One of the reasons that dairy foods can have a bad reputation when you want to lose more weight is that they can be quite high in calories, primarily because of their saturated fat content.  They also contain a certain level of cholesterol that many dieters feel will work against their attempts to eat healthfully.  Cholesterol and saturated fats have been connected with health struggles such as heart disease, diabetes, inflammation, high cholesterol and other medical challenges.

Because of this, many people who are attempting to lose more weight are choosing not to eat dairy, in order to give themselves an advantage.  Still, it is very important to speak with a doctor, dietician or nutritionist before cutting out dairy altogether.  There is a great deal of nutrition to be gained from dairy products, so cutting them out may require you to have to add other foods to your regular diet in order to make up for the loss of what you would have gained by eating milk, yogurt and even cheese.

It is also important to note that some recent studies have indicated that eating dairy can actually help you to slim down more quickly.  This research has indicated that by eating the right amount of reduced fat dairy products such as milk and yogurt, some of the benefits can be body fat loss, lean muscle gain and overall improvements to the body’s ability to maintain a healthful weight.

Many weight loss experts will often advise that instead of cutting dairy altogether for the purpose of weight loss, it may be better to simply make better choices in terms of the items you choose and the portion sizes you consume.  A reduced amount of low-fat yogurt can be quite beneficial to completing a balanced diet.

Moreover, reduced fat dairy options make a tremendous difference in what you’re eating.  When compared to a cup of full-fat milk, skim has about twice the calories in a glass of skim.  Moreover, the skim version actually has more protein.  Similarly, a half cup of full fat cheddar cheese (shredded) contains 14 grams of protein and 225 calories.  But if you chose the nonfat version, the same amount of shredded cheddar has only 88 calories and a notably higher 18 grams of protein. 

Protein is fantastic for your health, and it makes sure you achieve that “satisfied” feeling from your foods.  When you consider that reduced fat dairy offers more protein with fewer calories and saturated fats, they may be a notably better option for your efforts to drop the pounds.