That morning latte, the after dinner cheese board, ice-cream — for many of us the prospect of giving up dairy is too daunting a prospect to countenance. But dairy has become the latest dietary bogeyman, having been linked to myriad diseases and health complaints, from bloating and eczema to asthma and weight gain. Is giving it up another food fad or could going dairy-free really give you a svelte figure, fantastic skin and help prevent disease? Dairy has become the latest dietary bogeyman, having been linked to myriad diseases and health complaints, from bloating and eczema to asthma and weight gain . Celebrities such as actress Megan Fox have credited their super-slim figures to going dairy-free, while Victoria Beckham is said to have got rid of her bad skin this way. For those following the latest trendy vegan and Paleo diets — where you emulate the eating habits of prehistoric people, relying on a lot of meat and green veg — dairy is also banned. Even David Cameron has reportedly cut back on dairy products to stay slim. The Prime Minister recently requested a dairy-free meal on a flight and is said to be having almond milk — which has half the calories of semi-skimmed cow’s milk — on his cereal. And it’s not just the rich and famous. In June, a leading scientist, Professor Jane Plant, who has had breast cancer five times, told how she went into remission and has remained cancer-free for 18 years after going dairy-free. She gave it up after studying the low rates of breast cancer in China, where dairy is much less prevalent than in Western diets. Many other devotees swear by the transformative powers of ditching milk. Jill Barker, 48, from Glastonbury, Somerset, gave up dairy five years ago and says it has transformed her energy levels, figure and mood. ‘I felt sluggish, was piling on the pounds and couldn’t find a way to keep my weight under control,’ says Jill, who lives with her husband Jonathan and their 15-year-old son, and runs a holiday cottage rental company. Professor Jane Plant, who has had breast cancer five times, went into remission and has remained cancer-free for 18 years after going dairy-free . ‘I started doing the My Food diet plan, which delivers healthy meals to your home, and noticed they were dairy-free. ‘Cutting out dairy is a good way to cut calories — you lose the milky lattes and without cheese and butter you don’t eat bread. But I didn’t just lose weight: my energy levels went through the roof and I didn’t feel sluggish any more.’ Jill decided to stay dairy free — having soya or almond milk with her coffee and cereal, and avoiding cheese, butter and cream. ‘Over the past five years, I’ve gradually lost more than 2st, going from a size 18 to 14, and find it easy to stick to a healthy weight,’ she says. ‘I’m slimmer than I was 18 years ago when I got married. Friends say I look younger and the dark circles under my eyes have gone. I’m convinced it’s all down to cutting out dairy.’ While she allows herself the occasional sliver of cheese with no ill effects, she says that if she has a cup of tea with milk, ‘almost immediately I feel really tired’. Though she has not been diagnosed with an intolerance or allergy, Jill believes humans were not designed to consume dairy. ‘As long as you’re eating your greens, you can get enough calcium and protein that way.’ Jo Matyear, 39, a sales and marketing manager who lives in Hampshire with her husband, James, has been avoiding dairy for nine years. ‘In primeval times, we didn’t drink milk, apart from breast milk as babies,’ she says. ‘The incidence of illnesses such as cancer are increasing in Western countries and I’m convinced they are linked to diet and the fact we are having more dairy.’ Jo believes dairy was to blame for some health niggles. ‘I have studied nutrition and read about how dairy can affect your health. As soon as I removed dairy products from my diet, I found I had more energy,’ she says. ‘I no longer feel bloated and my stomach is flatter. Celebrities such as actress Megan Fox have credited their super-slim figures to going dairy-free . ‘I used to have a constant need to clear my throat and that has disappeared. ‘Another weird thing is that I used to get eczema on my chest and sometimes on my face — within a couple of weeks of giving up dairy that cleared up.’ So, how could dairy be responsible for so many ailments? The problem, say some, is lactose, the naturally occurring sugar in milk. Research suggests that 60 per cent of the world’s population have a degree of lactose intolerance. In such people, the gut struggles to break it down, triggering a host of digestive problems. Dietitian Laura Tilt says cheese and butter are high in fat and if you’re eating lots of it then cutting down will help. But there’s no evidence that cutting out dairy has any particular benefit for weight loss . ‘From an evolutionary perspective, eating dairy products is relatively recent,’ says Dr John Briffa, a leading expert in nutrition and author of Escape The Diet Trap. ‘If lactose is not broken down, it ferments in the gut, which can cause various digestive issues such as bloating. The protein in milk, casein, is allergenic — it seems to get into the gut and make the system more sensitive. ‘That’s why so many find that eczema and hay fever clear up when they come off dairy.’ Dietitian Laura Tilt says she has noticed an increase in people inquiring about dairy-free diets. ‘Lactose intolerance is common, particularly in people with irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn’s disease or colitis,’ she says. ‘The problem is that the symptoms vary from person to person. Though there are ways to diagnose lactose intolerance — using blood tests or breath tests — availability is poor. ‘Dairy-free foods have become much more available and are even fashionable, so I think some people are swapping to soya milk because it sounds as if it’s good for you, without any physiological reason.’ Laura Tilt says it’s a common misconception that giving up dairy will help with weight loss. 'Some people are swapping to soya milk because it sounds as if it’s good for you, without any physiological reason,’, says Laura Tilt . ‘Obviously cheese and butter are high in fat and if you’re eating lots of it then cutting down will help. But there’s no evidence that cutting out dairy has any particular benefit for weight loss. ‘In fact, when we compare people on two diets with the same amount of calories, the group who are having milk and dairy tend to lose more weight and more body fat. That may be because milk and yoghurt are good sources of protein — they help keep you full and support lean muscle. ‘If you want to lose weight, you should cut out empty calories — sugar, alcohol, refined carbohydrates — and reduce the amount of high-fat dairy products.’ Dairy is an important source of calcium — for healthy bones — and anyone cutting it out must ensure they get a good intake of the nutrient from other sources, such as green, leafy vegetables and grains. But worryingly this doesn’t seem to be happening and fad diets appear to be taking their toll on Britons’ calcium intake. Recent figures from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey show 18 per cent of teenagers and 8 per cent of adults are not getting enough of this vital mineral. Experts worry this is putting women at increased risk of osteoporosis, or brittle bones. This is something Katherine Thay, 31, is all too aware of. Like many young women, she felt conscious of her weight at university. And in 2001, inspired by celebrities showing off their svelte figures after rapid weight loss, she cut out carbohydrates and dairy products. ‘I justified it to myself by claiming I was lactose intolerant — even though, if I was honest, I didn’t have any symptoms,’ says Katherine, who works in advertising and lives in Brighton. The new regime saw her lose a stone, dropping to 8st. But then in 2004, while training for a marathon she tripped and fractured her ankle. Victoria Beckham is said to have got rid of her bad skin by ditching dairy products from her diet . Then 18 months later she fractured her wrist after another fall while out running. ‘I went to see my GP, who agreed that another fracture after such a minor fall was unusual. I was sent for a scan to measure my bone density. The results showed I had developed osteopenia, the precursor condition to osteoporosis. ‘I was shocked that just three years of dieting could have done so much damage to my bone health.’ Katherine began eating dairy again in 2005 and started taking calcium tablets. She has not had a fracture since. ‘My weight has gone back up to 9st,’ she says. ‘I’m just hoping that it’s not too late for my bones.’
Dairy has become the latest dietary bogeyman .
It has been linked to myriad diseases and health complaints .
Bloating and eczema to asthma and weight gain are all linked with dairy .
Professor Jane Plant has had breast cancer five times .
She has remained cancer-free for 18 years after going dairy-free .
Celebrities like Megan Fox put their super-slim figures down to ditching dairy .
Victoria Beckham is said to have got rid of her bad skin by going vegan .
