The Skinny on Whole Fat Milk

In 1977 George McGovern led the committee that published the first dietary guidelines for Americans. They were under much controversy because they decided the food that kept us nourished for centuries should be abandoned for low fat foods. These guidelines are recommended today and look what has happened in its wake? Since the 1980's we skyrocketed into an obesity epidemic, allergies have increased, and diabetes has soared.

Is this a coincidence?

Let's take a look at the science. Fats, all real fats, from saturated to monounsaturated to polyunsaturated are essential to the human body. When a low fat food product replaces these essential fats with synthetic fats it prohibits the body from functioning properly. The edible oil industry developed synthetic fats to profit from the dietary guidelines and have been making a killing, both literally and figuratively.

Synthetic fats are carcinogenic to the human body.

It's imperative that the body receives essential fats to build strong walls for every cell. If the cell uses a synthetic fat or trans fatty acid, it builds a defective cell wall. Defective cells have the potential to become cancerous if they lie undetected. In a healthy body, the immune system targets these cells and we have nothing to worry about. A healthy food foundation provides our bodies with enough nutrients to overcome these cancerous cells. A food foundation rich in Vitamin D enhances apoptosis, which is the technical word for cell death. It's important to keep up your levels of Vitamin D to facilitate apoptosis of all defective cells.

Doctors understand our body's need for vitamin D, yet they are handcuffed to the dietary guidelines of the 70's that avoid fats that are rich in it. They must recommend every child over the age of two consume low fat foods regardless of science. As a country deficient in Vitamin D we are encouraged to drink enriched milk to overcome this deficiency. The contradiction is that we are encouraged to drink 'low fat' milk which is missing the fat that contains the natural source of Vitamin D. The milk industry is responding to our increased fear of saturated fat and offering us a product without thinking about our health.

Keep that cream top

The milk industry is allowed to skim the fat off of whole fat milk as long as they enrich the milk with the lost Vitamin D. The Vitamin D in the fat of milk is Vitamin D3. The distinction is important because when the milk industry adds back in Vitamin D they often use a plant form referred to as D2. Vitamin D2 is not as available to the body.  This has some serious impact on the body.  We need that original Vitamin D3 to properly assimilate calcium.

If you're drinking milk for Vitamin D and calcium, try whole cream in your coffee or oatmeal.

By skimming the milk fat, the resulting product is a watered down carbohydrate drink, abnormally high in lactose sugar. When our bodies are hit with a high amount of sugar, such as 1% milk over boxed cereal, an insulin response is triggered to quickly absorb all of the excess sugar. The liver is in charge of this process, however it also has 450+ other jobs. When hit with a large amount of sugar, it simply stores all of the excess sugar into fat cells.

We are treating this "diet" thing all wrong. We drink skimmed milk and whole wheat cereal to follow the doctor's advice. It even has the advantage of being "sugar" free but really its sugar in disguise.  We gain weight and risk adult onset diabetes from all of this sugar.

We need to start questioning our doctor when they make decisions about our nutritional health.  Similar to how dentists, chiropractors and dermatologists have been experts in their respective parts of the body, we need to look towards specialists who base their nutritional understanding on the science of our digestive physiology.

The redeeming qualities of fat

We simply need to eat more essential fats in our meals. Fat is supposed to make food taste good, and satiate you so you don't eat too much. Essential fats also help us metabolize proteins, escort the toxins from the body, create hormones, slow down the sugar from eating carbs, and provide a constant source of energy. In the 1970's fat developed a bad reputation, but the evidence is simply not substantial to give it up. With so many amazing attributes, it's no wonder that saturated fats are making a comeback and you can find articles on the topic popping up everywhere.

Still hesitant to go whole fat? Check out this amazing Real Story from Real People. Have you added fat back into your diet? If so, please share your story in the comments below.