Less Inflammation and Oxidative Stress

These are normal responses to an effective workout. Training is essentially a system of tear and repair. An athlete breaks down muscle tissues and fibers during the workout and builds them back up during recovery.
Acute inflammation is a natural response to breaking down these tissues—the muscles swell and you feel sore due to the free radicals released by the body under this temporary stress. The issue is, while oxidative stress and free radicals have been found to create a stimulus to athletic adaptation prolonged exposure of these free radicals can damage cells and extend, impair or limit recovery if left unchecked. (1)
It is crucial for an athlete to decrease their inflammation and oxidative stress as quickly as possible so they can recover faster and get back to training at the same (or elevated) intensity as the day before. (2)

Cows’ milk and other dairy foods are LOW in antioxidants (3), which are necessary substances that combat exercise-induced inflammation-causing free radicals. (1)
According to Harvard Health, dairy foods are the number one source of saturated fats (4) which constrict blood flow to muscles and promote further inflammation.
Cows’ milk is the main dietary source of the sugar molecule D-galactose which has been shown to promote inflammation and oxidative stress in animal models (5,6).
The polyunsaturated lipids in dairy are high in omega-6 PUFAs, which contribute to a pro-inflammatory state. While athletes do need omega-6 to help repair their tissues, too much can lead to chronic inflammation. Research suggests a lower ratio of omega-3:omega-6 PUFAs is key to optimal health and function. (7)
Cows’ milk contains proteins and other foreign components, including sugars such as Neu5gc, that many people’s bodies do not recognize, initiating an immune response and promoting further inflammation. (8,9,10)

Eat antioxidant-rich plants and avoid dairy. A whole food plant-based diet, free of dairy foods, has 64 times more antioxidant content than animal foods. (3)
Fun fact: Pomegranate juice a great anti-inflammatory food. Compared to drinking a placebo, pomegranate juice can increase Olympic weightlifting performance by 8%, decrease how hard training felt by 4%, and decrease muscle soreness by 13%! (11)
Even though both high in fat, when study subjects consumed both cows’ milk ice cream, which is phytonutrient poor, and avocado ice cream, which is phytonutrient-rich, only the cows’ milk ice cream showed an increase in inflammatory and oxidative markers. (12)
A plant-based diet, free of dairy foods, is high in omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce inflammation and swelling, and low in Omega 6 to help produce the optimal 2:1 ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 PUFAs. (7)
Bottom line: Plant-based diets high in phytonutrients and antioxidants, when combined with rest, play a key role in reducing oxidative, free-radical stress and improving recovery (2)