Does Skim Milk Help with Weight Loss?

Switching from whole to skim milk is the best way to acquire essential dairy nutrients and cut down on your intake of saturated fat and cholesterol. Skim milk has lower than 0.5% milk fat and is generally labeled as "fat free." Though the de-fatting process also removes the fat-soluble vitamins from the milk, the lost of nutrients is made up through food fortification. Therefore skim milk is equivalent to whole milk on every nutritionally aspect other than its total calories, fat and cholesterol contents, making it an ideal dietary choice for cardiovascular health and weight management.

High Protein for Appetite Control and Lean Muscle Building

Skim milk has an equally high amount of proteins as regular milk. An average cup of skim milk contains about 8.7 grams of proteins which is 17% of your recommending daily intake. Higher-end brands of skim milk are fortified with high protein powder, increasing its protein content to as much as 12 grams per serving. Studies have found that protein-rich foods are more satisfying and can help suppress your appetite. High intakes of protein inhibits your brain's production of appetite-stimulating hormones. A diet of low fat, high protein foods is proven to lower daily caloric intake and produce desirable weight loss results.

Having a glass of skim milk can also help you recuperate faster after an intensive workout. Proteins are critical to the formation and regeneration of muscle fibers. Replenishing your body with extra proteins after a training session can speed up the repair of torn fibers and stimulate the growth of stronger, leaner muscles. There is consistent proof that increased consumption of low fat or nonfat milk can lead to reduced body fat and a higher percentage of lean muscles.

Metabolism Boosting Nutrition

Dairy milk is naturally rich in energy efficient vitamins and minerals. Fortified skim milk is an excellent source of vitamins A, B₆, B₁₂ and D, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and choline. It also contains high levels of calcium and potassium. These vitamins and minerals all play important roles in cell metabolism and energy production. Increased intake of these vitamins can promote faster breakdown and conversion of dietary carbohydrates and fats into energy. Having skim milk not only refuels your body with revitalizing energy, it can also raise your basal metabolic rate and turn your body into a more efficient fat burning machine.

An added advantage of vitamin B₆, pantothenic acid and choline is that they help suppress your stress response. Since higher stress levels can induce the production of hunger-hormones, drinking skim milk is an easy solution to prevent stress-related eating and weight gain.

Monitoring Caloric Intake

The most significant setback of skim milk is that it is more watery and does not have the same richness in taste as whole milk. Because of this, you may forget to measure your serving size and unknowingly accumulate lots of calories. Choosing certain specialty brands of skim milk can help you avoid this problem. Some manufacturers extensively modify their products to lower sugar and calorie contents. They also add extra nutrients to eliminate the bluish tint and make their nonfat milk taste fatty. These brands of skim milk are more expensive, but they are also notably more satisfying.

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