Milk diet: how it works and what are the risks of adopting this and other “fad diets”

These days, many people are looking – especially on the internet – for effective and quick ways to lose weight. From there, they are faced with totally restrictive diets, which promise weight loss – sometimes – of up to 10 kilos in 1 week.

In many cases, it is not difficult for weight loss to actually happen, after all, totally radical diets are used, which take away practically everything that a person eats or should eat on a daily basis. So, with a calorie deficit, weight loss usually occurs. However, it is also not difficult to imagine that this weight loss will soon be “overcome”, and the person will either return to their previous weight, or worse: gain more weight!

Wanting to lose weight is totally healthy in some cases, but wanting a quick weight loss – not to say “miraculous” – is a mistake that, in addition to not providing a safe and definitive weight loss, can bring serious health risks.

To better understand how these restrictive diets work, why they tend to “go wrong” and what problems they pose to health, you know below the so-called “milk diet”, which promises to lose up to 7 kilos in just 8 days.

How does the milk diet work?

This is a diet spread on the internet, which proposes that the person spend eight days basically feeding on milk, thus, an “emergency diet”. In line with other “fad diets” – such as the soup diet, the moon diet, among others –, the milk diet proposes replacing the main daily meals with milk, practically excluding the consumption of other foods throughout the day.

In fact, the person is not “prohibited” from consuming other foods, but they should be exceptions, in order to “not harm the final result” of the diet – which is up to 7 kilos in just 8 days.

To better understand how this type of diet works, below you can see the menu of the so-called milk diet:

1st day

• 6 glasses of milk throughout the day (at main meals or when you feel hungry)

2nd day

• 4 glasses of milk throughout the day (at main meals or when you feel hungry) + 2 fruits of your choice

3rd day

• All day: 2 glasses of milk + 2 fruits + unlimited cheese

4th day

• All day: 4 glasses of milk + 1 fruit + 1 100g grilled steak

5th day

• All day: 2 glasses of milk + 2 fruits + 1 boiled egg + 1 grilled steak from 100g to 150g

6th day

• All day long: 2 glasses of milk + 1 fruit + 1 boiled egg + 1 grilled steak from 100g to 150g + unlimited cheese

7th day

• All day: 3 glasses of milk + 3 fruits

8th day

• All day long: 2 glasses of milk + 1 fruit + 1 grilled steak from 100g to 150g + unlimited cheese

It is worth noting that this is one of the menus associated with the milk diet, as there may be variations related especially to the foods that can be consumed throughout the day (in addition to milk). But, it is worth noting: neither this menu, nor other variations of the milk diet are indicated.

The menu presented here works only as an exemplification to approach the subject, and not as a “diet indication”.

Benefits of milk X Disadvantages of consumption

More than the controversy surrounding restrictive diets, the so-called milk diet brings up another important issue, however, that has caused doubts: the benefits or harms of milk (even if inserted into a balanced diet).

This is because, today, some professionals defend that milk should not be consumed by anyone; while others believe that if the person does not have any intolerance, he can consume milk within a balanced diet. In this context, doubts often arise: after all, what benefits can milk offer to health? And why in some cases is it not indicated?

For Patrícia Ceolin Grassi, Master in Metabolism and professor of the Nutrition and Medicine courses at Unic, milk is considered a complete food that, in addition to providing proteins of high biological value, is rich in vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, B complex, D, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc.

“Calcium, for example, is a fundamental mineral for bone health and, in addition, several scientific studies prove the effectiveness of calcium to control blood pressure. Food supplements containing this mineral do not play the same role as calcium from source foods”, says Patrícia.

Nadya Mambelli, coordinator of the Nutrition course at Anhanguera de Campo Limpo, points out that the Federal Nutrition Council has a technical opinion on the subject, which she highlights below:

1. Cow’s milk and milk from other animal species are excellent sources of nutrients and can be part of the normal diet of individuals at all stages of development, especially in childhood.
2. The indiscriminate recommendation to restrict the consumption of milk and dairy products does not currently find scientific support with a convincing level of evidence and is in disagreement with the Brazilian Consensus on Food Allergy 2007.
3. Restriction on the consumption of milk and dairy products should only be made to patients with a confirmed clinical diagnosis of Lactose Intolerance, sensitivity to milk protein (Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy – APLV) or other physiological and immunological conditions. It should be noted that the clinical diagnosis is the exclusive responsibility of the physician.
4. Failure to comply with this guideline points to signs of infringement of the Nutritionist Code of Ethics (CFN Resolution No. 334/2004), due to disrespect for the Fundamental Principle, explained in its article 1, and for non-compliance with article 6, item VI, subjecting the violators to Prosecution Discipline and the penalties provided for in the legislation.

