Directory Wellness A-Z Community Sign Up Free Log In Directory > Blog > Still Drinking Milk? You Won't After Reading This… Still Drinking Milk? You Won't After Reading This… BY ROB GREENSTEIN Have you been drinking a frothy glass of cow's milk each morning since long before you can even quite remember? You're not alone of course, and you've probably enjoyed every glass your mom placed before you as a child, especially when it was accompanied by cookies or some other treat. Milk can seem quite appealing as you douse your cereal in the innocent enough looking liquid. However, beneath that pearly exterior flow some dark truths that you might want to learn more about before your next breakfast. Let's start with the pro-milk arguments. "Milk Does A Body Good" is an advertising campaign we are all familiar with. But aside from the self-promotion of the milk industry, there are still many doctors and health professionals who support milk consumption as a compact bundle of nutrients that can offset an otherwise incomplete daily diet. Many claim that milk's calcium and Vitamin D levels provide the body with cancer and osteoporosis fighting nutrition. Milk provides additional electrolytes besides calcium like sodium, potassium and magnesium which maintain vital bodily functions. The protein helps build muscle and there are studies showing that milk can help reduce appetite and help lessen stress levels. These are all very valid arguments but the question is... "at what cost?" Over the past decades, the case against dairy milk has been mounting from several fronts, and the evidence becomes more difficult to deny for the most ardent milk lovers. Between the predominant animal activist organization PETA, vocal vegans in general and a growing number of scientists; most notably the Harvard scientific community. Additionally, some groups are joining in on the charge against cow’s milk for less direct reasons, such as the addition of sugar to the processing, potentially adding to the already problematic issues of obesity, diabetes and inflammatory-based pain. With that, the American Academy of Pediatrics has joined the crusade. Consider the following reasons that these various groups offer as to why you should nix dairy milk from your breakfast rotation. You might find yourself feeling more inclined to reach for a plant-based milk the next time you need to drench a bowl of your favorite cereal. You Might Not Love All the Contents of Your Glass of Milk Besides all the virtuous nutrients we’ve always acknowledged in an average glass of milk, such as vitamin D and calcium, milk contains some other ingredients you won’t find on the label. Calcium leaching acidic animal protein, bovine growth hormone, pus cells, antibiotics and feces are just a few unnamed items in addition to cholesterol, sugar and fat. Excessive Protein Does Not Do a Body Good Cow’s milk contains three times as much protein as human’s milk. According to the American Journal of Epidemiology, this protein overload can create metabolic disturbances. Our pH levels become acidified, causing calcium to leap into action to neutralize this unhealthy environment for our system. By drawing calcium away from the bones where it is most needed, this chain of events leads to bone deterioration, further leading to the greater risk for bone fractures. Bovine Growth Hormone Injections and All That Comes With Them Cows simply cannot keep up with human milk consumption, so dairy farmers inject their cows with this hormone to increase production. They are also routinely given hormones to help fatten them up, so the dairy industry intentionally compromises the benefits of drinking milk on top of the natural reasons it is already questionable. The Inhumane Conditions for the Cows Vegans and other animal rights activists have been vocal on this matter, and the point regarding injection of hormones and steroids all on its own would make this point, but cows often suffer inhumane conditions that most humans would find appalling if they knew. Dairy cows are artificially inseminated every year to keep them pregnant and to assure they provide a maximum supply of milk. Calves are removed from the mother within days, the females then raised to become dairy cows themselves and the males raised for beef. Though awareness is rising, numerous male calves are slaughtered for the veal industry. This is true regardless of whether the cows are “organic” or not. There Are Far Too Many Viable Plant-Based Alternatives to Keep Using Cow’s Milk Even if you don’t like soy, you can choose from almond milk, rice milk, coconut milk, hemp milk, and the list goes on and on. Seeds, nuts and grains are increasingly pressed into milk to use in recipes and cereal bowls around the world. Selected Sources http://www.trueactivist.com/harvard-scientists-urge-you-to-stop-drinking-milk/ http://www.thedailymeal.com/why-you-should-stop-drinking-milk-right-now/013014 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8610662?dopt=Abstract http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-echochambers-30091795 11/26/2021 9:00:00 AM Written By Rob Greenstein Rob Greenstein is the Editor-in-Chief and President of Wellness.com, Inc. View Full Profile Website: http://www.wellness.com/ Comments Add A Comment I quit milk cold-turkey in 2013 after seeing that Pennsylvania dairy farm video of the cretin on a forklift torturing a poor sick cow. I substituted turkey for pork