Recently I’ve been posting photos of food made with dairy products on my Instagram page. That’s because lately I’ve been eating my fair share of this amazing food. And since I’ve received quite a few questions about why I’m eating dairy again, I thought it would make sense to discuss it here on the blog!
Now, when I say a food is “amazing,” I mean that it is amazing for me. As I’ve mentioned before, I believe we are all biochemical individuals with different and varying bodily and dietary needs. In fact, I was happily dairy-free for a very long time. Most of the recipes on this site are dairy-free and all of the recipes in my third book, Paleo Cooking from Elana’s Pantry, are dairy-free as well. So why am I eating dairy again? Well, there are three basic reasons:
- Calories –I wanted more high fat calories and less high carb calories
- Emotional –I did not want to give up another food group without getting one back
- Coconut –I was eating too much coconut and was showing a slight allergy to it on some bloodwork
The first reason I chose to bring dairy back into my diet was for the calories! I started a very low carb diet (VLCD) in 2014 and found that I functioned much better mentally and had a brighter outlook on things overall. In eating lower carb I gave up another food group –most fruit and desserts. Sure, I still make dessert for my family, but I rarely eat it myself, and when I do it’s something that is very lightly sweetened and high in fat, like this Chocolate Chia Pudding recipe, sweetened with stevia, or a square of 90% dark chocolate.
The second reason I added dairy back into my diet was emotional. I did not want to feel deprived. Swapping sugar (even natural sugar) for dairy has worked out very well for me. I feel much better maintaining a diet that is low-carb and high-fat. I’ve followed a strict grain-free diet since 2001. I haven’t had a bite of quinoa, rice, or potato since then. No joke. I follow this diet for health reasons so maintaining it is very important for me. It allows me to be on the lowest possible doses of various drugs and have a very high quality of life while living with the following diagnoses:
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Hashimotos Autoimmune Thyroiditis
- Celiac Disease
- BRCA
There are other health issues, but I will leave that for another place and time! I don’t follow the grain-free diet halfway. I don’t eat a piece of gluten-free bread now and then. I bake all of my own grain-free bread from scratch. When we grab dinner at our friend Thomas’ amazing burger joint, Larkburger, I get mine with a lettuce “bun” and skip the fries. I’ve given up loads of foods, but I have a very high ROI by following an incredibly strict grain-free diet. When I went on a VLCD in 2014 my dietary gains increased once again.
Emotionally though, I was not feeling super happy about giving up more food groups. Enter dairy. Now that I’m mostly sugar-free I don’t experience any issues with consuming dairy. I do stick to organic dairy. I love splashing heavy cream in my Dandelion Coffee, I find full fat yogurt absolutely delicious, and I am enjoying eating cheese again –by the way, have you seen my Pizza Muffin recipe?!
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The third reason for bringing dairy back? Coconut. I was eating far too much coconut, more than my body could handle and it was simply time to give my body a rest from it. I’ve brought it back slowly. I do not eat it every day and seem to be doing ok with it.
So there you have it folks. My dietary habits. I urge you all to eat whatever makes you feel best. I initially figured out which foods work and which don’t by doing an elimination diet and I highly recommend it if you’re stumped in assessing which foods you have trouble assimilating. The elimination diet is as good as any blood test you could ever get, and it’s free!
I imagine that some will want to know if I think dairy is Paleo. For this question, I will provide the answer that my older son (now 17) has given for the last few years. When this subject arises in our house, he says, “Mom, do you think cavemen ran around after wild yaks trying to milk them? No!” Frankly, I’m not super concerned with what a food is called, or which category it falls into. I’m more interested in how it makes me feel when I eat it. That’s enough of a barometer for me.
Michelle Bannio says
I love that you’re using diet to deal with your health issues. Have you ever tried essential oils? They’ve changed my life.
Tamara says
Wow, thank you for helping me feel normal about my choice to eat dairy again..It works so well for me.
I also get it now from a raw source and the best thing is being able to make a good quality kefir which has literally saved me from my stomach woes!
Beverly says
Thank you for sharing all this information I follow you every day and make so many things. I to have celiac disease and it is hard living. But you have made me want to prepare and change the way I was use to eating . I also can’t do dairy. I am not healed enough yet to try different things. I have been gluten free four years now and still have problems. Most of it comes from fear of getting sick. Because I remember how that felt. Elana thank you for everything.
Laura says
I admit to operating out of a fear of getting sick again, too, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. After 3 years gluten free for my Celiac, I felt I was going backwards from my initial improvements to right back where I started. I began an elimination diet 3 months ago and I feel so good that I haven’t bothered to add anything back in other than occasional eggs. My swelling disappeared within the 1st 2 months, joint and muscle pain and headaches left immediately, and I’m continuing to lose weight. I’m not ready to try dairy again yet, but when I do it will be organic and I’ll start with Kefir. I’m in no hurry though!
Yvonne says
Have you ever looked into Dr. John McDougall , food plan. He claims pretty well heal these ailments. No drugs.
I have great respect for him for the last 30 years,
Gina says
I have been following your blog for some time Elena, and I have really enjoyed reading this post … thank you for your enlightened writing on why we are all individual, and we should feel comfortable listening to our bodies, and working out what feels right for us instead of being stuck in the “square” and not looking outside of it xo
Mir says
I look forward to reading your emails and always appreciate the rational for choices you make. The comments you receive also are worth reading because they most often support your theory that needs and responses change and often add information of which I’ve not been aware..
Thanks for your assiduous research, experimentation, and willingness to share, Elana.
Love you, mir
Roberta Steiner says
Not all milk is equal. Processed milk (pasteurized and homogenized) is not nearly as nutritious and easy on the digestive system as organic raw milk from 100% grass feed cows. . I suggest researching the benefits of raw, non homogenized milk. And it helps if you know your farmer and can see how the cows are raised. Better yet, buy a cow and let a trusted, organic farmer take care of it for you.
Brandon says
What type and quality of milk do you use?
Elana says
Hi Brandon, I don’t drink milk ever, even raw as I am lactose intolerant and cannot digest it. I stick with fermented organic dairy such as cheese and yogurt, and a bit of heavy cream now and then :-)
Larkc says
Thanks Elana! Almond, vanilla, and peppermint are high on my list of things to avoid but I’ve had success with most of your recipes by subbing other nut flours, and different flavor extracts. Over time we all become sensitive to things we’re exposed to every day.
Kim says
What is ROI???
Tina says
Return on investment