Patrícia recalls that many people, even health professionals, advise not to consume cow’s milk and its derivatives, because they believe that approximately 70% of the population suffers from lactose intolerance, as they present some symptoms such as bloating, abdominal pain, flatulence, diarrhea and vomiting. “But often, these discomforts are due to the quality of the milk, so I always advise the consumption of pasteurized milk (bag milk), which does not undergo as many processes as UHT milk (box) to ‘survive’ for longer on shelves and pantries,” he says.

For Nadya, many people advise against the consumption of milk because a lot of nutritional information generates controversy and is approached in a non-technical and scientific way. “There are studies that demonstrate that milk consumption should be limited and restricted, however, these are recent and without favorable quantitative numbers. All people have different recommendations and should look for a professional nutritionist to adapt them to their diet”, he highlights.

Differences between skim, semi-skimmed and whole milk

The differences, explains Patricia, are due to the concentration of fat. “Whole milk, for example, has approximately 3% fat and the concentration of vitamins and minerals is preserved. The semi-skimmed product undergoes procedures where fat is removed and its composition has between 0.6 to 2.9% fat and vitamins and minerals are also preserved. Skim milk, in addition to suffering an almost complete decrease in fat concentration, also loses vitamins such as A and D. Regarding which milk would be the most suitable, it will depend on how much fat and calories the person wants and can ingest” , highlights.

Nadya reinforces that each person has a nutritional profile, so the assessment should be individualized and no diet should be general. “The fat-soluble vitamins (Adek) are transported, metabolized and absorbed with the help of fat, that is, if a person needs a greater supply of these vitamins, they must have a balance between the consumption of fats. The Brazilian Society of Pediatrics does not recommend the use of skimmed milk for children, as children need fats to metabolize vitamins, growth hormones and also to maintain good development. The right thing is to make a balance between food consumption and avoiding foods that are restricted in some nutrient, for example: some skimmed milks have sweeteners and other substances that are also toxic for children and some people with pathologies”, he explains.

Milk diet: effects and negatives

Maybe you’re wondering: why not stick to the milk diet as an “emergency diet”?

Patricia comments that, in relation to this type of diet, there is a long history. “We nutritionists have already lost count of the amount of diets that are advertised every day. If they really worked, there wouldn’t be so many types and so many people who adhere and get so frustrated with the false results! Anyway, if a certain diet really worked, it would not be necessary to formulate another one! In addition to these diets being harmful to health,” she says.

Nadya points out that these diets are not part of the technical and scientific criteria of Nutrition, so they are not advised. “They do not meet national and international nutrient recommendations guidelines. Patients or people who adhere to this type of conduct can have great health damages, even weight gain,” he says.

Still on the possibility of adhering to the milk diet safely, Patrícia says: “there is no type of restrictive diet with a safe way to be adhered to and followed”.

Nadya highlights the main risks of adhering to restrictive diets, such as the milk diet:

• Iron deficiency anemia;
• Immune system diseases;
• Diseases of the gastrointestinal system;
• Weakness;
• Headaches;
• chest pains;
• Excessive tiredness;
• Decreased metabolism and eating disorders.

Patrícia reinforces that it is not just the milk diet, but any restrictive diet has its harms. “According to studies, about 80% of people who start restrictive diets (mainly those fad diets that come up every day, like the lemon diet, moon, soup, shakes, and now the milk diet) put on weight again. and, many times, gaining even more weight than when they started”, he says.

“In general, these diets restrict and decrease food consumption, reducing calories that initially can lead to weight loss. But, because they are very restrictive, there comes a time when the individual can no longer follow them and, consequently, ‘discounts’ their wants and desires and eats large amounts of foods that were ‘prohibited’ in the diet”, explains the nutritionist. Master in Metabolism.

The problem, according to Patrícia, is that most people think that avoiding or banning the consumption of certain foods they like will make them feel better. “Worse, they think this restriction will reflect on their body composition. Big mistake! What happens is that, when a food is banned, it becomes exactly what the person most craves, as if there were an immediate appreciation of it. And, when the person starts to consume it, he can lose control and have a compulsion,…

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