Questions about milkfat/nonfat milk

[Caprese]

Not sure where this should go, but basically I am asking for people's opinions.
I am wondering about the possible dangers of milkfat.
I, my husband and younger son (15) go through about 2 and a half gallons of 1% milk a week. We have it delivered.
I just drink it with my coffee (I am more of a yogurt person.)
The guys drink it and have it with their cereal. The kid eats a very healthy, balanced diet, especially for a teenage boy. But he does love his milk.
A neighbor of mine goes on and on about how we should drink skim milk.
She has recommended a brand called Farmer's Milk which does not taste like skim.
The guys tried it and liked it. (Didn't taste like skim.)

My questions:

Is 1% milk not a healthy choice?

What is, these days, the sensible approach to milk, and milkfat? (I did a search and found some interesting threads, but they were from 2000.)

How can the Farmer's Milk taste that good--because it is natural? I am not a big fan of processed foods, but I suppose I am a bit skeptical, and wonder about the actual fat content of Farmer's Milk (unfortunately we already recycled the bottle.)
Could not find anything on the internet about this particular brand of milk.

[Dogzilla]

I don't think there's anything wrong/unhealthy about 1% especially when you have children who a) love to drink milk and b) actually drink it. It's loaded with calcium, iron, protein and vitamin D. No reason to worry, IMHO. I think perhaps your neighbor is projecting a bit -- does he have heart issues, high cholesterol or something?

I drink skim (0 fat) because I'm trying to drop 25-35 pounds. Any bit of fat I can reduce in my diet helps me toward my goal. Your family does not seem to have the same concerns. I advise politely ignoring your neighbor's suggestions. ("Thanks for your concern, but we really like this kind...")

[MsRobyn]

I refuse to drink nonfat milk because it tastes gross to me and it conjures up memories of dieting. I drink low-fat (1 or 2%) milk. I do make allowances for this little bit of extra fat, though.

If your guys aren't significantly overweight and they're getting a balanced diet, there's no reason why they shouldn't keep drinking the 1%.

Robin

[kanicbird]

My personal O is that fat and oils are healthy.

I usually just have milk in the form of cheese and for coffee cream on 1/2 and 1/2. My bloodwork seems to agree and has improved since my days of trying to stay lowfat (10 yrs ago).

It seem that the low fat products are actually worse for you (well for me at least) then the full fat foods.

I would stay away from skim milk like most would stay away from heavy cream, and have the same fealings that skim milk is just bad for you. The bonus is that heavy cream tastes really good in coffee, while skim is, well not as tasty, though I've heard you can aquire a taste for it.

[WhyNot]

Another vote for, "if they're healthy, don't fix it." The difference in actual milkfat between 1% and skim is pretty small. These also sound (at least your son) like active, healthy guys. If they start to pudge out, you'll have a solution ready, but until then, don't mess with what works.

Fat is not evil. Growing bodies, and growing brains especially, need fat. Your son is still growing bone, he's still gaining muscle mass, and he's certainly still growing his brain (that doesn't "stop" until 22 or so.) The latest recommendations I've seen from the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends whole milk from 12 months to 2 years and 2% or 1% or skim after that. If you eat a healthy diet without a lot of other dietary fat, then you want a higher fat milk. The lowfat milk suggestion is made based on the information that many kids are getting lots of fat from other dietary sources. We eat pretty low fat, so we drink 2% milk. (We used to drink *gasp* whole milk! But it's getting hard to find around here. I'll get it when I can find it.) There is some evidence (Google to find it) that very low fat diets are triggering high cholesterol and other warnings of heart disease in young children, so I think once again, the answer is moderation and avoiding to much processed anything.

If you're worried, get their cholosterol and BMI checked, and proceed from there, but I don't think 1% is anything to worry about.

[Thudlow Boink]

Originally Posted by kanicbird

It seem that the low fat products are actually worse for you (well for me at least) then the full fat foods.

I think this is because of the fat substitutes or flavor enhancers (e.g. salt, sugar) they put in low-fat versions of foods to make up for the lack of taste, which wouldn't apply to skim milk. Or it's because people eat more than they should because they think low fat = healthy.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but skim milk has nothing added to it that other milk doesn't; it's just regular milk with the fat skimmed off. So if you like the taste okay, and aren't fat-deficient, there's nothing wrong with drinking it. I dunno about the "Farmer's Milk" the OP mentioned, though.

The OP neglected to mention whether her husband and son are overweight, but if they're not, why fix what isn't broken? Fat is not evil per se, but many Americans get way too much of it.

[Caprese]

Thanks guys. Our 15 year old is maybe 5'9" and weighs about 125 lbs. He is definitely not fat. Husband has a bit of a paunch but nothing terrible. And as I mentioned before, the kid actually *likes* foods that are good for him (but of course would not turn down the occasional hot dog or whatever.) Husband's cholesterol level is good but we have never had the kid's checked--perhaps we should.
I have nothing against the Farmer's Milk in theory, and I doubt that it has any additives. I am just curious about how milk that is supposed to be nonfat could taste otherwise. And I wondered about the health risks of 1% milk.

[Thudlow Boink]

Hmmm. If cow's milk comes from cows, and goat's milk comes from goats, then Farmer's Milk...?

[chaoticbear]

Originally Posted by Thudlow Boink

Hmmm. If cow's milk comes from cows, and goat's milk comes from goats, then Farmer's Milk...?

I'm torn between 2 wisecracks. One was "Finally, something for the male gender of a species to be able to bottle and sell. Damn heifers have all the fun." and the other was "Screw med school; sign me up to be a farmer. "