Milk is good for babies. Adults, not so much
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Contributor Sandy Sand opines on why weaned humans should give the health benefits of milk a second look.
As humans, we think we’re the smartest creatures on Earth, but how smart are we really when we’re the only mammals who consume milk after we’re weaned?
No other animal does that, not even monkeys and apes and they have the hands with the capability to do it.
Either they’re smarter than we are or they know something we don’t know: Milk is bad for any being after it no longer needs life-giving mother’s milk.
Now don’t everyone jump and say ‘animals drink milk.’ Duh-a! Of course, they do, but not on their own…we give it to them, and I’m pretty sure it’s no better for them than it is for us no matter how much my dog loves ice cream.
Even the people who do drink that thick, white, throat-clogging yucky stuff find themselves on the horns of a dilemma as to which milk to drink: Cows? Goats? Soy? Almond? Rice? Milk substitute?
Each has as many pros as it does cons.
Where one might be high in protein, such as moo juice, it also can be high in saturated fat, and whereas hemp milk (go figure someone found out how to squeeze milk out of rope material) has little protein, but is rich in certain essential fatty acids.
Writing for the Los Angeles Times, Elena Conis gathered facts on various milks garnered from numerous milk studies and she included comments from several experts.
According to Alexandra Kazaks, professor of nutrition at Bastyr University in Kenmore, Washington, "There are dozens of differences in all of these milks."
Hundreds of studies have been milked for all their worth, with doctors, scientists, nutritionists pouring over the results, and the only thing they seem to agree on is that some people are highly allergic to milk.
"Most of the world's population can't digest milk," Dr. Scott Sicherer told the Times. Sicherer is a professor of pediatrics at the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute of Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, specializing in food allergy and co-author of the 2009 book The Complete Idiot's Guide to Dairy-Free Eating.
"Our bodies are not made to drink this stuff," he told the Times.
That brings me back to where I started; we are not now, nor have ever been meant to drink milk except as infants.
As far as I’m concerned, milk has no redeeming social value except that some wizard figured out long ago that you can take stinky soured, curdled milk and make some pretty damn good cheeses out of it, and more recently someone divined a way to churn it and make ice cream, but even they should be eaten sparingly.
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"but how smart are we really when we’re the only mammals who consume milk after we’re weaned? {..] Either they’re smarter than we are or they know something we don’t know"
Well how about if "we are really smart precisely BECAUSE we are the only ones"?
I am a milk addict. I was a milk baby and I've grown up with it. All us British kids got a third of a pint at school every day. Never a day goes by without me drinking at least a half-a-litre of it (often with two Weetabix, a banana and a little brown sugar.)
Milk is the best thing that nature ever invented. :)
That said, I know this is a cultural thing too. The French, for example, drink little and claim it musn't under any circumstances be put into tea or coffee because it's said to be bad for you.
We English do exactly the opposite, and yet we are still here to run Europe, fill your lives with excellent rock music and football hooligans...and beat the French at rugby!
Yours,
Milk lover
Hasn't the thinking always been that milk builds strong bones and helps prevent osteoporosis? Isn't it the greatest source of Vitamin D? I remember an ad or public service announcement for milk: "Builds strong bodies 12 ways!"
After reading Sandy's article I've looked around and found people calling some of the benefits of milk "a myth!" Must do more reading.
I still like milk but some days only drink it in minute quantities in coffee.
Since I was a little kid I've been suspicious of milk. I'm not allergic to it, at least on in the typical way.
It always made my stomach feel cold and icky. Icky, being the technical term for a physical discomfort that you can't quite put your finger on.
It also always left a slimy feeling in my mouth, slippery frogs in my throat and really tasted disgusting when drunk after eating egg yolks, Oreos and too many other things to mention.
Kat, I think the article said it's the vitamin D that helps w/osteoporosis not the calcium. The body manufactures its own calcium, and I think that ingesting too much calcium may be the root cause of fragile bones. Someone should do a study.
And Cosgrove, let's make a pact right now: If we ever have a meal together we only drink Jack D, Jameson's or beer. You might not believe this, but I get physically sick watching someone drink a glass of milk. Aaaaarg!
Well how about if you tried drinking milk after eating egg yolks when you are sober and not drunk?
Delicious. Yum Yum.
;)
Just isn't Sandy's day lol!!
Hey c'mon, there has to be an opposing point of view out there somewhere!! (Doesn't there.....?)
will try to list pros and cons of both of them here. First of all
breast milk is the best for babies and formula is second best.
Pros ....
1. Baby milk contains tons of vitamins and nutrients that would be
hard to get in a day in from our food.
2. In breast milk 100 percent of the iron is absorbed into the body.
In formula only some of the iron is absorbed into the body.
3. It has a great electrolyte and protein count for the body.
Cons....
1. More than half of the calories from breast milk and formula are
from fat. Babies need this fat to grow and for the brain to grow and
develop properly. Adults however need low fat diets so we don't get
fat. Another reason babies need this extra fat is for the extra
energy they need.
2. Coconut oil is even added to formula and it is a saturated fat.
Saturated fats can increase your cholestrol levels in your body.
3. Baby formula and breast milk taste horrible. I am not sure who
would be able to drink it or who would like it but cows milk tastes
much much better.
4. Another bad thing about baby formula is you CAN"T make it or
duplicate it in your home.
Overal it isn't necessary for adults to consume baby milk or formula
but vitamin supplements along with cow's milk can help a lot. One
reason babies can't drink cows milk is because they need the iron
found in formula and cow's milk is too hard for their digestive
system. I would recommend finding a health food store and adding
suppelments that are found in babys formula.
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