways for different activities in the body

As stated before, all allergies and sensitivities cause inflammation.

Another theoretic issue suggests that casein is hard to digest. If a person has low digestive juices and insufficient good bacteria – casein could be hard to digest. Again, this is an issue of the body, not the dairy. And this can be applied to many foods. Everyone is different. Because gut bacteria is complicated, different people have different sensitivities and issues. But the food should not be blamed. Instead, try to fix the gut and improve digestion, – an easier thing to say than do but worth it for overall health.

5. Cows are bad for the environment: If you have heard of regenerative agriculture, then you know this is not the case. If you haven’t, check out this post from

Sue Senger

: What Is Regenerative Agriculture? Sue discusses the problems with food production and why regenerative agriculture is a superior way to produce food for us and the planet. And it’s better for the animals, too.

Cows, if allowed, can help decrease excess carbon in the atmosphere. Well-managed grazing practices support the growth of diverse, healthy grasslands with deeper root systems that sequester carbon dioxide underground, aiding in carbon storage.

Cows' grazing activities, especially on natural grasslands, deposit organic matter onto soil surfaces, contributing to soil carbon sequestration, while their manure, when managed properly, serves as a nutrient-rich fertilizer, reducing the need for energy-intensive synthetic fertilizers. This applies to beef cattle as well since they can graze, too – given the chance.

Grazing animals help maintain biodiversity, prevent erosion, and improve water quality by preventing runoff and benefiting ecosystems. Sustainable livestock management supports rural economies, providing livelihoods, promoting local food systems, and preserving cultural landscapes.

In other words, if cows were raised on farms and not factories and we respected their natural diet, we wouldn’t be having this conversation about cows and the environment.

6. We’re not baby cows: I don’t like “cute” when it comes to discussing our food. But those who state this think they are being cute when trying to convince people to avoid dairy without actually having a good reason.

Our ancestors appreciated food and utilized everything of value that could be used as food. This includes animal milk. What did they know that we didn’t? A lot – they did not need to be taught how to eat – nutritionists did not exist. Our ancestors (going way, way back) had respect for the land and how to produce and prepare food.

And what’s missing from this perspective and all the other ideas against dairy and other reductionist thinking regarding food, is all the beneficial elements in dairy and other foods that are ignored.

All natural foods are more than fats, carbs, protein, vitamins, and minerals. They contain many other elements that researchers discovered have value.

Just recently, I learned about nucleosides – this is an element we make in our bodies that help with cell regeneration – an important concept for healing and longevity.

Dairy along with several other foods, contains nucleosides. But like many other nutrients, the form found in animals is more bioavailable to us than those in plants. We are, after all, animals.

Here’s another surprising benefit. A recent study suggests that Trans-vaccenic acid (TVA), a type of long-chain fatty acid present in meat and dairy from grazing animals, enhances the effectiveness of CD8+ T cells in entering tumors and destroying cancer cells. CD8+ T cells are part of an inflammatory pathway. Inflammation is not necessarily always bad.

This is what research does. It keeps finding things we didn’t know. And in doing so, shines a big bright light on the assumptions of the past.

And there’s more…

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) is a type of fatty acid found in dairy products, especially in grass-fed dairy. It has been associated with various health benefits, including reduced body fat, improved immune function, and reduced risk of heart disease.

Sphingolipids are a type of lipid found in dairy fat and play a role in cellular signaling, inflammation regulation, and brain health.

Plus the essential fatty acids and vitamins A, D, E, and K in dairy are all in the form we need as mammals.

So, maybe we should finally understand that there’s much more to food than we know. Maybe we should be focused on the quality of our foods and how they can be the best for us. No more demonizing food that’s been consumed for far longer than any of us have been alive.

What’s the best form of dairy? In a perfect world, it would be raw, organic from a farm practicing regenerative agriculture where the cows are treated humanely. If dairy is your choice, do your best to get the best version. Raw milk, aged cheese from organic farms would be the easiest to find. Happy hunting.