That morning latte, the after dinner cheese board, ice-cream — for many of us the prospect of giving up dairy is too daunting a prospect to countenance. But dairy has become the latest dietary bogeyman, having been linked to myriad diseases and health complaints, from bloating and eczema to asthma and weight gain. Is giving it up another food fad or could going dairy-free really give you a svelte figure, fantastic skin and help prevent disease? Dairy has become the latest dietary bogeyman, having been linked to myriad diseases and health complaints, from bloating and eczema to asthma and weight gain . Celebrities such as actress Megan Fox have credited their super-slim figures to going dairy-free, while Victoria Beckham is said to have got rid of her bad skin this way. For those following the latest trendy vegan and Paleo diets — where you emulate the eating habits of prehistoric people, relying on a lot of meat and green veg — dairy is also banned. Even David Cameron has reportedly cut back on dairy products to stay slim. The Prime Minister recently requested a dairy-free meal on a flight and is said to be having almond milk — which has half the calories of semi-skimmed cow’s milk — on his cereal. And it’s not just the rich and famous. In June, a leading scientist, Professor Jane Plant, who has had breast cancer five times, told how she went into remission and has remained cancer-free for 18 years after going dairy-free. She gave it up after studying the low rates of breast cancer in China, where dairy is much less prevalent than in Western diets. Many other devotees swear by the transformative powers of ditching milk. Jill Barker, 48, from Glastonbury, Somerset, gave up dairy five years ago and says it has transformed her energy levels, figure and mood. ‘I felt sluggish, was piling on the pounds and couldn’t find a way to keep my weight under control,’ says Jill, who lives with her husband Jonathan and their 15-year-old son, and runs a holiday cottage rental company. Professor Jane Plant, who has had breast cancer five times, went into remission and has remained cancer-free for 18 years after going dairy-free . ‘I started doing the My Food diet plan, which delivers healthy meals to your home, and noticed they were dairy-free. ‘Cutting out dairy is a good way to cut calories — you lose the milky lattes and without cheese and butter you don’t eat bread. But I didn’t just lose weight: my energy levels went through the roof and I didn’t feel sluggish any more.’ Jill decided to stay dairy free — having soya or almond milk with her coffee and cereal, and avoiding cheese, butter and cream. ‘Over the past five years, I’ve gradually lost more than 2st, going from a size 18 to 14, and find it easy to stick to a healthy weight,’ she says. ‘I’m slimmer than I was 18 years ago when I got married. Friends say I look younger and the dark circles under my eyes have gone. I’m convinced it’s all down to cutting out dairy.’ While she allows herself the occasional sliver of cheese with no ill effects, she says that if she has a cup of tea with milk, ‘almost immediately I feel really tired’. Though she has not been diagnosed with an intolerance or allergy, Jill believes humans were not designed to consume dairy. ‘As long as you’re eating your greens, you can get enough calcium and protein that way.’ Jo Matyear, 39, a sales and marketing manager who lives in Hampshire with her husband, James, has been avoiding dairy for nine years. ‘In primeval times, we didn’t drink milk, apart from breast milk as babies,’ she says. ‘The incidence of illnesses such as cancer are increasing in Western countries and I’m convinced they are linked to diet and the fact we are having more dairy.’ Jo believes dairy was to blame for some health niggles. ‘I have studied nutrition and read about how dairy can affect your health. As soon as I removed dairy products from my diet, I found I had more energy,’ she says. ‘I no longer feel bloated and my stomach is flatter. Celebrities such as actress Megan Fox have credited their super-slim figures to going dairy-free . ‘I used to have a constant need to clear my throat and that has disappeared. ‘Another weird thing is that I used to get eczema on my chest and sometimes on my face — within a couple of weeks of giving up dairy that cleared up.’ So, how could dairy be responsible for so many ailments? The problem, say some, is lactose, the naturally occurring sugar in milk. Research suggests that 60 per cent of the world’s population have a degree of lactose intolerance. In such people, the gut struggles to break it down, triggering a host of digestive problems. Dietitian Laura Tilt says cheese and butter are high in fat and if you’re eating lots of it then cutting down will help. But there’s no evidence that cutting out dairy has any particular benefit for weight loss . ‘From an evolutionary perspective, eating dairy products is relatively recent,’ says Dr John Briffa, a leading expert in nutrition and author of Escape The Diet Trap. ‘If lactose is not broken down, it ferments in the gut, which can cause various digestive issues such as bloating. The protein in milk, casein, is allergenic — it seems to get into the gut and make the system more sensitive. ‘That’s why so many find that eczema and hay fever clear up when they come off dairy.’ Dietitian Laura Tilt says she has noticed an increase in people inquiring about dairy-free diets. ‘Lactose intolerance is common, particularly in people with irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn’s disease or colitis,’ she says. ‘The problem is that the symptoms vary from person to person. Though there are ways to diagnose lactose intolerance — using blood tests or breath tests — availability is poor. ‘Dairy-free foods have become much more available and are even fashionable, so I think some people are swapping to soya milk because it sounds as if it’s good for you, without any physiological reason.’ Laura Tilt says it’s a common misconception that giving up dairy will help with weight loss. 'Some people are swapping to soya milk because it sounds as if it’s good for you, without any physiological reason,’, says Laura Tilt . ‘Obviously cheese and butter are high in fat and if you’re eating lots of it then cutting down will help. But there’s no evidence that cutting out dairy has any particular benefit for weight loss. ‘In fact, when we compare people on two diets with the same amount of calories, the group who are having milk and dairy tend to lose more weight and more body fat. That may be because milk and yoghurt are good sources of protein — they help keep you full and support lean muscle. ‘If you want to lose weight, you should cut out empty calories — sugar, alcohol, refined carbohydrates — and reduce the amount of high-fat dairy products.’ Dairy is an important source of calcium — for healthy bones — and anyone cutting it out must ensure they get a good intake of the nutrient from other sources, such as green, leafy vegetables and grains. But worryingly this doesn’t seem to be happening and fad diets appear to be taking their toll on Britons’ calcium intake. Recent figures from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey show 18 per cent of teenagers and 8 per cent of adults are not getting enough of this vital mineral. Experts worry this is putting women at increased risk of osteoporosis, or brittle bones. This is something Katherine Thay, 31, is all too aware of. Like many young women, she felt conscious of her weight at university. And in 2001, inspired by celebrities showing off their svelte figures after rapid weight loss, she cut out carbohydrates and dairy products. ‘I justified it to myself by claiming I was lactose intolerant — even though, if I was honest, I didn’t have any symptoms,’ says Katherine, who works in advertising and lives in Brighton. The new regime saw her lose a stone, dropping to 8st. But then in 2004, while training for a marathon she tripped and fractured her ankle. Victoria Beckham is said to have got rid of her bad skin by ditching dairy products from her diet . Then 18 months later she fractured her wrist after another fall while out running. ‘I went to see my GP, who agreed that another fracture after such a minor fall was unusual. I was sent for a scan to measure my bone density. The results showed I had developed osteopenia, the precursor condition to osteoporosis. ‘I was shocked that just three years of dieting could have done so much damage to my bone health.’ Katherine began eating dairy again in 2005 and started taking calcium tablets. She has not had a fracture since. ‘My weight has gone back up to 9st,’ she says. ‘I’m just hoping that it’s not too late for my bones.’
dietary bogeyman, having been linked to myriad diseases and health complaints, from bloating and prevent disease? Dairy has become the latest eczema to asthma and weight gain . Celebrities super-slim figures to going dairy-free, while Victoria Beckham is said to have got rid of her Professor Jane Plant, who has had breast cancer has remained cancer-free for 18 years after going breast cancer five times, went into remission and credited their super-slim figures to going is said to have got rid of her bad skin by