after seeing accounts of the horrific cruelty in that "industry". Ditto beef, chicken and finally turkey, too --- no creature is safe from human greed & cruelty. And since the Japanese nuclear event, I'm eyeing fish w/ suspicion. My no-milk resolve disintegrated after 7 mos. because, 20 lbs. underweight, I needed the calories. Still need them, but don't know what to eat! Soy is bad; almonds are unsustainable (these are produced in drought-ridden California & it takes one gal. water to produce a single almond!). With everything stricken from the shopping list, what's an underweight gal to do? And on top of it all, now you're saying my nightly vino rojo is out, unless I memorize labels? What the hell kind of world have we made? POSTED BY SOPHIE MARIE Reply WOW... You call your self a journalist. Not even close. POSTED BY DARRYL Reply First some terminology. "Cow" is the female of some mature large animals. Consider that whale, walrus, elephant, etc. females, are cows. Specifically this is about bovine (or cattle) cows. So, while I agree that "cows" milk is supposed to be for the offspring of that animal, i.e. typically same species. Bovine cow's milk are meant for bovine calves. Whale cow's milk is meant for whale calves. I don't agree with much else in this article. Let's go down the line: 1. calcium leaching acidic animal protein, is more of reason to drink milk instead of eating red meat, which is far higher in animal protein (remember that DNA is a protein chain and that the A stands for acid and DNA are made up of amino ACIDs). Calcium, while you call it an electrolyte, is really a metal. Look on your periodic table, where it sits is directly in the metal region. 2. feces: every food item that we consume has FDA maximums of what is allowed on our food stuffs. Thus, lettuce and other produce, all meats, juices, etc.; nearly everything have insect parts, feces and other organic compounds that the FDA sets maximums, proving zero would never work. In other words, you're sensationalizing, These "unwanteds" are on/in all food items. You can't control all insects nor rodents. 3. "Excessive protein" Wow, where did that come from? Most concerns are about not getting enough. Consider: 1 glass of milk = 8 grams of protein. 3 oz. fish or chicken = 24 grams of protein, or equivalent to 3 glasses of milk. 7 oz. beef steak. 34 grams of protein or equivalent to 4 glasses of milk. Further: "The idea that protein, particularly animal protein, is problematic for bones is a myth, says bone researcher Jane Kerstetter, PhD, RD, professor of nutrition at the University of Connecticut. 'Protein does not dissolve bone. Just the opposite.'" This renders the sentence: "By drawing calcium away from the bones where it is most needed, this chain of events leads to bone deterioration, further leading to the greater risk for bone fractures." completely incorrect. 4. Growth hormone injections: read: http://scienceblogs.com/aetiology/2012/06/19/growth-hormones-in-milk-mythfact/ 5. Inhumane condition for the cows: the last two dairies that I visited, the cows are more or less free range. 6. Harvard scientific community: Did you actually read their report? Go ahead, I'll wait, here. Now that you're back, did you see that they are recommending whole milk and avoid low-fat dairy? They're saying whole milk is beneficial. What were you reading the Havard anti-milk false info,PETA documentation? 7. Sugar. Um, it is on the label and it is in the form of lactose. 100% naturally occurring. I don't find it added anywhere. Please provide non-dairy, non-PETA links that support that sugar is added to whole milk production. 8. Plant based alternatives: Soy milk, please look at the ingredients. I mean really, most contain added sugar, some even boast "cane sugar", and added salt. Other ingredients sound like my old chemistry set. Almond milk, for a quart of almond milk,you get the same nutritional equivalent in one handful of whole almonds. The rest is water. Also consider that most of these alternatives contain carrageenan which is extracted from seaweed, with potassium hydroxide (caustic pothash). Also consider that most of these contain water soy milk=filtered water, soy; almond milk (filtered water, almonds). All these contain "natural flavors" which can be MSG, Aspartame, bugs. (http://www.naturalnews.com/036308_natural_flavors_MSG_aspartame.html#) 8. POSTED BY MANOAHI Reply I agree with you. Thanks for expressing it so well. POSTED BY RRRDAR@YAHOO.COM Reply Wow, this is such a terrible click-bait article. Time to unsubscribe. Nice job, Rob.... POSTED BY JASON Reply Jason I appreciate your position and although I certainly am not consciously trying to bait anyone into anything I do hope to generate some type of debate and engagement. You were more kind than some other dissenters I must say. I ask you read this post before you unsubscribe. Maybe you'll chuckle a bit as we part ways: Arsenic & Cheap Wine (Part 1) POSTED BY ROB GREENSTEIN Reply With all due respect, research all chemicals applied to keep fruits and veggies resourceful. Organically speaking, while this 'seems' the ideal way to go the feasibility factor for worldwide usage is still in check. POSTED BY FLO Reply This article is a little over-generalized. While I don't think cow's milk is the essential building block to childhood nutrition that many have claimed over the years, given the processed nature of all milk substitutes (almond, soy, etc.) I