Milk: Should You Go Whole or Skim?
By Sara Butler
There are a lot of different types of milk out there. You can find a variety of plant-based milks such as hemp, cashew, and oat milk. This may pique your interest, but if you can tolerate it, then there's no reason not to enjoy plain old cow's milk. If you're a traditional milk drinker, then which milk is the best? Here's the skinny on whole milk versus skim milk to help you understand which is the best option for you.
Skim Milk: The Good and the Bad
One of the main benefits to skim milk is the amount of Vitamin D, protein, and calcium it contains for a relatively low number of calories. If you're trying to reduce your calorie intake to help you reach or maintain a healthy body weight, then skim milk is a great option.
The biggest problem with skim milk is that it doesn't contain any fat -- and it's the fat that helps you feel full. While you may be getting the same amount of vitamins and minerals in skim milk as you do from whole, the fat can leave you feeling unsatisfied.
Whole Milk: The Good and the Bad
The best thing about whole milk? It's high in healthy fats -- especially omega-3 fatty acids. If you're worried about your fat intake and heart disease, then you shouldn't worry about whole milk. Studies have found that there's no correlation between the fat found in whole milk and heart disease, according to the National Institutes of Health. In fact, some of this same research shows that eating full-fat dairy may actually lower your risk of developing certain chronic diseases such as heart disease.
Another thing that's positive about whole milk is that the fat contained within it helps your body to better absorb certain nutrients such as Vitamin D. Since Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, pairing it with the fat in whole milk allows your body to better absorb and use it, helping to support healthy bones and immune function.
The only downside to whole milk is the calories, almost twice that in skim milk. So, if you're watching your daily calories intake, you need to watch your consumption of whole milk too.
The Verdict
Which kind of milk is best?
If you can, whole milk has a whole lot of advantages to your health. But this may be a discussion you want to have with your healthcare provider to determine which type of dairy would best benefit you and your overall health and wellness goals.
If you have questions about the best milk to drink, the chiropractors at The Joint Chiropractic know a thing or two about nutrition to help you choose!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Albuquerque, N.M.