An investigation by Il Salvagente has reignited the debate over milk and dairy products. Valuable foods in a varied diet such as the Mediterranean one, but not to be consumed in excess.
The recent discovery of pharmaceutical residues in samples of fresh and UHT milk on sale in major Italian supermarkets and discount stores has brought renewed attention to milk consumption as part of a balanced diet. This food, along with its derivatives, was already at the centre of many debates, in which there is a risk of conflating ethical and environmental choices with nutritional evidence.
Let us therefore try to clarify a few points: it should be stressed that no international health organisation has so far classified milk or dairy products among foods considered carcinogenic, as has instead happened with processed red meats. Nevertheless, the World Health Organization and several international cancer-fighting organisations advise against an excess of animal protein in our diet. A healthier lifestyle that reduces cancer risk does indeed involve consuming appropriate quantities of animal protein alongside abundant fruit and vegetables, within the same meal.
The Mediterranean diet, recognised worldwide as a healthy dietary model, recommends a daily intake of 2–3 portions of dairy products — such as a source of calcium and protein — to be alternated throughout the week with fish, eggs, pulses and meat (the latter to be limited to a couple of times a week, with a preference for white meat).
One portion of dairy corresponds to 200 ml of milk, yogurt or curds, 30 g of hard or semi-hard cheese, or 60 g of soft cheese. As part of a main meal, the ideal quantity of aged cheeses is around 50–60 g and, for fresh cheeses, 100–120 g. In both cases, it is advisable to pair them with wholegrain bread or wholegrain cereals and fresh vegetables, both of which are rich in fibre.
Naturally, the principle of dietary variety always applies. Without excess: sometimes even those who follow a vegetarian diet may find themselves eating too many dairy products, moving away from healthy eating. A vegetarian regime should therefore not be improvised, because in nutritional terms there are no clear advantages in preferring the proteins found in milk and dairy products over those found in meat. From the point of view of protein composition, meat and dairy products are very similar. The substantial difference lies between the group of animal proteins and the group of plant proteins, which must, however, come from diverse sources in order to achieve a good overall protein quality.
Those who, by choice, wish to eliminate milk and cheese entirely from their diet should bear in mind that dairy products are complex foods and calcium is not the only important nutrient. In addition to proteins, they contain vitamin A and D and minerals such as calcium and phosphorus, which are useful for preventing bone fragility and supporting growth.
A diet that excludes dairy products, without the guidance of a nutritionist to rebalance the nutritional profile, can lead over time to a deficiency in vitamin D and calcium, both of which are essential for bone structure. A dairy-free diet should therefore be remodelled by introducing other foods to restore nutritional balance, such as nuts and dried fruit, rocket, sesame seeds and oily fish (sardines, mackerel, etc.).
Childhood deserves particular attention: calcium requirements increase because the child is building their skeletal structure. It is therefore advisable to include foods with a high calcium content, of which dairy products are a source: cow's milk contains 120 mg of calcium, yogurt 125 mg, and cheeses between 300 and 1,200 mg (average values per 100 g). It should nonetheless be remembered that dairy consumption must be incorporated within a diet very rich in vegetables, in order to reduce the loss of this mineral caused by the effect of animal proteins.
On the question of choosing between whole milk and semi-skimmed milk, a recent article published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, following a critical review of all results available in the scientific literature on the risk of overweight and obesity in children, found no correlation between whole milk consumption and increased body weight.
Indeed, several studies have found that the consumption of dairy products improves satiety, weight control and body composition, and is associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer.
For those who do not intend to give up these foods, we recommend doing so in the correct quantities and advise avoiding products from intensive farming (which is also harmful in terms of pollution and environmental destruction). The selective breeding to which animals have been subjected, the feed given to livestock and the conditions in which the animals live are not primarily aimed at the nutritional quality of the milk or animal welfare, but rather at the need to increase production volumes.
It is better to favour smaller producers of organic milk, who allow animals to graze freely and feed on grass and hay without being confined indoors and forced to eat large quantities of grain-based feed.
Those who instead wish to exclude every type of animal protein from their diet should remember that they will need to compensate for an important food category. They will need to inform themselves thoroughly on how to rebalance the various sources, perhaps seeking the help of a nutritionist, at least in the initial stages, so as not to find themselves faced with significant deficiencies over time.