I cannot believe what I am now seeing in nutritional science news. It's yet another ultimate flip flop. My whole life I've watched people take their doctor's advice, and within a decade, that was flipped. Conclusion: this "science", just like many others related to the practice of medicine, is still in its infancy and humans are the guinea pigs, "they" basically understand zilch about what food does to people. The ironic thing: in this case, the results do not synch with the environmental proposals that we need to cut way down on animal husbandry. Nor do they support the idea of plant- based substitutes for animal milk.

Two examples, one recent and one from a year ago:

What Should Young Children Drink? Mostly Milk and Water, Scientists Say

By Roni Caryn Rabin @ Parenting.nytimes.com, Sept. 18

A panel of scientists issued new nutritional guidelines for children on Wednesday, describing in detail what they should be allowed to drink in the first years of life. The recommendations, among the most comprehensive and restrictive to date, may startle some parents.

Babies should receive only breast milk or formula, the panel said. Water may be added to the diet at 6 months; infants receiving formula may be switched to cow’s milk at 12 months. For the first five years, children should drink mostly milk and water, according to the guidelines.

Children aged 5 and under should not be given any drink with sugar or other sweeteners, including low-calorie or artificially sweetened beverages, chocolate milk or other flavored milk, caffeinated drinks and toddler formulas.

Plant-based beverages, like almond, rice or oat milk, also should be avoided. (Soy milk is the preferred alternative for parents who want an alternative to cow’s milk.)

In what may come as a shock to parents with pantries full of juice boxes, the panel also said that young children should drink less than a cup of 100 percent juice per day — and that none at all is a better choice.

The new guidelines were produced by Healthy Eating Research, a nutrition advocacy group, and funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The recommendations are likely to be influential, as they were developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the American Heart Association and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry [....]

FULL-FAT MILK COULD CUT RISK OF STROKE, HEART ATTACK, STUDY SAYS

By Kashmira Gander @ Newsweek.com, July 1

Consuming dairy products such as milk and cheese could cut the risk of heart disease and stroke, according to a study that challenged the commonly held belief that dairy is harmful.

Marcia Otto, lead author of the study and assistant professor of epidemiology, human genetics and environmental sciences at UTHealth School of Public Health, said in a statement: "Our findings not only support, but also significantly strengthen, the growing body of evidence which suggests that dairy fat, contrary to popular belief, does not increase risk of heart disease or overall mortality in older adults."

One fatty acid present in dairy was actually found to potentially lower the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, particularly stroke, she said.

[...]

"Consumers have been exposed to so much different and conflicting information about diet, particularly in relation to fats," said Otto. "It's therefore important to have robust studies, so people can make more balanced and informed choices based on scientific fact rather than hearsay."

To arrive at their conclusion, the researchers evaluated 3,000 adults 65 years old and older. At the start of the study in 1992, the levels of three different fatty acids found in dairy products were measured in their blood, and again six and 13 years later.

The team found none of the fatty acids were linked to a higher risk of dying. And one was linked to a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. In addition, people with higher levels of fatty acids, which the researchers believe may have stemmed from their consumption of dairy products, had a 42 percent lower risk of dying from stroke.

Otto argued current dietary guidance on whole fat dairy foods should be revisited as many are a rich source of nutrients, such as calcium and potassium.

"These are essential for health not only during childhood but throughout life, particularly also in later years when undernourishment and conditions like osteoporosis are more common," she said.

The research published in, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, was funded by the National Institutes of Health.

The study stands in contrast to the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which recommend the consumption of fat-free or low-fat dairy products, such as milk, cheese, yogurt and fortified soy drinks. Otto, however, highlighted that low-fat dairy products can be deceiving in their health promises, as they can contain high levels of added sugars, which have previously been linked to cardiovascular disease and obesity [....]