Your Dairy Questions Answered

This recap was created in collaboration with Midwest Dairy as part of the dairy community’s Undeniably Dairy campaign . I was compensated for my time, but the content and opinions included are my own.

Back in September, I had the privilege of visiting a dairy farm in Chicago. I loved getting to see where our milk actually comes from and what the process of caring for and milking cattle looks like. I was able to meet the dairy farmers who own and run it, as well as ask them any questions I had. It’s really cool being more connected to our food supply.

And if you follow me on IG, you may have noticed that I recently did a Q&A regarding dairy on my stories. I addressed all of your questions, as well as a few details I thought were important to touch on. If you missed it, you can see my answers on my highlight reel HERE.

If you aren’t on Instagram, are a visual processor, or simply prefer cliff notes, here is the shortened version of what I discussed:

Can dairy cause acne?

1. Diet and acne is still a controversial topic, with conflicting information.

2. There is research that supports a diet high in high-glycemic foods may worsen acne. Additionally, studies have shown dairy and acne to be weakly associated. Skim milk had a stronger association with worsened acne than whole milk. (1)

3. Milk can cause rashes or eczema, but is more likely related to a milk allergy (so get tested!).

Is it unhealthy to drink whole milk? What about the saturated fat content?

• A research study showed higher intakes of saturated fat from dairy was associated with decreased risk of cardiovascular disease.

• Full fat dairy has been associated with decreased risk of metabolic syndrome. (2)

• Full fat dairy leads to increased satiety and fullness.

• Full fat dairy can help with blood sugar stabilization (fat is slower to digest, so your blood sugar doesn’t spike as much).

Don’t the hormones given to the cattle pass into milk? Are they dangerous to our health?

• Dairy cows used to be given rBST to increase milk production. Consumers didn’t like this, so the majority of dairy farmers no longer use this and sign agreements not to.

• rBST is digested into individual peptides and amino acids (so it’s not absorbed into the bloodstream as a hormone). Additionally, our body lacks receptors for this hormone, so it can’t bind to anything to elicit a response.

• There are naturally occurring hormones that pass into the milk (just like hormones pass from human moms into their breastmilk!), but the amount passed through is not significant.

• Addition for you guys (not in my videos): 1 8-oz cup milk has up to 2.2 ng estrogen; 1 Tbsp flax has 26,556.6 ng estrogen; ½ cup pinto beans has 154,800 ng estrogen; 3/4 cup tofu has 34,050,000 ng estrogen. A prepubescent child produces 41,000 ng/day; an adult male produces 136,000 ng/day; a non-pregnant woman produces 513,000 ng/day; and a pregnant woman produces 19,600,000 ng/day. (3,4)

I heard dairy is not easily digestible, so it’s not meant to be eaten?

• It’s true that some people have a difficult time digesting lactose in dairy, and for those, I suggest taking lactaid, drinking lactose free milk, or eating low lactose products like hard, aged cheeses or Greek yogurt.

• There are a lot foods our bodies may have a difficult time digesting (high fiber foods, fats, proteins), but that doesn’t mean we make a blanket statement that no one should eat them. If that were the case, gas-producing veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts would be nixed. ;-)

Is dairy nutritionally necessary?

• Dairy is not necessary in order to have a healthy, nutritious diet (or else people with dairy allergies would be in trouble!), BUT it is a very convenient and affordable source of great nutrition. Dairy is a wonderful source of protein, carbs, fat, calcium, vitamin A & D (fortified dairy), potassium, and phosphorous.

• Additionally, dairy is delicious (in my opinion), and eating foods we enjoy is helpful for having a healthy relationship with food and having a nutritious food intake.

Greek yogurt for lactose intolerance?

• For those with lactose intolerance, Greek yogurt (as well as hard, aged cheeses) can often be well tolerated, as the majority of the lactose is discarded along with the whey when strained.

• For those with high sensitivities to lactose, some companies actually make lactose free yogurt, including Yoplait and Green Valley Creamery.

Milk for lactose intolerance if I don’t like the taste of soy milk?

• Try lactose free milk, such as Lactaid, Fairlife, or Horizon!

Calf care concerns

• Pregnant cows are separated from the herd and not milked for 2-3 months before giving birth.

• While it varies from farm to farm, it is standard practice for the calf to be separated from the mom within 24 hours after delivery for the safety of the calf (to prevent infection from eating or lying in mother’s manure, some cows don’t pay attention to their calves, etc). Farmers ensure the calves are given quality colostrum (quality colostrum=increased chances of a strong immune system) and then milk either from the mom directly or through a bottle .

