Does Full-Fat Milk Really Make You Fat?

There are people who insist on purchasing the lowest fat milk possible when doing their grocery shopping. Perhaps they do it because they prefer the taste, or more than likely, they worry about the extra fat that is in other milk. However, should they actually be that concerned about the milk they are drinking? Is full-fat milk, otherwise known as whole milk, really going to make you fat?

The Many Types of Milk

You have a plethora of choices when buying milk at the store. Not even taking into account the chocolate milk section, you are able to purchase all types of dairy white milk with different fat content. Keep in mind, though, that all of these types of milk still contain beneficial things such as essential nutrients along with calcium and protein.

  • Whole milk, or full-fat milk, contains 3.25 percent milkfat by weight. This really isn’t a whole lot. When looking at the calories, there are 150 calories per eight-ounce glass of whole milk with 8 grams of fat (which makes up 12 percent of your daily value allowance).
  • Two-percent milk is milk that has been slightly reduced in fat. The milk fat contained in it is two percent by weight. One eight-ounce glass of two-percent milk contains about 120 calories and about 5 grams of fat per serving.
  • Low-fat milk, or otherwise known as one percent milk, is a popular choice for many when shopping. Eight ounces of low-fat milk has 100 calories and 2.5 grams of fat.
  • Fat-free milk, also known as skim milk, contains about 80 calories per eight-ounce serving and zero grams of fat.

Why Is Whole Milk Sometimes Considered Unhealthy?

Whole milk is often thought of as a bad choice by many people because it does contain a few more calories per cup and a slightly higher amount of fat. However, there is a better chance that if you are overweight, there is something else in your diet that is making you gain weight other than your milk choice.

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Drinking Whole Milk May Actually Help You Manage Your Weight

A very interesting study was published in The New England Journal of Medicine that recorded long term weight gain in both men and women over the course of 30 years. There were more than 100,000 participants in the study, so the research gained was quite valuable. It was determined that changes in dairy, switching from fat-free to two percent milk, had little chance to people’s weight. However, more consumption of potato chips, sugary beverages, processed meats, and desserts definitely had a hand in weight gain.

It is certainly a misconception that whole milk will make a person fat. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Dairy fat is not a bad thing. A study published in the European Journal of Nutrition analyzed 16 separate studies and grouped the information together to show that people with a diet of high-fat dairy actually had a lower risk of obesity and a reduced chance of heart disease.

Whole Milk May Lower Your Risk of Chronic Disease

As researchers stated in the Advances in Nutrition issue from May, 2019, a huge review of studies determined that getting the right amount of dairy could prevent chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancers, and heart disease.

Dairy fat is not the evil factor in milk that many previously believed was bad for you. Full-fat milk will not make you fat. Instead, it is more likely to provide you several health benefits. In fact, if a person does find themselves gaining weight, it probably comes from a sedentary lifestyle or some other dietary change rather than the dairy they are eating.

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