Thinking of going dairy-free? Read this first.

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  Your bones could get weaker

  
  

  Milk is chock full of calcium, protein, vitamin D, and other minerals important to
   building strong bones. Most of your bone building takes place in your childhood and
   teenage years, but you never outgrow the need to keep those bones strong.
  If you give up milk, cheese, and yogurt, you’ll have to find a way to replace
  those lost nutrients, says Kelly Pritchett, PhD, RD, CSSD, spokesperson for
   the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 'Milk has been referred to as being
   important for bone health because it contains both calcium and vitamin D,'
   she says. 'However, there are other sources of food containing both of these
   vitamins and minerals. In fact, our best source of vitamin D is from the sun—food
   isn’t a great source.' Get your daily doses of calcium from leafy greens, fortified
   orange juice or almond milk, and broccoli. (Related: Look out for
   these clear signs you're not getting enough calcium.)

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  You should pay more attention to your blood pressure

  Even though its calcium gets most of the hype, milk is also packed with potassium, which
   helps the body fight the potential blood pressure-raising effects of sodium. The DASH
   diet, which lowers blood pressure effectively without medication, calls for people to
  increase fruits, veggies, and dairy, says Isabel Maples, MEd, RD, spokesperson
   for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 'People who just increased fruits and
   vegetables got a reduction in blood pressure, but when they mixed it with three
  servings of dairy, that’s when we saw big jumps,' she says. 'It’s not just what
   you take away, but what you add to bolster health effects of better blood pressure.
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  Your weight might change

  
  

  Be mindful if you’re cutting dairy as a weight loss tactic. While dairy products can

   add major calories (think: cheese and ice cream) in excess, some studies have

   shown that milk promotes fullness and helps maintain a healthy weight. 'I don’t think

   there’s conclusive evidence here,' says Dr. Pritchett. 'This really depends on the person 

  and what they replace the milk with in their diet.' Don't miss

   these dairy myths you should stop believing.
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Your skin might clear up

Several observational studies have found links between acne and milk, especially skim milk, but none found a connection with cheese or yogurt. Still, without clinical trials researching skin changes after only adjusting dairy, the American Academy of Dermatology says the evidence isn’t strong enough to recommend cutting out foods to clear your skin. 'The evidence suggests that diet does play a role in acne,' Whitney P. Bowe, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist and clinical assistant professor of dermatology at State University of New York Downstate College of Medicine in Brooklyn has said. 'Patients can be their own best detectives in determining possible food triggers for acne.' Click here to find which foods may make acne better or worse. 

 

Your lactose intolerance could feel worse

If you’re lactose intolerant, you’re missing the enzyme that normally breaks down milk sugar, which is why you could have stomach issues when you have dairy products. But if you don’t cut dairy from your diet, you’ll actually reduce symptoms by increasing the healthy bacteria in your gut. 'If someone is lactose intolerant, even severely, but still consumes dairy food, the body increases bacteria that turn around and breaks that lactose down,' says Maples. You likely can still handle two servings of dairy a day. Just space it out into smaller portions throughout the day and drink it with food so it doesn’t digest as quickly. Here are symptoms of lactose intolerance.