17/06/2022
Milk - whole milk or skimmed?
Skimmed milk is widely considered healthier than whole milk. However, the truth is not so straightforward.
As we saw with yogurt, removing the fat also removes some fat-soluble vitamins. It also removes healthy omega-3s, which are present in milk from grass-fed cows. Again, some manufacturers may add these vitamins back into their products.
The processing of skim milk also produces a product with slightly more natural sugars than whole milk.
For many years, scientists thought that skim milk might help reduce cardiovascular risk. However, more recent evidence suggests that whole milk might protect against heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
People who are trying to lose weight often choose skim milk. However, as ZOE’s scientific co-founder Prof. Tim Spector explains in his upcoming book, Food For Life:
“Contrary to [USDA] advice to choose reduced-fat dairy, low-fat milk has no advantages over whole milk for weight control. In children, the evidence actually suggests greater long-term weight gain with reduced-fat milk than with full-fat milk.”
