**TL;DR - Dairy products have a high concentration of saturated fat which contributes to diseases such as heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.** Milk and other dairy products are one of the [top sources](https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326269#dairy-saturated-fat-and-heart-health) of artery-clogging saturated fat in an individual's diet. Milk products also contain cholesterol. Diets high in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol increase the risk of heart disease, which remains America’s top killer. Cheese is especially dangerous. Typical cheeses are 70 percent fat. A 2017 study funded by the [National Cancer Institute](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5998914/) that compared the diets of women diagnosed with breast cancer to those without breast cancer found that those who consumed the most American, cheddar, and cream cheeses had a 53% higher risk for breast cancer. Additionally, dairy products have [high amounts of calcium](https://www.pcrm.org/good-nutrition/nutrition-information/health-concerns-about-dairy#:~:text=Milk%20and%20other%20dairy%20products,%2C%20ovarian%2C%20and%20prostate%20cancers.) which is needed for strong bones. Without enough calcium, a person may be at risk of osteoporosis. This condition causes bones to weaken and leaves them prone to breaking. The National Osteoporosis Foundation explain that people need adequate calcium and vitamin D to prevent bone loss and osteoporosis. Although dairy products may contain more calcium than many other foods, evidence suggesting that consuming dairy can prevent bone fractures seems conflicting. For example, [one systematic review and meta-analysis](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10408398.2019.1590800) suggests that as dairy intake increases, the risk of osteoporosis and hip fracture decreases in some studies. However, this was not the case in all the studies included in the analysis.

**TL; DR - Dairy can be good and bad for you depending on the level of consumption and the general diet**. On the one hand, dairy contains saturated fat and its excessive consumption can lead to heart diseases and many more. According to Ryan Andrews, dairy like 'milk has been seen as “good for us”. “Milk: It Does A Body Good” was even the tagline for a series of ads in the 1980s. Google “vintage milk ads” and you’ll see that promoting milk’s health benefits has a long history' ( [Precision Nutrition](https://www.precisionnutrition.com/is-dairy-good-or-bad-for-you) ). However, according to Andrews, for many people milk can be 'full of “bad” fat, unhealthy chemicals, hormones, and impossible-to-digest proteins' which can be detrimental to the health. In some cases, careless dairy consumption can lead to cancer. On the other hand, dairy products are a valuable source of nutrients like protein and calcium. According to Matthew Solan, calcium 'helps maintain bone density and reduces the risk of fractures. Adults up to age 50 need 1,000 milligrams (mg) of calcium per day. Women older than 50 and men older than 70 need 1,200 mg'. Solan continues to argue that [a]dditional dairy health benefits include the 'protein to protect against sarcopenia, the natural age-related loss of muscle mass and strength, and dairy can be a decent source' ( [Harvard Health](https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/dairy-health-food-or-health-risk-2019012515849) ). Dairy can be a valuable health food with huge benefits for body structure and general health habits. It all depends on our intake of dairy products and the varied diet we choose to follow. Excessive dairy eating can lead to many health problems, but so will abstaining from dairy altogether.

**TLDR - We should listen to our bodies, and our bodies are telling us that dairy should not be a staple food** It's certainly interesting how prevalent dairy is in many human's diets. Of course, we feed on breast milk when we are infants, and this provides us with all of the nutrients and antibodies we need (through the diet of our mother). Yet many of us maintain a somewhat dairy rich diet past infancy. Looking back at human history, it's easy to see why. When sourcing food was still took up a lot of our time, milk was an incredibly useful food to have. Many docile animals, such as cows, horses, and goats produced somewhat steady supplies of milk, and thus long lasting food (through the creation of cheese). And so dairy was important to us when food was limited and we didn't have the luxury of choice. Now however, many of us do have the luxury of choice when it comes to the food we consume, and I think a long history with dairy has been mistaken for a necessity for dairy. In fact, [approximately 65% of the population has some degree of intolerance to lactose past infancy](https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/lactose-intolerance/#references). Our bodies are telling us we should cut it down, and we should listen to it. Health benefits aside, the meat and dairy industry are doing untold damage to the environment, as is one of the leading causes of climate change - something we should all be very concerned about.

**TL; DR: There are many health benefits of dairy as well as the aforementioned harmful effects that it can have. For such reason it cannot be said that ‘dairy is more unhealthy than healthy’ as it largely depends on the consumer and the supplier.** Dairy is neither healthy nor unhealthy but instead depends on the individual as some may greatly feel the benefits of the product whilst others are intolerant or even allergic to it. Such [benefits](https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/is-dairy-bad-or-good#nutrition) include: • Strengthened bones and teeth • Reduction of osteoporosis • Reduction of fracture risk • Reduction of obesity risk (despite being high in calories) • Reduction of diabetes risk (specifically 62% lower risk of type 2) • Reduction of stomach fat • Reduction of inflammation • Improvement of insulin sensitivity • Reduction of colorectal cancer risk Therefore, it is abundantly clear that dairy had many health benefits, as well as disadvantages, making it neither healthy nor unhealthy. It is also important to value the quality of dairy. In particular, [studies](https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/is-dairy-bad-or-good#nutrition) show that ‘the best types of dairy come from animals that were pasture-raised and/ or fed grass because their milk has a much more robust nutrient profile’.

**tl;dr -- Dairy isn't an enemy food. Nor is any other food -- it just depends on many factors as to which ones are healthy for a particular individual or not.** Honestly, the same can be said for just about any food. It all depends on a multitude of factors -- how much you consume, how often, what variety, freshness, your own genetic predispositions, metabolism, whether the food is organic or not, etc. Instead of going on a hive mind warpath against certain foods, we need to individually pay attention to what each food does to our bodies, and make rational food choices from there. I have a friend who absolutely cannot tolerate most foods, even some foods that are considered healthy and staple for the general population. I have another friend who can get away with eating *anything* and I hate them because I'm so jealous. So it all depends.