Dairy & Weight Loss

Research by James H. Hollis and Richard D. Mattes at the Department of Foods and Nutrition at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana suggests that including three servings of dairy products in conjunction with a reduced-calorie diet can help dieters lose weight.

Dairy

Dairy is a broad term used to describe all products containing milk and milk derivatives such as milk, cheese, yogurt and ice cream.

The Diet

To lose weight, individuals must consume three servings of low fat dairy products each day while also reducing total calories consumed. One eight-ounce cup of milk or yogurt, 2 ounces of processed cheese or 1.5 ounces of natural cheese are all one serving of dairy. To reach your daily requirements, try eating one cup of yogurt with fresh fruit and low fat granola for breakfast. At lunch enjoy a large vegetable salad with shredded cheese over the top and a cup of vegetable low fat soup. For dinner, enjoy one serving of lean meat such as chicken or fish, over rice with vegetables and eat cottage cheese with berries for dessert.

Why it Works

The calcium found in dairy products is said to help the body break down and burn body fat, resulting in increased weight loss.

Obesity

Research by Michael B. Zemel and associates at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee and at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota revealed that obese individuals who consumed at least three servings of dairy each day on a reduced-calorie diet lost more weight and body fat than obese individuals who were also on a reduced-calorie diet but did not consume dairy.

Opponents

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine filed a lawsuit against the dairy industry for its claims that milk helps with weight loss. The committee of physicians behind the lawsuit claim scientific evidence shows that dairy causes weight gain, or alternatively, has not effect on weight, therefore making the dairy industry's claims deceptive and misleading.

Tags: dairy products, reduced-calorie diet, servings dairy, three servings, three servings dairy, dairy industry, dairy industry claims