One week milk is good for you, the next you should stay away at all costs. Is the mainstream media trying to confuse everyone?
Of course, eating food in proper proportions is the real secret to a healthy diet. Dairy and meat are their own food groups, they must have some nutritional value. The problem with some people is that they go to extremes, like the all-protein diet, but most experts agree you are not supposed to only eat from one food group. You need a well-balanced diet.
Now, there seems to be some sensibility returning to the nutrition industry. You should not be surprised that a new study found dairy and meat to be good for your heart health, immune system, and longevity. What are the benefits of eating from both food groups?
Dairy Provides Calcium
Is there a developed population bias with respect to scientific findings? Professor Salim Yusuf of McMaster University thinks that might be true. Dietary guidelines should account for all cultures, around the world. Many urban dwellers in the West might not be working out in the fields. Instead, they might be sitting behind a desk all day long. Of course, their dietary requirements will be different than someone who works in the fields of the developing world.
Professors Salim Yusuf published the results from his Population Health Research Institute (PHRI) study in Lancet. This study found that those “who consumed a diet emphasizing fruit, vegetables, nuts, legumes, fish, dairy products, and meat had the lowest risks of cardiovascular disease and early death.” Dairy and meat were good for heart health. Dairy provides essential calcium that is used by your bones, teeth, blood and immune system. When all of these body systems are working well, your heart health will be good.
Meat Provides Proteins
When the scientific results include the entire world, then they are more conclusive. Professor Salim Yusuf concluded that the “results show that dairy products and meat are beneficial for heart health and longevity.” Are Western studies biased? Unfortunately, many seem to have a very short attention span when it comes to science in the West.
Do you remember when doctors would tell you what their favorite cigarettes were? Go on YouTube and look up the advertisements, they might still be there. Or, you could go to an alternative media website to find the real truth. Yes, doctors endorse cigarettes. Did cigarettes change? No. The science around cigarettes has always been the same. The nutritional value of foods has always been the same. What people in the United States eat is vastly different than what people in other countries eat.
Vegetable Stir Fry
You could take a simple look at Asian stir-fry. Vegetables are a central ingredient in Asian meals. Salad is a side item for Americans. Is America, the only nation that combines cheese curds and a sandwich with bacon, pork, turkey, hamburger, and chicken on it? Is that good for heart health? Of course not. People in developing nations wish they had that amount of meat in their weekly diets, let alone one sandwich. Therefore, context is essential.
There is good dairy and bad dairy. Professor Salim Yusuf’s study included 218,000 people from around the world. The developing world’s diets are more well-balanced than American diets. Meat and dairy can reduce heart attacks if they are eaten in proper proportions.