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| | The Sigfood - The Fine Wining & Dining Network Network is not currently active and cannot accept new posts | | EAT SMART. | Views: 1299 | | Sep 11, 2008 10:51 am | | EAT SMART. | # | 
Aditya Seth | | Dating with dairy foods
DR. JALAJA RAMASWAMY
Milk and dairy products have a variety of health benefits, as long as you stick to the low-fat or no-fat varieties.
Rohit is off to school again without drinking his glass of chocolate milk. Is this a matter for concern?? His mother does not think so. She has a big supply of after-dinner calcium supplements.
Many who dislike milk or exhibit intolerance to milk are convinced that the answer to their problem is calcium supplements. But can calcium tablets wholly replace milk or its products? The answer is a definite “no”.
The calcium from milk and its products is far superior to that of supplements or even other dietary sources. But that’s not all. Milk and milk products like yoghurt, khoa, cheese and paneer are good sources of many other nutrients as well. Therefore a diet devoid of dairy foods will often be inadequate, not just in respect to calcium, but for many other nutrients as well.
Rich supply
Dairy foods have a rich supply of high quality proteins that contain all the essential amino acids needed for growth and maintenance of tissues. The carbohydrate contained in milk is lactose and this is a key nutrient promoting calcium absorption. Milk also contains a specific type of fatty acid called the Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) that has many health benefits. Milk is also a good source of many vitamins especially vitamins B2, B12, A and D and minerals like calcium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc and magnesium.
So, why are milk and its products important?
It is now common knowledge that milk and milk products support not only overall growth but contain significant amounts of the nutrients needed specifically for bone development and bone health thanks to a collection of nutrients such as protein, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc and vitamins such as D and A. A large volume of convincing evidence establishes that high calcium intake augments bone mass during growth, and retards age-related bone loss, and reduce osteoporotic fracture risk. According to the new “My Pyramid Food Guidance System” for the Americans, this requires three servings (eight ounces one serving) of milk or yoghurt per day.
Dairy foods are now being referred to as “Functional Foods”. Many clinical trials have shown that dairy products have the ability to reduce blood pressure. Studies on animals have shown that CLA reduces total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides and may protect against atherosclerosis. The intake of skimmed dairy products has been shown to increase the HDL or the “good” cholesterol, especially in people with elevated lipid levels. This is probably due to a cluster of nutrients such as CLA, vitamins B2 and B12, potassium and calcium. Bioactive peptides present in milk proteins can inhibit enzymes that elevate blood pressure.
Studies indicate a link between dairy food consumption and improved body weight and/or composition, especially in overweight/obese individuals. In a landmark study, Dr. Zemel and his team showed that substituting three servings of yoghurt for other foods in one’s diet can promote fat loss when on an energy restricted diet.
Increasing intakes of calcium reduces the synthesis of fat and increases the breakdown of fats in the body. Other nutrients in dairy foods, such as whey proteins, some amino acids and CLA may act in concert with calcium to help the body to break down and burn fat. Both CLA and whey protein supplements could also assist in promoting whole body and muscle protein synthesis and increase your muscle mass. Calcium supplements may also produce similar results but the greatest benefit is associated with the intake of calcium from dairy foods.
Evidence
There is a growing body of clinical and epidemiological evidence that support the idea that dairy foods may act to increase insulin action lower the risk of type II diabetes. An analysis of the data related to a study by Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health concludes that “regularly consuming low-fat dairy products — such as skim milk or low-fat yogurt — modestly decreases a man’s risk of developing type II diabetes”. This is perhaps primarily due to the calcium and CLA content. CLA has been shown to increase insulin action and decrease blood glucose levels in both animal and human trials.
Persons with renal stones are often advised to avoid dairy products and foods with high calcium content. However, recent studies have confirmed that foods high in calcium, including dairy products, may help prevent calcium stones. The contradiction is because dietary calcium from dairy foods seems to reduce the risk, while calcium in the form of non-food supplements enhances risk of renal stone formation. It is possible that some factors such as phosphorus present in dairy products are protective. Besides, dietary calcium may reduce the risk of kidney stones by decreasing the intestinal absorption and urinary excretion of oxalate, a compound implicated in the pathogenesis of kidney stones.
Several milk whey proteins such as Immunoglobulins, Lactoferrin and Lactoperoxidase have anti-microbial activity. Lactoferrin has been shown to protect against infections from a number of different viruses. The immunoglobulin fraction of bovine colostrum and milk could protect humans from various gastrointestinal infections. Whey protein concentrates are also associated with the prevention/treatment of H. pylori infections. H.Pylori, a bacteria found in the human stomach, is known to increase the risk of peptic ulcers and gastric cancers.
However, some epidemiological studies show that high intakes of dairy and calcium (much above the recommended intake for men) may modestly increase risk of prostate cancer. Two studies also report an association between high consumption of dairy products and the risk of ovarian cancer. The consumption of large amounts of whole milk or its products is also not recommended because the increase in saturated fat could increase the cancer risk.
Despite the many controversies, dairy products are a must and drinking milk is perhaps the easiest way to ensure their adequacy. But what about those who dislike milk? Milk can be incorporated into a variety of recipes. Children generally accept milk with chocolate/cocoa and other similar flavours. Cocoa contributes additional antioxidant benefits. For children, milkshakes, kheer and puddings are alternatives to a plain glass of milk. Add hot milk to the morning bowl of cereal.
Other options
If it’s an emphatic no to milk, then milk products have a similar nutritive value and can be substituted for milk. Add cheese and paneer to sandwiches and other recipes. Add them to vegetables, baked foods and stuff them into parathas. A glass of lassi/buttermilk is always welcome.
For those who are lactose intolerant, several strategies allow them to meet the requirements of dairy foods. Many can tolerate milk in small portions and fermented dairy products such as yogurt. Look for lactose-free or lactose-reduced products available.
A word of caution: Dairy products can, however, also increase the amount of saturated fat in the diet and may contribute to increased risk of obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Experts recommend consumption of at least three servings of no-fat or low-fat dairy foods for optimal benefits.
(The writer is a Consultant Nutritionist based in Mumbai.)
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