{"id":308289,"date":"2026-01-28T16:45:07","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T16:45:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/308289\/"},"modified":"2026-01-28T16:45:07","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T16:45:07","slug":"rfk-jr-nutrition-is-whole-milk-healthy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/308289\/","title":{"rendered":"RFK Jr., nutrition: Is whole milk healthy?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sure loves whole milk. Last fall, his health administration declared that the \u201cwar\u201d on whole milk was over<\/a>. More recently, he posted<\/a> an A.I.-generated video of himself drinking whole milk and dancing, his upper lip adorned with a milk mustache. His new dietary guidelines prominently recommend whole milk<\/a>. Specifically, the guidelines advise that Americans should eat three servings of \u201cfull-fat\u201d dairy each day: \u201cDairy is an excellent source of protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals.\u201d<\/p>\n

From a scientific standpoint, that full-fat dairy recommendation is odd. Virtually all milk that you can buy in a supermarket is essentially the same. It has been made to be the same. Given the MAHA fixation on whole milk, you\u2019d be forgiven for thinking that full-fat dairy has more vitamins and minerals than skim, or more protein. It does not. All it has is more fat.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s back up: When it comes to the actual production of milk, each cow is different, and provides a different ratio of milk to cream on different days. In addition, if you milk a cow and then leave the milk entirely as-is, you end up with a thick cap of cream on top, which has to be stirred in if you don\u2019t want to have globules of fat dissolving on your tongue as you drink it. (Speaking from experience: It\u2019s kind of gross. I had a fair bit of nonhomogenized milk in my childhood, and there is nothing worse than a large glob of fat landing on your cereal in the morning because you forgot to stir the milk.)<\/p>\n

The solution to the problem is called homogenization, in which a high-pressure device evenly spreads the fat content throughout the milk, ensuring that by the time a gallon of milk reaches you, the cream won\u2019t be in a layer at the top. It also evenly distributes the fat, making every mouthful taste and feel the same. The difference between whole and 1 percent and skim is just the amount of fat (aka cream) that\u2019s in the milk.<\/p>\n

But, aside from the fat percentage, any kind of milk you\u2019re buying is essentially identical regardless of the fat percentage. One percent milk has the same protein, vitamins, and minerals as whole. You\u2014and perhaps RFK Jr.<\/a>\u2014might think that whole milk is at least more \u201cnatural,\u201d given that \u201cwhole\u201d is in its name. But it\u2019s not. Virtually all milk available at supermarkets has been processed. That\u2019s a good thing.<\/p>\n

What whole milk does have more of is fat\u2014specifically, saturated fat. The secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services loves saturated fat, and has publicly encouraged everyone to eat more of it<\/a>. There is a strong causal link between saturated fat intake and heart health. It\u2019s arguably the strongest nutritional finding that I know of as an epidemiologist who enjoys looking into these things: Eating saturated fat increases bad cholesterol<\/a>. Bad cholesterol<\/a> causes cardiovascular disease. Reducing bad cholesterol prevents cardiovascular disease<\/a>. Therefore, eating less saturated fat likely prevents issues such as heart attacks. Preventing heart attacks is healthy.<\/p>\n

Weirdly, RFK Jr.\u2019s new dietary guidelines agree with this scientific finding. They recommend limiting your saturated fat intake to 10 percent of your calories, which is broadly consistent with prior nutritional advice. That sensible recommendation clashes with the guidelines\u2019 recommendation on full-fat dairy, and with RFK Jr.\u2019s public affection for whole milk.\u00a0If you were to drink whole milk for your three daily servings of dairy, you\u2019d be close to meeting your saturated fat intake from the milk alone. Getting close to the daily recommended saturated fat limit by drinking whole milk isn\u2019t bad per se; it just means you\u2019d need to watch your saturated fat intake otherwise, something RFK Jr. doesn\u2019t seem particularly intent on doing. For example, it\u2019s essentially impossible to follow the guidelines for full-fat dairy, and the 10 percent recommendation for saturated fat, and use RFK Jr.\u2019s beloved beef tallow<\/a> to cook your food.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n Anna Gibbs
\n What\u2019s Going On With RFK Jr.\u2019s Teeth?
\n Read More<\/b>\n <\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

In addition to implying that whole milk has more nutrients, RFK Jr.\u2019s argument<\/a> is that replacing whole milk with skim and other low-fat milk options has led to kids drinking more sugary drinks instead of milk. Basically: Without access to whole milk, kids will load up on sugary beverages. Sure, drinking a lot of soda or even chocolate milk is unhealthy. But that\u2019s not a reason to recommend whole milk. It\u2019s a bit like saying that people are replacing Tylenol with oxycodone, so you\u2019re giving everyone aspirin instead.\u00a0We don\u2019t really know if emphasizing whole milk is healthier, in the end.\u00a0The best current evidence suggests that there may be some benefit\u2014although, in my opinion, a small one\u2014from drinking lower-fat options instead. You shouldn\u2019t eat a lot of saturated fats, generally, but choosing one kind of milk or another to pour in your cereal probably won\u2019t make that much of a difference.<\/p>\n

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  1. \n <\/p>\n

    The Most Unexpected Tech Choice I\u2019ve Ever Made Worked Shockingly Well
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    The scientific foundation for the guidelines actually acknowledges that whole milk might not be healthier. The appendix<\/a> notes: \u201cWe need definitive RCT data to determine whether whole-fat dairy intake will improve the metabolic health of American children.\u201d RCT stands for \u201crandomized controlled trial.\u201d That is, a study to show if drinking whole milk is actually healthier\u2014the sort of thing that you usually commission before changing the guidelines in confusing ways.<\/p>\n

    So: Should you drink whole milk or skim? Having looked at the evidence, I don\u2019t think that there\u2019s a strong argument either way here. Whole milk is essentially the same product as lower-fat options. The only difference is that you get a little bit more fat, but there\u2019s no strong data showing that the fat is good or bad for you. It\u2019s a few more calories, but the difference isn\u2019t that huge\u2014if you\u2019re drinking 1 percent milk, those three cups will be about 300 calories, versus 450 if you go for whole milk. You\u2019ll be getting a bit more saturated fat as well, which isn\u2019t ideal, but in the quantities in milk, is also unlikely to have a dramatic impact on your health. Everyone agrees that chocolate milk is terrible for your health. If you\u2019re trying to lose weight or lower your cholesterol, skim milk is better than full-fat. Beyond that, from a scientific standpoint, there doesn\u2019t seem to be a strong reason to recommend one type of milk over another.<\/p>\n

    <\/p>\n

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