Milk Who Needs It? (2 of 3) In our last column we accepted the designation that cow’s milk is the perfect food—for baby calves. For human babies, however, breast milk is best. And calcium? And osteoporosis? It’s true that milk is high in calcium, but that isn’t the whole story. The dairy industry capitalizes on the concern about osteoporosis and pushes its products beyond all reason. For example: • International studies have shown that a high calcium intake does not necessarily insure or protect against osteoporosis. Traditionally, Eskimos have eaten more than 2,000 milligrams of calcium per day, yet osteoporosis is rampant in that population. On the other hand, osteoporosis is hard to find among millions of Bantus in central Africa even though they consume less than 400 milligrams of calcium a day. • Generally speaking, and paradoxically, cultures with the highest dairy consumption, have the highest rates of osteoporosis, a disease rarely found in nonmilk-drinking countries. While milk carries plenty of calcium, its relatively high protein content, when added to the large amounts of protein consumed in the form of meat, fowl, and fish, actually leaches calcium from the bones as it is being metabolized. • Only 25 to 30 percent of the calcium in milk is absorbed by the human body. Anymore big issues with milk? Unfortunately, there are more: • The incidence of coronary heart disease in North America is much higher than in non-dairy-using cultures. Whole milk and cheese, with their saturated fat and cholesterol, contribute to heart disease. • Certain proteins raise blood cholesterol levels, and casein, a common milk protein, is one of the worst. • Each animal’s milk is designed to fit the growth rates of its own young. Human babies develop very slowly, and the composition of human milk reflects that difference. Animal milks may contribute to the earlier maturation noted in many of today’s children. • After weaning, many humans exhibit lactose intolerance/lactose deficiency. This refers to the inability to digest and metabolize lactose, a sugar found in milk. It is related to a lack of the enzyme lactase in the digestive system required to break down lactose. It results in symptoms including abdominal pain and bloating, flatulence (gas). Lack for decreased lactate activity differs with ethnic groups. Here is the distribution of lactose intolerance / lactose deficiency for ethnic groups in North America. • Several studies have implicated milk and other dairy products as probable contributors to breast cancer. In men who regularly drank more than two glasses of milk per day, prostate cancer risk significantly increased. • Infectious agents can be effectively transmitted through milk, ice cream, and cheese. Hormones, antibiotic residues, viruses, pesticides, industrial chemicals, and other contaminants can also find their way into milk. • Just as some bacteria can survive the pasteurization process, so do many viruses, including certain leukemia and sarcoma viruses. Another worry is that prions, which come from cattle with mad cow disease, may taint milk. Not even boiling will inactivate these disease-causing prions. Milk not Needed? Many people live their whole lives in good health without drinking milk or using other dairy products. If used at all, milk should be consumed—preferably in nonfat form—in small quantities, such as in cooking or baking. Many concerned people are choosing other sources of calcium (grains, legumes, vegetable greens). Moreover, an abundance of milk-like products is now available that are suitable substitutes for animal milks. Most food stores have liberal supplies of various kinds of soymilk products, or “milks” made from rice, oatmeal, potato, and almond, that are all calcium fortified. All the nutrients we need for maximum health can be obtained without resorting to dairy foods. And there is a bonus: we can also avoid a host of “problems” by shunning these harmful substances. Remember—every creature’s milk is a health food—but only for its own offspring. Milk is the perfect food—for baby calves. For more local news and information click here.

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