Niki Bezzant: No need to ditch the dairy

School milk is back in favour. For this lucky generation, it's kept in a fridge. Photo / Natalie Slade

New Zealanders of a certain age may have less than fond memories of milk. The stories go that during the first school milk programme, which ran from 1936-1967, milk was often nicely sun-warmed by the time the kids drank it. It's possible that has created a lifelong dislike of milk in many. It might have put me off.

These days milk is making a comeback in schools, thankfully with the aid of refrigeration.

Despite that, dairy has been getting a bashing in some circles. It is banned in some popular diets. Those who eat raw, vegan or paleo typically don't touch it.

In the world of "clean eating" - a confusing term that seems to encompass many rules - it is often blamed for vague unwellness.

A quick check on Google will unearth suggestions dairy is not fit for human consumption and most humans can't digest it. Wellness blogs commonly feature claims dairy causes inflammation.

All this has possibly fuelled the number and variety of dairy alternatives popping up, from nut milks to coconut yoghurt.

These products are great news for those who need to avoid dairy, and some are delicious. But should we all be ditching dairy?

Online, you'll find such scary sounding lists as: "Top 10 Inflammatory Foods to Avoid Like the Plague". The dairy/inflammation idea sounds plausible, and in one sense it is true. If you have a milk allergy, dairy causes an immune system response that can be serious or even life-threatening.

Another group with dairy issues are those with lactose intolerance, people who have a problem digesting the sugar in milk. Lactose intolerant people don't have enough of the enzyme lactase, which helps us digest milk. It affects different populations differently. In some Asian countries, almost everyone is lactose intolerant. In white European populations, it's almost the opposite: most have no problem with lactose.

Even people with lactose intolerance don't need to avoid all dairy. Hard cheeses have little if any lactose. Yoghurt, because it's fermented, is often fine, too.

Scientists have looked at the issue of dairy and inflammation, and a recently published systematic review in the journal Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition has helpfully summarised the findings.

As in most nutrition research, it found contradictory evidence. However, the weight of evidence suggests for those of us who don't have an allergy or lactose intolerance, dairy has an anti-inflammatory effect. The researchers reported: "Dairy products, in particular fermented products, have anti-inflammatory properties in humans not suffering from allergy to milk, in particular in subjects with metabolic disorders."

In this review, that encompassed metabolic and cardiovascular disorders, including obesity.

Although the experts say more research is necessary, we can take this as excellent news. There are lots of good reasons to consume dairy products.

First, they're delicious. Can you imagine life without cheese, creamy yoghurt or panna cotta? Second, dairy has other health benefits. It provides useful protein and is one of the best ways to get calcium, which we need for strong bones.

Fermented dairy products help feed our gut bacteria, contributing to healthy digestion and overall health. So whereas dairy alternatives are terrific for people who need them, those of us who don't can be happy with regular, old-fashioned milk in our lattes and smoothies.

Niki Bezzant is editor-in-chief of Healthy Food Guide magazine.