Low-fat dairy products: healthy or dangerous

You carefully monitor your diet so as not to gain extra pounds. Buy yogurts, kefir, ice cream, cottage cheese, cookies and other products with a low fat content or no fat at all.

But in fact, its small amount or complete absence in no way indicates a low calorie level. Such food does not help control weight at all; it is just as high in calories as regular food. And the fact that the package says “no fat” is perceived by many as a “green light” and often overeating torments them. Therefore, in order to stay in shape and not gain excess weight, we need to choose the right low-fat foods.

This is whole milk products. What it is?

Whole milk means natural.
This product does not undergo any chemical treatment other than heat. It is also strained to remove debris and insects. If milk has been diluted with water or skimmed by skimming, it cannot be classified as whole milk. The reason for this is the receipt of a different composition. Such milk is a drinking dairy product. Whole milk, which comes directly from the cow, is not packaged for sale. It is absolutely impossible to find such a product on sale. It can only be found in the village and on a dairy farm. Normalized milk and all dairy products are usually produced from this composition. The normalized one can be found on any supermarket shelves. The distinguishing feature of whole from normalized is its level of fat content, shelf life and degree of processing.

Whole milk has the shortest shelf life (5 to 24 hours). First, a foam forms from the cream, later the product sours. Pasteurized milk has a longer shelf life (about 3 days). Most often, this product is bottled in a glass or plastic bottle.

According to GOST R 5290 “Drinking milk. TU" this product must be in the form of a homogeneous liquid without sediment. The color should be close to white with a slight yellow tint. The taste must be clean, without unnecessary odors.

If milk does not meet these properties according to GOST, then you should not eat it.

Low-fat foods provoke fat accumulation

As paradoxical as it may sound, in order to get rid of fat, a sufficient amount of it must enter the body. The body needs fats (more about this in the article “Good and bad fats: which ones are possible?”). A lack of fat leads to an imbalance in hormonal levels, which provokes the process of their accumulation.

In connection with all of the above, I advise replacing completely low-fat foods with low-fat ones (up to 5%), or at least eating them infrequently.

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Low-fat fermented milk products list. How to choose low-fat foods

You carefully monitor your diet so as not to gain extra pounds. Buy yogurts, kefir, ice cream, cottage cheese, cookies and other products with a low fat content or no fat at all.

But in fact, its small amount or complete absence in no way indicates a low calorie level. Such food does not help control weight at all; it is just as high in calories as regular food. And the fact that the package says “no fat” is perceived by many as a “green light” and often overeating torments them. Therefore, in order to stay in shape and not gain excess weight, we need to choose the right low-fat foods.

Why are low-fat foods harmful?

Such elements of your diet taste good and give an excellent boost of energy. But low-fat foods lack fiber, proteins, minerals and vitamins. In addition, in order to preserve taste while removing fats, sucrose and starch are added to them. This way the food loses fat and gains more carbohydrates.

What is the right thing to do in this situation? If you are overweight or have high blood cholesterol levels, you should limit the amount of fat in your menu. You can eat foods low in fat or without this harmful substance:

• low-fat cheese,
• skim milk,
• light mayonnaise,
• salad dressing.

But don't get too carried away with such substitutes. Initially, you should eliminate really fatty foods from your diet:

• lamb,
• beef,
• meat snacks,
• cheeses,
• whole milk,
• potato chips,
• ice cream.

Next, you need to start changing the cooking method itself. Replace frying in oil with grilling, boiling in water or steaming. It is also extremely important to eat natural foods. The less processed it is, the healthier, more nutritious it is and contains less sugar and fat.

Learn to read labels correctly! Most often, manufacturers use a trick in which the packaging indicates the amount of fat in one unit of the product (for example, in one cookie). People who want to lose weight or stay in shape, having seen magical numbers, as if under hypnosis, do not see the true indicators and proper nutrition becomes the way of their life.

Therefore, to avoid such a situation, you should know:

• In a low-fat product, fat is no more than half a gram per unit, and a product with a low percentage of fat content or no fat at all - 3 g or less. “Light” products have 25% less fat than regular ones;
• the total carbohydrate content (sucrose, starch) is indicative;
• be able to distinguish between the weight of the package and the weight in relation to which the amount of fat is indicated.

