Weight loss expert Dr Michael Mosley has warned people to reconsider cutting out out dairy. The health expert said he now only drinks full fat milk since examining the evidence.
As full fat cow's milk is known to have a higher fat content, many people have switched to low fat options or non-dairy milks. Mosely even claims that plant based alternatives could do more than than good.
Posting on his Fast 800 Instagram page, the presenter explained that unless you really understand what is involved, switching from dairy milk to plant based alternatives could be bad for your body. He claimed these non-dairy options could negatively impact the bones, heart, and the brain.
Micheal's post said that he recommends full-fat milk due to its high levels of protein and calcium because it contains high levels of protein and is a good source of calcium for healthy bones. He also warned that skinny milks may not be beneficial to weight loss, reports Nottinghamshire Live.
The milk is also a good source of iodine which is essential for brain development in babies as well as regulating mood and metabolism in adults. It contains essential vitamins and nutrients including Vitamin B12, Vitamin A and Vitamin D.
Not only that, the milk is a good source of good fats, like Omega 3 which is linked to slowing cognitive decline, reducing anxiety and depression. The post adds that the extra fat can also help curb hunger pains.
Last year, it was reported that one in three Britons drink plant based alternatives including oat, almond, soya and coconut milk. Research from Mintel said that 32% who took part in the survey in 2021 drank plant based milks which was up from 25% in 2020.
Yet Michael Mosley says these dairy alternatives contain just two percent of the among of iodine found in cow's milk. Young women tend to have the lowest levels of iodine but are the most likely demographic to consume plant-based alternatives.
Dr Mosley said: "I switched from full-fat milk to skimmed in the 1980s, amid fears that saturated fat could impact my heart health and my waistline. The trouble was, I found skimmed milk (which is about 0.3 per cent fat) so watery I couldn’t stomach it, so chose semi-skimmed (1.6 per cent fat) instead.
"This green-top milk remained my go-to for many years until last year. I returned to blue-top after reading a number of recent studies which showed the sorts of saturated fat you find in milk and dairy seems to be protective rather than harmful."
He added: "To many people’s great surprise (including me), there have been a large number of recent studies demonstrating that full-fat milk drinkers not only tend to be slimmer than those on lower-fat varieties, but also have a lower risk of metabolic syndrome – or raised blood pressure, elevated blood sugars and raised levels of fats in the blood that can increase your risk of heart disease."
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here .
