6 Stupid Holiday Diet Tips You Should Ignore (And 1 You Shouldn't)

2 of 8 Back Next

Avoid dairy products, since they're tough to digest.

(iStockphoto)

There are several reasons you might want to avoid dairy products: lactose intolerance, a commitment to veganism, or simply a dislike of cheese and milk. But "because they complicate digestion," as I read in one magazine, is not one of them.

If you're lactose intolerant, the sugar in milk will sail through the gastrointestinal tract without being processed, says Amy Foxx-Orenstein, past president of the American College of Gastroenterology and an associate professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic. That can lead to bloating, gas, and other unpleasantness. Folks experiencing flare-ups of celiac disease or irritable bowel syndrome might also find milk hard on the stomach, she says. And, says Suzanne Havala Hobbs, a registered dietitian and faculty member at Gillings School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina, people with acid reflux may experience symptoms if they eat a lot of high-fat cheese and then loll on the sofa. But otherwise healthy people without those problems aren't going to be harmed by dairy—and cutting it out certainly won't provide any magic weight-loss advantage.

Moreover, the whole notion of "complicating" digestion is puzzling; actually, the harder your system has to work to break down food the greater the boost to your metabolism, says Foxx-Orenstein. And more complex foods like whole grains can keep you full longer than more processed and easily digested ones.

[Check out: Can Milk Really Beat PMS, Shine Hair, and Help You Live Happily Ever After?]

Reader Comments Read all comments (350)

Add Your Thoughts

Comment Name State Select One AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE DC FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY International Email

Please enter the two words below into the text field underneath the image.

Incorrect please try again

Enter the words above: Enter the numbers you hear:

Your comment will be posted immediately, unless it is spam or contains profanity. For more information, please see our Comments FAQ.