One to the most common things I see in the clinic is people cutting dairy from their diets due to it’s purported inflammatory effects. However, does the research actually stack up?
For many health conditions, dairy has actually shown to be useful at reducing inflammation, and helping to manage the health condition. For example, low fat milk may help reduce the risk of a gout attack, and fermented dairy products in particularly can have anti-inflammatory effects in individuals with metabolic disorders (such as obesity or diabetes). See this recent systematic review.
More research is required when it comes to inflammatory joint conditions and autoimmune disorders; I will sometimes suggest to an individual that they may want to experiment with removing it, but this is only a case by case basis, and the fact that this is experimental is emphasised; one may or may not see improvement in symptoms. Some people do see improvement, others do not.
What about people with IBS? The research currently shows dairy only causes inflammation in people with an actual allergy, for those with an intolerance to lactose, the reaction is different.
From my perspective, dairy is not something to be afraid to include, however if you feel better without it, there is nothing wrong with swapping your milk for a plant based milk alternative, or simply reducing your intake.
