Low-Fat vs. Full-Fat Dairy: What I Consumed to Reverse Fatty Liver Disease

Choosing the right dairy for fatty liver disease (MASLD/NAFLD) usually feels like a guessing game: some experts claim that you should go low-fat, others swear by full-fat dairy. In this article, I will tell you exactly what type of dairy I consumed.

Why would you care what I did? I reversed my fatty liver in 18 months after being diagnosed, and I did it all by following the right diet and making some lifestyle changes.

Because if you want to reverse fatty liver, you need a plan that doesn’t just cut calories (or tells you what foods to avoid), but actually supports liver function. Here’s how I handled the dairy aisle to get my health back.

What the experts say

One of the key things doctors tell patients after being diagnosed with fatty liver is that fats are bad for our health – with saturated fats being the most dangerous.

Dairy, from regular yogurt to the cheese so many of us love, has plenty of fats and unfortunately most of them are the unhealthy, saturated kinds. You have more of it in cheese than in milk and yogurt, so not all dairy is created equal.

But this alone makes you think that going for the no-fat or low-fat dairy is the route you should follow, right? Well, it’s not so simple because some studies have made things more complicated, claiming that full-fat dairy products are actually the better choice. And we’re not only talking about keto diet supporters here.

We have an article published in the Time Magazine titled “Why Full-Fat Dairy May Be Healthier Than Low-Fat” while a nutrition expert makes it clear that low fat dairy is bad for your health: “Still Think Low-Fat Dairy is the “Healthy Choice”? Think Again!“

But don’t read the titles only. If you look at the data, many of these studies are not aimed at people specifically diagnosed with a fatty liver.

For example, the studies have found that more people who eat low fat dairy products are already obese and suffer from cardiovascular diseases when compared to people consuming full fat products.

But the question we have to ask here is: were those people ALWAYS eating low fat dairy products?

Or they’re eating them JUST BECAUSE they are already obese and suffer from other health problems and are eating low fat foods in their quest to reverse their conditions or keep it under control?

We all know that losing weight is a difficult thing to do. Before I was diagnosed with a fatty liver, I ate a mixture of low fat / full fat dairy products, mostly based on my mood, and I was obese.

Not because of the dairy, but because of all the other bad stuff that I put in me.

Now, I have eliminated almost entirely full-fat products in my diet and I have lost almost 66 pounds in less than two years and I am in optimal shape.

Does this mean that low-fat or high-fat dairy was the cause? Not at all! You can’t blame a single product for the poor choices you make in life.

It’s like saying that Coca Cola Light or any diet soda makes you fat, but you actually drink it next to a huge burger with a large portion of French fries, three different dips and an extra of onion rings.

It’s like saying that strawberries are unhealthy and make you fat, but you only eat them with a ton of whipped cream and chocolate sauce sprinkled on top.

Curious to follow my story and see what I did to reverse my fatty liver disease? It was more than choosing the right type of dairy! You can follow my journey and learn from it here: “From Fatty Liver to Healthy Liver” on Amazon. (also an affiliate link).

The C15:0 Factor

The argument for full-fat often rests on two pillars: satiety and specific fatty acids. Full-fat dairy contains a trace saturated fat called C15:0 (pentadecanoic acid). Some researchers suggest this specific fat can actually strengthen cell membranes and reduce inflammation.

Additionally, the fat in dairy keeps you full for longer, which in theory prevents you from snacking or eating things you should stay away from.

However, for someone with a liver already struggling to process lipids, the sheer caloric density of full-fat dairy can be a hurdle, overeating is also a potential problem, and overall – despite the potential benefits of that single saturated fat, it might be better to eat the low fat versions instead, especially if you are like me and you like to eat.

The “Hidden” Dangers of Low-Fat & No Fat Dairy

To make things more complicated with low-fat (and especially no fat) dairy, there are a few other dangers that we might switch the fat for – equally bad, if not even worse than the fat itself.

