Dairy and Weight Loss
By Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN
updated on 11/19/2007 at 03:05PM
Are you looking for the latest weight loss product that can help you jumpstart your diet and shed those pounds? Well you may not have to look any further than your refrigerator. The latest research shows that you may be able to significantly boost your weight loss efforts by adding calcium-rich dairy foods to your diet.
In addition to helping you build strong bones, organic, chemical and hormone free dairy can play an important role in weight control. Dairy-rich diets can double the rate of weight and fat loss when compared to a dairy-poor diet with the same level of calorie restriction. Many studies have linked the mineral calcium with weight loss, but now these studies are indicating that it’s specifically the calcium found in dairy foods that helps you burn fat and lose weight.
Dairy Weight Loss Studies
A recent study, published in Obesity Research, tracked overweight adults on a calorie-restricted diet over a 24 week period. The results of this research, led by Dr. Michael Zemel, professor of nutrition and medicine at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, showed that eating three to four servings of dairy products each day is more effective at boosting weight loss than taking calcium supplements or eating calcium-fortified foods.
In addition, when the researchers measured fat loss from the abdomen, they were surprised to find that the low-calcium/low-dairy group lost 19% of their fat from the abdomen, whereas the high-calcium group lost 50% from their abs, and the high-dairy group lost an amazing 66%. According to Dr. Zemel, dairy foods have a number of compounds that work with calcium to aid the fat-burning process and hinder the process of making new fat.
Another study presented at a March 2005 American Heart Association conference found that children who had the lowest intakes of dairy products over an eight-year period gained much more body fat than their peers who took in more dairy.
Choose Your Dairy Wisely
According to the latest U.S. Dietary Guidelines, Americans should aim to get at least three servings of organic, chemical and hormone free dairy each day. Dairy not only helps to build strong bones and healthy hearts, but it also helps with weight control and maintenance. But the key is to choose your dairy weight loss products wisely.
The next time you are at the store you should compare the nutritional contents of different types of milk, yogurt and cheese. Whole milk contains 150 calories and more than 5 grams of saturated fat per cup, whereas nonfat milk has only 80 calories and zero fat. Reduced-fat milk, yogurt and cheese provide all the dairy weight loss benefits of the full-fat products, but without the fat or cholesterol.
Got Organic Dairy?
Yes, milk is a good place to start. At only 80 calories per serving, a cup of non-fat milk can deliver 300 milligrams of calcium. But there are a number of other ways to enjoy the benefits of dairy weight loss. Here are just a few:
Organic Cheese: Check the label before buying cheese, because there is wide variety in terms of calories, fat and calcium levels. Cheddar cheese is a good choice at 171 calories, 14 grams of fat and 307mg of calcium per 1.5 ounce serving. Another good option is reduced-fat Swiss cheese that has 135 calories, 9 grams of fat and 375mg of calcium in each 1.5-ounce serving.
Organic Yogurt: Low-fat yogurt gives you 388mg of calcium per cup with less than 200 calories per serving. Look for yogurt that contains “live active cultures” to be sure that you benefit from the healthy bacteria as well as dairy weight loss.
You can sneak extra dairy into your diet and enjoy the benefits of dairy weight loss by making soup with non-fat milk instead of water, starting your day with a bowl of cereal and non-fat milk, or topping potatoes with non-fat yogurt instead of butter.
About the Author
Dr. Edward F. Group III continues to develop, sell and evaluate exclusively high-end natural and organic healthcare products to support a wide range of health conditions. The products we promote are free of toxic tag-along herbicides, insecticides, pesticides, heavy metals, fumigants, irradiation, liver-toxic glues, binders, or gelatin capsules with animal-source risk and toxic preservatives.
