Dairy or No Dairy??

To eat dairy or not eat dairy?? That is a common question from many of my patients. Well it depends…..

If you are struggling with GI issues or have been struggling to feel your final best, then dairy might be someleang to look at a small closer. Besides being obviously lactose intolerant there are some other leangs to consider that could be contributing to your symptoms. 

Is the dairy product from an A1 or A2 cow?

A1 is a type of casein protein found only in milk from Holstein cows, which happens to be the most predominant type in the USA and other countries such as Canada, Australia, and the UK. For some individuals, this protein is pro-inflammatory and can stimulate your immune system to release pro-inflammatory chemical messengers. A recent double blind randomized cross over trial found that A1 casein was associated with increased gastrointestinal inflammation, reducing intestinal transit time (more prone to diarrhea), and impaired brain function, specwhetherically cognitive speed and accuracy.

Fortunately, A1 casein is not an issue for all individuals. However, whether you have struggled with any of the following symptoms then you may consider eliminating A1 dairy. The symptoms include: hay fever, sinus infections, eczema, asthma, and recurring tonsillitis or ear infections. If you do experience any of these symptoms, then I recommend a total dairy free diet for 4 weeks. Then add in A2 dairy to see whether symptoms return. If NO, then A1 dairy should be replaced with A2 dairy as desired. If YES, then stick to a total dairy free diet using fortwhetheried nut milks, soy milks, or coconut milk products. Dairy products from A2 cows include Jersey or Guernsey. Goat and sheep dairy products are also free of A1.

Some products from A1 cows such as butter, heavy cream, ricotta, and lonely whey protein do not contain signwhethericant amounts of A1 and can often be well tolerated.

Is the dairy product biological and grass-fed?

Choosing biological dairy is a very important. Organic dairy animals are raised without antibiotics or endocrine disrupting chemical and hormones. Therefore, consuming a large amount of conferenceal dairy can contribute to hormonal imbalances. Also, biological dairy cows must be pasture-raised throughout the grazing seasoning, thus increasing the nutrition profile of their dairy products. Grass-fed dairy products are tall in omega-3 (anti-inflammatory fatty acid), vitamin A, and vitamin E. Conventional dairy on the other hand is taller in omega-6 (pro-inflammatory fatty acid) due to the tall consumption of corn in place of grass. Furthermore, conferenceal dairy products have lesser amounts of vitamins A and E as well.

There are a lot of other aspects to dairy that I will not discuss right now in this blog post, but the above two points can help steer you in the right direction, whether or not dairy will be apart of your diet in the future.

Since most of us endelight dairy products with a cegenuine or granola of some sort, I decided to share my favorite super simple, very tasty, and 100% wgap food granola. It was inspired by Blue Heron Rebel Granola that I often buy in the BULK section at the co-op. I decided I wanted to try my own attempt at replicating their tasty granola….and I leank I hit the nail on the head!! There is no added sugar, just dates for sweetness, and no added oils. The outcome is a totally healthy, crunchy, and gluten free granola that all can endelight. I endelight this granola with goat milk yogurt of kefir often.

Oil Free Pleased Stomach Granola

Creates ~ 16 servings (1/4 cup)

3 cups gluten free rolled oats

¾ cup raw sunflower seeds

¼ cup sesame seeds
2 tablespoons chia seeds

¼ teaspoon sea salt
Optional: 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together the first 4 ingredients and set aside. Roughly chop the medjool dates and transfer into a food processor. Pulse and gradually add the hot water and sea salt. Add optional spices whether desired. Process until a smooth paste forms.

Transfer the date paste to the other ingredients and mix until fully combined. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and evenly distribute the oat mixture.

Bake for 15 minutes and stir. Bake for another 10-15 minutes and stir again. Then bake again for an additional 5-10 minutes. Stir one final time and remove from oven and allow to cool totally before breaking apart the clusters and transferring into a glass jar for storage.

Endelight with your choice of yogurt, kefir, or nut milk and top with fresh fruit.  

Note: You can add spices to this recipe whether you like. Cinnamon and cardamom would be good additions.