Manufacturers' deception

Firstly, manufacturers are lying when they talk about 0% fat milk. It is impossible to completely skim milk. When we say 0%, we usually mean that the fat content is less than 1%. Fully skim milk is just an aqueous solution that contains a certain amount of carbohydrates and proteins and it is not possible to call it milk. And if you have ever drunk truly skim milk, then powder mixtures are added to it to create a characteristic milky taste. Agree, this is also somehow not associated with a useful product. Secondly, the fat content stated on the label does not always correspond to the real one. It is not uncommon when, when examining dairy products in laboratories, it turns out that cottage cheese contains, for example, 6%, but the package says 0%.

Dairy diet for weight loss - reviews and results

Maria: I want to share my experience of the fermented milk diet. I chose a two-week diet, the main ingredient was whey. I really liked the fermented milk diet for weight loss In addition to whey, it was acceptable to eat a boiled egg, low-fat yogurt, coffee, etc. I really liked the results - it was delicious, I felt light throughout my body, and there was no terrible feeling of hunger.

Anastasia: I’ve been familiar with the fermented milk diet for a long time. Very tasty and healthy. The only thing I recommend is not to “sit” on such a diet for more than seven days. If the diet you have chosen contains vegetables and fruits, the diet can be extended up to 14 days. It is not recommended to actively engage in sports. To stay fit, you can do yoga, Pilates and brisk walking.

Lyudmila: Three days a month I always give myself a fasting day based on a fermented milk diet. I really love all sorts of goodies like whey, low-fat cottage cheese and kefir soup with herbs. In short, not unloading, but three days of joy! I recommend to everyone. Lightness throughout the body is guaranteed!

Dinara: My friend and I decided to go on a fermented milk diet for two weeks. Nightmare! I thought I was sick with something! No, that's not for me! I love meat, mayonnaise and so on. It’s easier to endure two days on the water than it is.

About fat in foods and its health benefits

Most people know that there are different types of fats: animal and vegetable. And some are even aware that fats contain fatty acids, including saturated and unsaturated ones. Unsaturated ones are considered more useful because they are completely broken down and contain many essential substances. That is why every girl who cares about her figure always makes a choice in favor of fish between meat and fish. Everything else, including butter, sour cream, cream, is considered a threat to the figure.

However, recently scientists are increasingly speaking out in favor of fat. This is especially true for milk fats, the benefits of which are indicated by these facts:

1. Milk fat is easily and almost completely absorbed by the body. This happens due to the fact that it melts at a temperature of 25-30 degrees Celsius and enters the intestines in a liquid state. In addition, this fat is found in milk in the form of tiny particles, which, upon entering the stomach, are completely enveloped in food juices, making them easier to digest.
2. Milk fat contains 140 types of known acids, some of which the body cannot obtain from anywhere else. Arachidonic acid, which is not part of vegetable oils, is especially useful.
3. Milk fat contains an important phosphatide - lecithin, which prevents vascular sclerosis, promotes proper metabolism of fats and prevents them from being deposited in the liver.
4. Milk fat also contains sterols, of which the most important for health are cholesterol (good) and ergosterol. The latter is converted into vitamin D when exposed to sunlight.
5. Milk fat contains fat-soluble vitamins A, E and K, which are almost never found in other fats.
6. Fats of any kind in reasonable quantities are necessary for the body for the coordinated functioning of various organs. For example, the gallbladder produces bile specifically to digest fat. If he has nothing to process, the bile stagnates and stones appear.

Diet rules

For a proper metabolic process, the intake of foods plays an important role:

1. You can't eat at night. The last meal should be at least 4 hours before bedtime. But, if you have a strong feeling of hunger, then you can drink 120 ml of biokefir.
2. A specific schedule must be developed so that food is taken at the same time every day.
3. Eat small meals, but often. At least 4 times.
4. In order not to harm your health, fermented milk products should be alternated with nuts, fruits and vegetables.

Sweet tea is strictly prohibited. It is necessary to replace it with milk or mineral water.

What you can and cannot take during a diet on fermented milk products:

Important rules:

• You can only purchase fermented milk products that are low-fat, or preferably low-fat;
• Snacks cannot be arranged;
• all products must be fresh.

Important! You should not smoke while on a fermented milk diet. Nicotine clogs the body, making it difficult to eliminate toxins.

To achieve maximum effect, drink kefir according to the following rules:

• Do not eat cold or warm product. It should be at a temperature of approximately +20°...+22°C;
• You need to drink in small sips and very slowly.

