…Does a body good

Drinking milk has proven to be beneficial for more than just strong bones and teeth. In accordance with some of the latest nutritional research, low-fat milk and other dairy products may be the key to loosing weight. Researchers have confirmed that calcium in low-fat dairy products aid in obesity prevention by regulating fat metabolism and restricting the amount of fat manufactured by the fat cells.
One of the leading researchers of this study is Michael Zemel, Ph.D., Director of Nutrition at the Nutrition Institute at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
He published an abstract last April in the American Journal for Clinical Nutrition documenting the evidence that an increase in dietary calcium significantly contributes to weight and fat loss. In Dr. Zemel’s study, the African American male participants who consumed two cups of yogurt daily lost 70 percent more weight, than those who did not.
“I used to think that drinking milk made you gain weight because whole milk is so high fat,” says Quintina Hardesty, a junior mathematics major from Houston. “Last month, though, I learned that calcium actually does the opposite.”
While whole milk is a high fat beverage with eight grams of fat per eight ounce serving, there are the options of low-fat and skim milk, which are one percent fat-free and fat free respectively.
“I avoid dairy products because of their high fat content, but I do take calcium supplements” says S. Teala Johnson, a junior chemistry engineering major from Zachary.
Unlike supplements, dairy products provide an ideal blend of nutrients to help the body shed excess pounds and reduce blood pressure. Incorporating dairy products into your everyday life can be more useful than just for strong bones and teeth. It can also aid in weight loss.