• The calf is separated from the herd for the first 3 months in a dry, clean place to ensure the calf is healthy and growing properly.

• Cows’ well-being is of upmost importance to the dairy farmer. Sick cows are expensive to treat, and unhappy or stressed cows produce less milk. Less milk=lower profit.

Organic vs. conventional dairy

• Certified organic dairy farms have to uphold set standards (5): only organic fertilizers and pesticides on crops; at least 120 days of access to pasture (and then supplemented to ensure a balanced diet); and if an animal is given antibiotics, it must be sold.

• The only nutritional difference is that organic milk is higher in omega-3 fatty acids and lower in omega-6 fatty acids. However, milk (organic or not) is not a significant source of omega-3s. Some companies do fortify their milk with DHA, so if milk is your go-to source for omega-3s, opt for a fortified product.

Antibiotics in milk?

• When a cow is given medications or antibiotics for conditions such as mastitis, the cow’s milk is thrown away and not saved for consumption.

• Shipments of milk are checked for antibiotic residue before leaving the farm as well as at least one other time in the manufacturing process. If antibiotics are found in the milk, the entire tank is thrown away at the expense of the farmer. (6)

• Added (not on my videos): Testing for antibiotics have only gotten more stringent over time. More rigorous testing=higher quality assurance for the consumer. (7)

If your interested in what a dairy farm looks like and how it functions (but can’t go visit one in real life), you can check out this online farm experience here.

Sources:

1. Dairy and acne https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0190962209009670

2. Full fat dairy and Metabolic syndrome https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/146/1/81/4616088

3. Estrogen found in flax seed https://www.salon.com/2014/04/13/4_otherwise_healthy_foods_crammed_with_estrogen_partner/

4. Estrogen found in various foods and produced by humans: http://www.iowabeefcenter.org/information/IBC48.pdf

5. Certified organic requirements https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/Dairy%20-%20Guidelines.pdf

6. https://ww6)w.fda.gov/media/111169/download

7. antibiotic testing resources https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2009/an/b817836d/unauth#!divAbstract ; https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165993609000776 ; https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/antibioticresistance/animal/truthmilk.pdf ;

Fall Apple Muffins with Crunchy Cinnamon Topping

This recipe was created in collaboration with Midwest Dairy as part of the dairy community’s Undeniably Dairy campaign . I was compensated for my time, but the content and opinions included are my own.

It’s fall, ya’ll…or can we agree it’s basically winter already?? It’s currently 16 degrees outside as I write this. Holy moly, summer transitioned into winter quickly! But to be honest, I’m loving cozy sweaters and pajama pants, candles, hot coffee, and pumpkin spice EVERYTHING. If you follow me on instagram, you know that I’m already listening to Christmas music. There’s no shame in my game.

So in light of the changing weather, fall produce, and the upcoming holidays, I am bringing you these delicious fall apple muffins with crunchy cinnamon topping!!

My neighbor recently had a baby (I promise this is a relevant story), so I wanted to bring her family some snacks to eat on while they figured out a rhythm for taking care of a newborn. I know when we had Camden that meals brought to us was so helpful. And I also know that my hunger was like none other, so snacks and substantial meals were essential. I found an apple muffin recipe that I made for them, but found them to be super dry and dense, and they weren’t sweet enough for my preference. So I decided I needed to perfect my own apple muffin recipe. After a few tries, I found a recipe that brings the right amount of sweetness (it’s there, but not overly so) and is tender and moist.

A few of my tricks for this recipe is the buttermilk, almond flour, and preparation technique. Now, I’m sure you could use regular milk (you know, because thinking AHEAD to get buttermilk doesn’t always happen), but buttermilk gives it moisture and a nice fluffy texture. Leftover buttermilk is great for pancakes, biscuits, scones, and even oven fried chicken nuggets. The majority of the flour used is white whole wheat and all purpose, but I added a little almond flour to make them more moist. It’s actually a trick I use in a lot of my baked goods. Lastly, I made sure to not over mix the batter. The instructions included help to minimize mixing so that your muffins don’t turn out like a rock. You’re welcome. 😉

Oh and that crunchy cinnamon topping? It’s optional, but not really optional, if you know what I mean. It reminds me of coffee cake…which is why I think you should make them for a thanksgiving/friendsgiving/special-family-gather brunch. And if you want to make them a little more fancy, just drizzle some powdered sugar icing or cream cheese frosting on top!

