Muscle Fitness Muscle & Fitness UK - April 2018 | Page 104

NUTRITION
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BY DANNI LEVY
Should you ditch your
morning cuppa?
And where do dairy
products stand in the fight
against unwanted fat?
D of whey protein products, many
ESPITE THE POPULARITY
of us are uncertain whether or not
to include milk in our diets. We are
presented with so many options
nowadays, with ‘skinny’, ‘soya’,
‘almond’ and ‘coconut’ options
lining the shelves of supermarkets
and cafes all over the world. But
which one are we supposed to choose
if we want to keep body fat levels
low? Or should we cut out milk
altogether in favour of a simple black
coffee or herbal tea?
It’s no secret that milk contains
sugar in the form of lactose. This
needs to be taken into consideration
when calculating your carbohydrate
consumption. Aside from this, lactose
intolerance is relatively common.
In fact, most of us who suffer from
a lactose-induced irritation are
totally oblivious to the condition,
although it can lead to all manner
of uncomfortable symptoms, such
as bloating, cramps, diarrhoea,
flatulence and nausea. The problem
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arises because of the body’s inability
to produce enough of the enzyme
lactase, which helps it to absorb the
milk. If you think you might be unable
to properly digest lactose, strike milk
off your shopping list without a second
thought. If your suspicions were
correct, you’ll soon find those ghastly
symptoms you were experiencing
have disappeared.
Just think about it; the only time we
need milk is when we are babies. The
same goes for cows, goats and sheep.
Have you ever witnessed a grown
cow drinking milk from a bucket?
Of course not! The calf, kid or lamb
suckles its mother’s teat until it’s old
enough to eat solid food, such as grass.
At this time, the animal will progress
to drinking only water, the only fluid
essential for life. We as humans are no
more than animals and subsequently
we function in exactly the same
way. Drinking milk as adults may be
something we’ve done for centuries,
but that doesn’t mean to say it’s good
for us. It is certainly not what nature
MILK: A CLOUDY
DEBATE
intended, which goes some
way towards explaining such
widespread intolerance to lactose.
If you do ‘get on’ with cow’s milk,
opt for skimmed milk on account of
its relatively low calorific value. If you
think you might be intolerant, you
can also buy milk which has had the
lactase enzyme added (‘Lactofree’,
available from all mainstream
supermarkets). If you decide to
exclude milk from your diet altogether,
try unsweetened soya milk, almond
milk or coconut milk. Alternatively,
goat’s milk is a better option than
cow’s, because the fat particles
contained in it are smaller, which
makes it easier to digest and
the vitamins and minerals are easier
to absorb.
DAIRY PRODUCTS
It goes without saying that if you are
lactose intolerant, dairy products
should not feature in your fridge. But
for the dairy devils amongst us who
are able to consume milk-