List of approved products

If you consume only fermented milk products, a large amount of iron and calcium will be removed from the body. To prevent imbalance, the correct ratio of alkali and acids must be introduced. If you break this rule, you will experience pain in your joints and sand will appear in your kidneys. Therefore, the daily menu includes:

• nuts;
• fruits;
• vegetables.

Fat for health

It would seem, why are low-fat foods harmful? After all, it is fat that is supposed to be the culprit of excess weight, heart problems, off-scale “bad” cholesterol and other misadventures. But then why is fat, along with proteins and carbohydrates, included in the triumvirate of nutrients we need throughout our lives?

In fact, fat performs essential functions in the body. It strengthens and restores damaged cell membranes. Essentially, it supports life. The brain and nervous system feed exclusively on carbohydrates and fats. The less they receive, the worse they do their job. And for the whole body as a whole, fat is one of the main sources of fuel. Fat dissolves dozens of essential nutrients that water cannot cope with. Among other things, fats are involved in metabolic processes, ensure the synthesis of hormones and protect the body from hypothermia.

By the way, many doctors today question the direct relationship between fat and high cholesterol. A couple of years ago an experiment was conducted in Norway. The first group of subjects ate low-fat foods for two months, while the second group received full-fat foods. Based on the results of the experiment, not a single case of increased cholesterol was identified. Moreover, for some participants in the second focus group it decreased, albeit slightly.

Opinion

Mikhail Gavrilov, psychotherapist, author of a patented method for correcting eating behavior and weight loss, member of the Institute of Functional Medicine ( IFM , USA):

“Low-fat foods can be called healthy and dietary at a stretch. When removing fat from fermented milk products, it must be replaced with something. Otherwise, their consistency and taste will suffer. What is usually used to replace fat? Either refined sugar, which provides additional calories, or a sweetener - a substance that “deceives” our endocrine system and increases cravings for simple carbohydrates.

And one more nuance.
Low-fat products are often sold in large packages - not 100 g, but, for example, 200. Therefore, there is a risk of eating a heavy dose of sweetener, preservatives, dyes and other food additives that yoghurts, cottage cheese and other dairy products are rich in. I advise you to buy sour cream with a fat content of 10–15%, cottage cheese – 5%, milk and kefir – 1.5–2.5%.” Text: Natalia Kapitsa

Main conclusions

The fermented milk diet is an excellent method for cleansing the body of waste, toxins and excess weight. You can choose the option you like best, which will allow you to lose from 3 to 10 kilograms. By following simple recommendations, you will be able to achieve your desired figure in a short time. After completing the diet, you need to gradually introduce other foods into your diet to avoid severe stress on the stomach. In the first few days you should not eat flour or sweets.

Tell us what you think about the fermented milk diet. Have you tried to adhere to such a diet, and did you see any results?

Sample weekly menu

List of products for a weekly fermented milk diet:

The listed volume of products must be distributed into 6 parts and consumed at regular intervals. This fermented milk diet can provoke dehydration of the body, which will lead to irreversible consequences. During this period you cannot:

• use sugar and salt in food;
• drink tea or coffee.

Without restriction, you can drink filtered water to avoid dehydration.

A week-long fermented milk diet is used for lightning-fast weight loss in order to get in shape for a significant date.

You can stick to the apple-kefir diet. There are several options:

1. Eat 6 times daily. For one meal, eat 160 g of apples, washed down with 240 ml of biokefir. The maximum number of days is 7.
2. For the first 3 days, drink only biokefir, dividing one and a half liters into 6 times. The next 3 days – 1.5 kg of apples. Again, 3 days only biokefir. Water is allowed to be drunk in any volume.

Apples can be eaten whole, grated, mixed with biokefir, and also baked in the oven.

Advice! Drinking kefir alone for several days is very difficult. To diversify the menu, you can use fruits and sour berries, as well as low-fat cottage cheese or a boiled egg.

It is necessary to exit the weekly fermented milk diet gradually. During this time, the body is accustomed to receiving minimal amounts of food. If you suddenly start eating any foods, gastrointestinal diseases may occur.

For the first 7 days after a fermented milk diet, you must exclude:

• sweet food;
• baked goods (from white flour);
• fatty foods.

This approach will help not only return your metabolism to its natural mode, but also prolong the results of losing weight.

Important! You can lose weight with a mono-diet no more than once every 6 months.

After completing the diet, fermented milk products cannot be excluded from the diet. To maintain results longer, you need to exercise and not overeat.