would much rather give my daughter moderate amounts of a cow milk from a company like Fairlife that doesn't treat cows with hormones and antibiotics, filters sugar out of their milk instead of adding it in and has sustainability and traceability of farms and ethical treatment of animals as their company goals. Better than pumping her full of a soy alternative that could cause early onset puberty. Yikes. POSTED BY JAY Reply Interesting article....I made the switch and have been drinking raw milk for about 9 years from a local dairy farmer.....I also eat t 2 raw eggs every morning for breakfast! POSTED BY RICH STORM Reply Soy milk isn't fit for humans and is an estrogen mimicker. Fart incubator. Almond milk is grown with intense pesticides, organic is riddled with organic fecal pulp. Hemp is contaminated with government test chemicals, especially the organic kind. Witches milk is what Rob Greenstain produces. Gross, bro. I drink purslane milk and you are a fool if you don't. I eat a cow a week. Delish. Other milks I consume: Milk duds. Milk fraîche Milk of magnesia Milk of Human kindness &Whatever the milkmaid brings. Cow milk is fine, get off the easy fireball topics and do some research before publishing this tripe. Which is also delicious. POSTED BY BERTRAND LOUTRECQUE Reply Wow, someone who has common sense & doesn't believe everything you hear & read. I drink full fat milk. Did you know low fat has lactose in it and added crap to make it taste better? Soy is bad. Edamame beans are soy. You wonder why so many have breast cancer? Those same people eat edamame beans & low fat everything and then they get the cancer. How often do you see people a little overweight get cancer. It's the skinny people with all the cancer issues. POSTED BY BARBARA Reply See replies Bertrand, although you think you're being funny, your comments don't make sense. Organic almond milk is not grown with pesticides, that's why its organic. Nuts don't need pesticides anyway because they're enclosed in shells. Fecal matter is not used in agriculture. What is "milk fraiche" by the way? You're combining two languages which doesn't make sense. POSTED BY CATHERINE Reply I love milk! I drink lots of milk. POSTED BY KILLER_BEEZE Reply Rob, the biggest problem relating to not just milk but the welfare of all livestock is the fact that these corporate lunatics are strategically destroying these animals' immune systems. By raising them in such close proximity, without access to fresh air, water or even a suitable clean floor, they are exposing them to insurmountable disease-developing conditions; to counter that, these Neanderthals inject them with massive amounts of antibiotics. In the short run, it fights off disease--in the long run, it will destroy their natural ability to fight off disease. I predict that all poultry, cows & pigs will be extinct (wiped out by common animal diseases their immune systems will no longer be able to fight off) unless we can liberate these animals. There won't be any milk to drink for anyone--not even the organic kind. These lunatics are not only dishing out toxic white stuff, they are working hard to destroy this massive source of food altogether. And they say depopulation theories are just a hoax? Don't just stop drinking milk, find ways to stop or at least slow down this insane plan to destroy all livestock! We need these animals--not just because they're a food supply . . . POSTED BY FRED FLETCHER Reply When you say corporate lunatics, are you talking about the hard working, long hours, farmer that works on his dairy? I live by two dairys and the cows are treated and fed very well. Antibiotics are only given to sick cattle just like they are given to sick people. Antibiotics are expensive and cannot be given to whole herds. Cattle bed down together because they are herd animals. Their immune systems are not being compromised. Where do you get this stuff? Dairies are being closed down due to government regulators and housing projects close by that complain of cattle smells. I think you need to go work on a dairy, so you can speak about something you know. POSTED BY ROD Reply See replies Now if we could get raw organic milk from a real farm like Alta Dena used to home-deliver--I'd be in. But it appears the criminal competitors and "bought" politicians went after the honest farmers. Today seems like the only thing you can count on is corporate greed and deception from the milk machine. Easier and cheaper to add water, coloring, sugar and other inexpensive additives. Off milk. Bummer. POSTED BY JOHN VALENTY Reply I so agree with you. I used Alta Dena for years before the California Dairy Assoc. forced them to stop producing raw dairy products. We had milk, bread, butter and cottage cheese all delivered to the house. My kids were never sick. That was such a sad situation they were forced into. POSTED BY LESLIE Reply Great "truth" article. You are spot on! POSTED BY GREG Reply Related Keywords Healthy Diet Milk Dairy Woman Who Feels No Pain Could Change How Doctors Treat Pain WELLNESS EDITOR Bacteria Could Offer Clues Into Autoimmunity, Neurodegenerative Disease WELLNESS EDITOR Still Drinking Milk? You Won'T After Reading This… ROB GREENSTEIN The Dangers Of Sitting All Day And 5 Things To Do About It ALISHAH MERCHANT 8 Things Happy People Avoid JANET VALENTY The 8-Fold Heart Attack Risk You Must Avoid C.A. 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