Are there any elderly people around you who drink milk to relax before going to bed every night, teenagers who perhaps have to drink milk for breakfast in the morning, or “experts” who claim that milk is very beneficial for bone health? According to Functional Medicine expert Dr. Mark Hyman, we as a society are living in a very big mistake when it comes to milk. We believe that we absolutely have to consume milk to be taller, to have stronger bones in old age, and to get enough calcium. What if we said that all these benefits we attribute to milk have no scientific basis? In other words, that milk has not been scientifically proven to be beneficial to health? This time, Hyman answers the questions of whether or not eating cheese is healthy and which dairy products we should stay away from.
Is it healthy to eat cheese?
When it comes to staying away from dairy products, the most challenging part for all of us is, of course, cheese. Hyman maintains the same harsh stance against all cheeses made from cow’s milk. He states that these cheeses can cause many inflammatory conditions such as eczema, allergies, intestinal problems, and acne. So should we not consume cheese at all? No! Hyman recommends that we switch from cow’s milk to goat’s and sheep’s milk! Goat’s and sheep’s milk, which is much better tolerated by our digestive system and has higher triglycerides and vitamin A, is also more beneficial for our holistic health.
What cheeses does Hyman consume?
- Goat Cheese
- Sheep Cheese
Which cow’s milk products can we consume?
So why is butter, which Hyman is a staunch advocate of, mentioned in the “healthy” category despite being made from milk? Thanks to its saturated fatty acids. While a recent study has shown that saturated fatty acids, which are abundant in butter, have no relation to heart disease and may even help reduce the risk of diabetes, Hyman states that it is much more beneficial to consume butter than trans fat. He also calls on us all to consume in moderation and to choose our butter from free-range or village production.
Does Hyman find any dairy products other than butter suitable for consumption? Hyman says that the following dairy products are more tolerable in terms of digestion, but he still says that the best alternative is to consume foods made from goat and sheep milk instead of cow’s milk.
- Yogurt
- Kefir
- Probiotic
- Ghee