A Dietitian Answers: Is Dairy Bad For You?

Keri Glassman, celebrity nutritionist and founder of "Nutritious Life," says that a common question she gets from clients is, "Is dairy that bad?"

Well, good news for dairy lovers!

"It is not!" Keri says. "I am a fan of dairy."

Keri believes that a little bit of cheese can go a long way as far as satisfaction. "We know that dairy has calcium and protein, and even whole fat dairy — which I'm actually a bigger fan of — even the saturated fat in it does have some health benefits," the dietitian says. Not all saturated fat is necessarily bad for you, she explains.

Of course, some people do have dairy allergies or are lactose intolerant. If you're not lactose intolerant and you don't have an allergy and you're not vegan, though, Keri says dairy can (and should!) have a place in your diet.

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"You do want to use it in moderation, though. You don't necessarily want to have it breakfast, lunch and dinner," Keri adds. "But there's absolutely a place in your diet for it — especially among a big, healthy whole-food diet."