I’d love to hear if you made these and what you think!!

Yield: 12 muffins

Author: Ashley Smith, RD

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Fall Apple Muffins with Crunchy Cinnamon Topping

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 30 Min

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

• 1 C buttermilk (warmed in microwave for 30 seconds)
• 1 egg
• 1/3 C melted coconut oil
• 1/4 C maple syrup

Dry Ingredients

• 1 1/4 C white whole wheat flour
• 2/3 C all purpose flour
• 1/3 C almond flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 C finely diced apple (granny smith, pink lady, or honeycrisp)

Crunchy Cinnamon Topping

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 3 Tbsp white sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Finely chop apple and combine with remaining dry ingredients. Mix together.
3. In a separate bowl, microwave the buttermilk to warm it slightly. If not, the melted coconut oil will solidify and make mixing difficult. Add the egg, maple syrup, and coconut oil.
4. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry, being careful to not over mix the batter (that makes them dry and dense). Grease a 12 muffin tin and divide the batter evenly—the tins will be full.
5. Microwave the butter and add the sugar and cinnamon and mix. Top muffins with a teaspoon or so of mixture.
6. Bake for 5 minutes, decrease temperature to 400 and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Muffins are done when a toothpick comes out clean.

For more dairy inspired recipes, you can check out https://dairygood.org/recipes.

6 Things I'm Loving Lately

Hello hello, friends!! What has everyone been up to? Life has been a little crazy on our end and I feel like I’m treading water to keep my head above. But it’s also been really good, and I feel like fall (or has the weather decided it’s already winter??) has been really refreshing for my heart and mind. I wanted to post something fun with a few of the things I’ve really been enjoying lately. I originally was going to share, but I just had to include all six!…So here you go!

1. This white chicken chili from Fit Foodie Finds. I have a really random, but prominent memory of eating white chicken chili with tortilla chips and cheese in a styrofoam bowl in the the hallway of a school during my brother’s basketball game. My family couldn’t afford to eat out, so my mom would prep food in a crockpot and bring all the necessary accompaniments so that we could eat dinner on game nights. She is such a rockstar.

My mom’s recipe is super delicious, but I came across this recipe on instagram and really wanted to try it out. It did NOT disappoint. It’s super hearty, filling, and delicious. Anyone else love hominy? Just me?

2. Candles on cold, dark mornings. Candles just make everything cozy, am I right?! Last year I had a candle that smelled so so good from Bath and Body Works. Unfortunately, they no longer make that scent and when I looked it up on Amazon, they were like $27…for a candle. So instead, I’ve been enjoying a woodwick candle (again, crackling candle=cozy).

3. My new rug. I’m horrible at making decisions, especially when money is involved. I had been eyeing this rug for several weeks/months and couldn’t decide if I should buy it or not. I saw an ad on facebook marketplace for THE perfect coffee table (it was a round marble top table with gold legs 😍) and it was on a similar looking rug, which confirmed that I needed this rug. I got the rug, but the table sold too quickly. For those interested, I got it from RugsUSA.

4. Cleaning my sink more regularly. Let’s be honest, cleaning my house isn’t my strength. Like at all. Both ImmaEatThat and The Real Life RD recommended this website. She had a clean your sink every night challenge, but that’s just not realistic for me. I’ve been using her sink scrub “recipe” a few nights a week and it makes me feel so clean and put together! Maybe one day I’ll be able to clean it every night, but that day is not today.

5. French toast with sourdough bread. I’ve lived the last 29 years thinking I didn’t like french toast. But the other day, I offered it as an option for breakfast to Isaac (to be polite, but secretly hoping he didn’t choose it) and that’s what he chose. I considered making something else for myself, but decided to try it. Oh. My. Goodness. I was so so wrong about french toast—it’s delicious. I just scramble an egg with milk and cinnamon and then dip the bread in it until it’s soaked all the way through and then cook it on a greased/buttered skillet. I then top it with peanut butter, banana, and syrup. Yum!!

6. Interior Design Masters on Netflix. I stumbled upon this show and absolutely LOVE it! It’s a competition with various individual and group challenges to design rooms, retreats, shops, etc in two days and each week, someone is kicked off the show. I love seeing the transformations, the interactions between the contestants, and the British accents.

I hope you find some inspiration in the things I’ve been enjoying lately. I’d love to hear from you—what are YOU enjoying??