Question: We are having a battle about skim milk. I want to go completely skim, but my husband says it tastes terrible. If there is a big advantage with skim milk in terms of health, he will go along with my wishes. Please comment on this issue. Thank you.
Answer: According to an article in Running & FitNews (September 1994), whole milk contains about 33 milligrams of cholesterol per cup, compared to about 4 in skim milk. More important, whole milk has 8 grams of fat per cup (5 of them saturated), compared to only 0.4 grams of fat for skim milk.
They reported a study where two groups of men with normal blood cholesterol ate a controlled diet for six weeks, except one group used skim milk and the other whole milk. The energy difference between the groups was adjusted with carbohydrates so that both groups had the same number of calories, 2,800 a day. After six weeks, the groups changed the type of milk for another six weeks to see the effect on blood lipids.
There was little change in total blood cholesterol and LDL (the bad cholesterol) following the whole milk diet in either group; but these men all had normal cholesterol to begin with. On skim milk, total cholesterol decreased by 7 percent and LDL decreased 11 percent. The researchers concluded that their finding provided a solid endorsement for skim milk over whole milk. It would be nice to see this same study on people with high blood cholesterol; the changes may be more dramatic.
Skim milk has about the same amount of calcium as whole milk (approximately 300 mg), so there is no disadvantage in this respect. The major problem is usually taste. Since taste is largely an acquired factor, you can learn to enjoy the new taste by going from whole milk to 2 percent. After a few weeks of the lighter milk, go to 1 percent, and finally, try skim.
I have drunk skim milk for so long that even 2 percent milk tastes like cream; and I really do prefer the taste of skim milk.
Question: I like beans, but I don't like the gas associated with eating them. Is there a way to decrease the gas?
Answer: I have answered this question before, but it bears repeating because beans are such a good food. The flatulence is due to a complex sugar molecule in the beans that cannot be digested by humans. Some dietitians recommend soaking beans in water overnight and discarding the water. Then, boil the beans in a large quantity of water and discard the water again. This should eliminate more than half the complex sugars and cut down on gas significantly.
Beans, and their culinary cousins, peas, are legumes. These legumes are full of protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber, B vitamins, iron, potassium and magnesium; yet they are very low in fat and sodium, free of cholesterol and inexpensive. One cup of cooked beans has only 200 to 300 calories, much lower than that amount of meat, but provides nearly as much protein. Their fiber is effective for lowering cholesterol; and diabetics can eat beans without much rise in blood sugar.