So, is dairy bad for you?
Canada’s new food guides have done away your daily dose of milk, butter, yogurt and cheese, advocating instead for more plant-based dairy alternatives. So, is dairy bad for you?
Over the past three years, Canadian nutritionists have been working to over-haul the country’s daily dietary regulations.
The new guidelines overturn many traditional elements, including basic food groups, portion sizes and the standard three set meals a day.
Instead of encouraging the public to eat or drink multiple servings of dairy a day, the Canadian model mixes milk produce in with other recommended proteins.
Director General of Health Canada’s office of nutrition policy and promotion, Dr Hasan Hutchinson, told the BBC he hopes this move will help to combat food industry bias:
“We were very clear when we were looking into the evidence base that we were not going to be using reports that have been funded by industry.”
One of the most notable absences, however, is the noticeable lack of dairy.
The new regime recommend simply to: “Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits, whole grain foods and protein foods. Choose protein foods that come from plants more often.”
Food Standards Scotland supports the Canadian model, saying that this sort of balance is to be encouraged and is similar to the recommendations made in their own Eat well Guide.
A spokesperson for FSS said: “The Canada guidelines are very similar to what we recommend.
“They are not saying dairy should be removed from the diet but rather that there are alternatives and to choose low fat wherever possible.
“Dairy products are good sources of protein and vitamins and are also an important source of calcium which helps to keep our bones strong so, when buying dairy alternatives, it is best to choose unsweetened products that are fortified with calcium.”
It seems, the Canadian dairy cut-back is less about health and more about environmental, ethical and economic factors, following a global shift towards dairy-free diets.
According to The Vegan Society, 1 in 3 people regularly buy plant based milks, and more than a quarter of all evening meals in the UK are already vegan or vegetarian.
A spokesperson for Viva! The UK’s learning Vegan charity says they believe that this is a good move and that “every step towards being vegan is a positive one.”
