Whole milk: Why lawmakers want it back in schools | CNN
Back in the 1980s, Americans were told to avoid saturated fat at all costs. The government’s new dietary guidelines, along with the famous food pyramid, pushed people toward low-fat and skim milk. Whole milk, with its higher fat content, quickly became the “bad guy” in the fight against heart disease.
But decades later, nutrition science is painting a more complicated picture. New research suggests whole milk and other full-fat dairy products may not be as harmful as once thought. In fact, some studies show dairy fat is “neutral” when it comes to heart health and may not increase the risk of heart disease or stroke.
Why whole milk is back in the spotlight
The Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) commission, led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is calling for changes to school nutrition programs. Their latest plan includes:
- Allowing schools to serve whole milk again
- Removing restrictions on full-fat dairy in federal nutrition programs
- Updating the outdated “food pyramid”
FDA Commissioner Dr. Martin Makary went as far as calling the old low-fat guidelines “one of the greatest sources of misinformation in modern American history.”
Supporters, like Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian from Tufts University, argue that banning whole milk pushed kids toward flavored milks packed with sugar. “It’s time to remove the limit on dairy fat,” he said.
The debate isn’t over
Not everyone agrees. Nutrition experts like Qi Sun of Harvard warn that the average American already eats too much saturated fat from fast food, meat, and processed snacks. Adding more whole milk, he says, could make the problem worse.
Current U.S. dietary guidelines still recommend keeping saturated fat to less than 10% of daily calories. Yet, many adults don’t meet that target. Critics worry that bringing back whole milk could send the wrong message.
The bottom line
Science around dairy fat is still evolving. While some experts believe it’s time to lift restrictions on whole milk, others argue the evidence isn’t strong enough for a full comeback. For now, the future of whole milk in schools—and on America’s tables—remains a hot debate.
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