Is milk even healthy? What are the alternatives if you are lactose intolerant? Can you learn to produce lactase enzymes?

Is milk healthy?

In my opinion, milk is a superfood!

It offers a wide range of vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and protein. The downside? We pasteurize it, which unfortunately harms some of the nutrients and enzymes beneficial for our digestion and immune system.

While pasteurization makes it "safer" for mass production and distribution, consuming milk directly from a farm with healthy, well-cared-for animals is not dangerous. Remember, even pasteurized foods can be subject to recalls!

In my opinion, if your body can digest milk, it serves as a convenient source of energy and nutrients, even when pasteurized. Brian and I can't get raw milk, so we purchase organic whole milk at 3.8%, and 4.8% unhomogenized Guernsey milk. Both are delicious!

If your body cannot digest milk, it might cause inflammation—so listen to your body and consider whether goat, cow, another type, or no milk is right for you. Also, keep in mind that you can retrain your body to produce lactase enzymes, more on that below.

Our body naturally produces less and less lactase enzymes as we grow older, (unless we have adapted otherwise). This is why we notice people tend to get upset by dairy at an older age.

Are you lactose intolerant?

If you cannot train your body to produce the lactase enzymes necessary for digestion, the aim should be to reduce or eliminate exposure to lactose, the sugar found in milk.

One method to support our digestive process and encourage our body to produce lactase is by consuming fermented dairy products.

These active foods, such as yogurt, kefir, and cheese, contain enzymes and bacteria that are easier to digest. Gradual exposure to dairy can help train the body to produce lactase enzymes, thus alleviating gas and bloating.

I've mentioned in previous blog posts that undigested foods can lead to inflammation, known as 'ama.' Keep this in mind if you consume dairy and experience pain, inflammation, or stomach upset.

Can dairy heal?

In Ayurveda, dairy or coconut milk is heated with spices or transformed into ghee to aid in healing an irritated digestive system.

To create a soothing milk remedy: gently warm the milk on the stove until it reaches a low simmer. Use whole milk, and if possible, choose unhomogenised milk, which has undergone one less processing step. Incorporate spices that are known to stimulate and support our digestive system, such as cinnamon, sea salt, turmeric, ground pepper, nutmeg, clove, cardamom, or even cocoa... Sweeten with raw honey after removing it from the heat. Alternatively, you can use cane sugar, maple syrup, agave, or leave it unsweetened!

Samantha