When food companies remove fat from dairy, to keep flavor and texture, they sometimes add sugar, corn syrup, or thickeners like carrageenan and guar gum (or various other additives). These are big “NO” if you follow a fatty liver diet.

If you choose low-fat dairy, you must ensure you aren’t trading fat for sugar as the latter is a primary driver of fat accumulation in the liver. So always read the list of ingredients and make sure that what you get is dairy made from milk and nothing else!

But to say that low fat dairy is unhealthy, I think it’s a bit of a stretch. Remember that most of the studies claiming that it is bad, do so because of the added sugar that low fat products have in order to make them taste better.

Low fat dairy or full fat dairy for fatty liver: what I chose (and why)

With all the things above in mind, the conclusion and the simple rule I follow is simple: I would never choose full-fat dairy options when dealing with MASLD/NAFLD.

This means I will always choose low-fat milk, low-fat yogurt, and either drastically reduce the quantity of cheese I consume or go for low-fat versions. I still do this many years after reversing my fatty liver.

I have stopped eating sour cream or whipped cream completely as they have a ton of fat, cholesterol, and calories that I don’t really need. I also stopped eating full-fat yogurt or milk.

I accept the expert advice to avoid “no-fat” (0% or 0.1%) versions if they contain chemical thickeners, and instead switch to low-fat options (anything between 1% – 3%). I will not switch to yogurts that have 5 or 10 grams of fat – that is too much for a healing liver.

When it comes to cheese, that’s my soft spot. I prefer white cheese like feta and I did continue to eat it, but in strict moderation. The same goes for most types of cheese – I always go for the lowest fat options available and try to keep quantities to a minimum.

But I have to repeat: moderation is key! When I eat regular cheese, I eat a maximum of 50 grams per meal (which, you will see, is not a lot!) and I try to eat no more than 150 grams each week.

If you are looking for the great alternatives, reach for Cottage Cheese or Quark. These are high in protein, which helps with satiety, and are naturally lower in fat than aged cheeses like Cheddar or Brie.

If you choose Feta, try soaking it in fresh water for a few minutes before eating to leach out some of the excess sodium.

Is low-fat yogurt good for fatty liver?

Yes, low-fat yogurt is good for a fatty liver, as long as it doesn’t have added sugar, flavors, or preservatives. But we can do even better.

If you want the “gold standard” for dairy, look at Kefir. It is a fermented milk drink that is 99% lactose-free and packed with probiotics (and usually naturally low in fat – usually around 2%).

Some research (like this study) even found that these probiotics can improve liver enzymes and reduce fat accumulation by fixing the “leaky gut” that often accompanies liver disease.

Is sour cream bad for fatty liver?

You should avoid sour cream if you have a fatty liver. It typically contains about 20% fat, and most of that is the saturated variety – around 12%. Saturated fat is a heavy burden for a liver that is already inflamed.

Instead of sour cream, use Plain Greek Yogurt (low fat!). It has the same tangy profile and creamy texture but offers a massive protein boost and probiotics that actually help your liver instead of hurting it.

If you need it for a dip or a topping, even a 2% Greek yogurt is a significantly better choice than standard sour cream.

Conclusion

The secret to success is moderation. You can eat almost everything if you do it in small amounts and focus on quality. Two slices of regular cheese every now and then won’t make your fatty liver worse, just like eating one fat-free yogurt per day won’t miraculously cure you.

Remember, the goal is to reduce the total load on your liver and follow a healthy, nutritious diet overall. Even if you have a bit of full-fat dairy, make sure the rest of your day is very lean and high in fiber.

So even though opinions are divided on this matter, my personal experience fighting fatty liver makes me conclude that low-fat dairy should be the primary choice over full-fat options.

Don’t use “low-fat” as an excuse to eat products filled with sugar and chemicals. Read the labels, prioritize fermented options like Kefir, and keep your portions small.

If you still have questions or comments on this topic, let me know by posting a comment below.