For decades, the American public has been advised to opt for fat-free or low fat dairy options, largely out of concern for limiting the intake of saturated fat in these foods. So, what’s the case for ditching skim milk and other low fat alternatives? Lamarche says the argument against full fat dairy is largely “circumstantial.”Earlier research showed people who were at a higher risk of heart disease tended to have a dietary pattern that included more full fat dairy, but there were other factors — and foods in their diet— that could explain this finding. On the other hand, it’s relatively easy to “incorporate a moderate amount of dairy into your overall diet whether it’s full fat or low fat,” he says. “If you’re replacing your carbohydrates, especially refined carbohydrates and sugar, with dairy products, even some full fat dairy products, that’s probably a good thing.”