Food Fact Friday

Dairy, Gluten, Fat, Carbs…Why the Controversy?

Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

This will help you understand the nuances.

Dairy 

• Dairy is a product of mammals and contains carbohydrates, protein and fat.  It can promote strong bones, combat certain cancers and help to prevent PMS symptoms.

• Some people do not digest dairy well due to low levels of the lactase enzyme, which is required to digest lactose, and as a result consuming dairy may cause digestive distress.  Some people may not consume it because they are vegan or vegetarian, or because they are concerned about additives like growth hormones.

Gluten 

• Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley that helps to bind breads, pastas, and desserts to create a denser product.  Consuming it can provide fiber, iron, zinc, and potassium.

• There are 3 conditions for which a gluten free diet is necessary for people to maintain their health: celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, and wheat allergy.  However, people who do not experience these conditions may also feel the need to eliminate gluten because in doing so they may address other health problems such as irritable bowel syndrome, digestive issues, skin problems like eczema, joint pain, or other inflammatory conditions. 

Want to explore if or how gluten and dairy may be impacting you?  The gold standard is to do an elimination diet and this article is a good place to read more.  I have done more than one and found them very helpful.   Every person is different and we can each experiment to find what works for us.  I found that I did not need to eliminate gluten and dairy entirely, but needed to limit quantity and sources to avoid problems.

Fat

• Fat is found in a number of animal and plant products.  It promotes brain health, provides cushioning and insulation around the internal organs, aids in vitamin absorption, helps regulate mood, and plays a role in hormone synthesis.

• The type and amount of fat we should each consume is the basis of the controversy.  The belief used to be that consuming dietary fat would lead to weight gain, but this has changed as higher fat diets have gained popularity.  Trans fats are generally recognized as unhealthy (coffee creamer, margarine, shortening, refrigerated dough), and unsaturated fats considered generally health supporting (olive oil, avocado, the fat found in nuts and seeds).  The health value of saturated fat (found in beef, butter, bacon, cheese) continues to be a topic of debate and the research supports both sides, so staying mindful of saturated fat intake is probably wise.

Carbs

• Carbohydrates are made up of fiber and sugars.  They give us energy, facilitate healthy digestion and help support a healthy weight.  There are two types of carbs - simple and complex.  Simple carbs digest quickly as sugar and provide quick energy (sweets, candy, bread, pasta), while complex carbs (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes) slow digestion through fiber. 

• Many diets suggest significantly reducing carbs, or eliminating them all together.  Almost all diets recommend eliminating or reducing simple carbs because they tend to have no nutrition, shoot up blood sugar levels, and are calorie dense.  Complex carbs on the other hand tend to be nutritious, lower in calories, and do not shoot up blood sugar in the same way.  

Fats and carbs have their place in our diets.  I believe the key with these two is to get your carbs and fats through whole foods (produce, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, olive oil, avocado).  Avoid food in bags or boxes, they often contain trans fats and simple carbs, in addition to other unhealthy additives.