June is National Dairy Month

We have all heard that calcium is essential for building strong bones, teeth, and muscles and that it may even help you achieve a healthy weight, but what if you are lactose intolerant?

Lactose Intolerant?  No problem.  Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest significant amounts of lactose, the major sugar found in milk.  Lactose intolerance is caused by a shortage of the enzyme lactase, which is responsible for breaking down milk sugar into a form the body can digest.  But even those who are lactose intolerant have many options for receiving the same health benefits of 3 daily servings of dairy.  Lactose intolerance doesn't mean dairy intolerance. By following the tips below, most people can enjoy the taste and health benefits of dairy foods: 

• Choose lactose-free milk, and other lactose free products.  These products offer all the nutrients of regular milk but are easier to digest.
• Introduce milk and other dairy foods into your diet slowly.  For most people, lactose intolerance is dose dependant, so you can likely tolerate some lactose, but the amount varies from person to person.  So, start with small portions with meals or snacks and gradually work up to 3 servings a day.
• Yogurt is a good choice. Cultured dairy foods like yogurt contain friendly bacteria that help digest lactose, and should be easier for your body to break down.
• Aged cheeses like Cheddar and Swiss are naturally low in lactose. Grate some Cheddar or Swiss into a recipe or enjoy a slice by itself for a snack.  You can also buy cheese in individually wrapped packages for an extra convenient snack on the go.
• Be sure to get enough non-dairy sources of calcium like broccoli, dark green leafy vegetables, calcium enriched orange juice, salmon, almonds and oats.
• There’s help!  You can take LACTAID® pills with your first bite of dairy to help break down lactose, so you can enjoy milk and other dairy foods.

Does Calcium REALLY Help to Burn Fat? 

Several recent studies about calcium have shown some surprising results. Researchers were trying to find out what effect calcium might have on lowering blood pressure and came up with a totally unexpected side effect - the people in the study were also losing body fat.  Research shows that as calcium intake goes up, body weight and body fat both go down. 

Scientists are still not completely clear as to why this is the case, but they have a couple of strong theories.

Theory #1:  Calcium in our fat cells helps determine whether fat is stored or broken down by our body. It seems that calcium encourages the fat to be burned rather than be stored.  Meaning, the more calcium that is there - the more fat will be burned.

Theory #2: Calcium may "bind" with the fat - allowing us to excrete it rather than have it build up.  An extra-added bonus is that a calcium rich diet also appears to target belly fat in particular, one of the worst problem areas for many people.  And the calcium from low-fat dairy sources appears to produce the best results, compared to calcium supplements.  The fact that the calcium comes from low-fat and fat-free sources is really important, as taking in high fat dairy products will give you extra calories, and negate these potential health benefits!   A growing body of evidence indicates consuming calcium-rich dairy foods three to four times a day may equate to the burning of about 100 more calories of body fat per day--or about 10 pounds of fat per year!  

Lots of good reasons to increase your calcium intake – and no better time to start than National Dairy Month!