Sounds pretty good doesn’t it? Especially if you’re a dairy-queen or king. But don’t toss out your carrot sticks and stock your fridge full of cheese, yogurt, and chocolate milk just yet. There is another side to this story. 

A longer-term study conducted over one year and published in the April 2005 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that a high-dairy diet did not alter the body weight or fat mass of healthy women. A second study involving 50 overweight men and women also reached a similar conclusion.

Speaking for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), Nutrition Director Amy Lanou, PhD also says that Zemel’s first study is “too small to serve as a basis for weight loss recommendations.” She further points out that the study was funded from within the dairy industry. The committee believes the Dairy Council’s advertising campaign, which is based on this study, should be stopped, as the claims that extra servings of dairy products can help you lose weight are false and misleading. “Dairy ads may dupe dieters,” warns Dr. Lanou.

So what’s a girl or guy to do? If some experts say “yay” and some “nay," who should you listen to?

CalorieKing.com dietitian Joan Bushman MPH, RD reminds people that when it comes to weight loss it's the calories, not the number of dairy products, that count. “To date, there is not enough evidence from studies to strongly support the claim that dairy products accelerate weight loss or fat burning. Most people should be getting around 1000 mg of calcium or more per day for good health, but when it comes to weight loss, it’s really the calories that count,” she says.

The fact is, dairy products are not calorie free! It’s important to stay aware of how many calories you are consuming, regardless of whether those calories come from burgers, carrot sticks, or milk. If you usually eat 1800 calories a day to maintain your current weight, but then add three extra glasses of milk (675 calories) to those 1800 calories, you will gain weight, not lose it.

Dietitian Allan Borushek also reminds dieters that foods often consumed with dairy products, such as breakfast cereals, can be high in sugar and calories. However, he points out that healthy dairy foods, such as lowfat yogurt can be a good replacement for less healthy snacks such as chips, cookies, and chocolate bars.