I am posting a research paper I wrote about milk, and the negative health effects it can cause children and adults. 

So what is wrong with Milk? 

Americans have been lied to. They have been led to believe that dairy is a healthy food to consume. In fact, dairy is included as one of the major food groups provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (2005). They even recommend adults to drink 3 cups of milk a day. However, there is new research that is linking dairy to diseases like cancer and diabetes. Moreover, Americans think dairy is an essential to the diet, because of the benefits of calcium. Little do Americans know that cows are not the only resource to calcium. There are many natural plant based foods that contain calcium and are not liked to diseases like cancer. All of this leads to the false marketing from the dairy industry that “milk does a body good”. Dairy products are not as beneficial as Americans have been led to believe, because dairy is associated with chronic health problems, there are also alternative foods that contain calcium, and the dairy industry is falsely leading Americans believe that dairy is a necessity in order to maintain a healthy diet.

Why should I stop eating dairy?

One of the reasons why people should stop consuming dairy is the multiple chronic health problems that dairy is linked to.

 Dairy has been linked to so many diseases and chronic health problems. The most severe, is cancer. Alison Stewart author of Hormones in milk are linked to cancer, states “One reason milk consumption may lead to cancer is the insulin-like growth factor IGF-1…IGF-1 helps affect growth…however [IGF-1] appear[s]to stimulate cancer cells” (2004). In addition there have also been  several cancers, such as ovarian cancer, that have been linked to the consumption of dairy products. The milk sugar lactose is broken down in the body into another sugar, galactose, which is a brain sugar. In turn, galactose is broken down further by enzymes. According to a study by Daniel Cramer, M.D., and his colleagues at Harvard, when dairy product consumption exceeds the enzymes’ capacity to break down galactose, it can build up in the blood and may affect a woman’s ovaries. Some women have particularly low levels of these enzymes, and when they consume dairy products on a regular basis, their risk of ovarian cancer can be triple that of other women (1989).

Milk is also touted for preventing osteoporosis, yet clinical research shows otherwise. The Harvard Nurses’ Health Study, which followed more than 75,000 women for 12 years, showed no protective effect of increased milk consumption on fracture risk. In fact, increased intake of calcium from dairy products was associated with a higher fracture risk (Feskanich et al, 1997). This does not necessarily suggest that drinking milk causes osteoporosis, but it does bring into question is milk really as good as many Americans believe.

Another debilitating and chronic disease that dairy is linked to is Insulin-dependent diabetes (Type I or childhood-onset). Epidemiological studies of various countries show a strong correlation    between the use of dairy products and the incidence of insulin-dependent diabetes (Scott, 1990) Researchers in 1992 found that a specific dairy protein sparks an auto-immune reaction, which is believed to be what destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas (Karjalainen, Martin Knip, et al, 1992).

There are studies, after studies, which prove a multitude of adverse health effects from cancer to osteoporosis, caused from dairy. Now is the time to take action and stop eating foods that are enabling chronic health problems, and start eating foods that are going to promote health, and prevent diseases. 

So what should I eat?

 Calcium is essential for all living organisms. Many Americans believe that dairy is the only way to consume calcium. Little do they know that there are many plant based foods that provide people with calcium. Moreover, there is a misconception people need more calcium than they really do. There are many foods that contain calcium, especially a lot of healthy plant based foods. Provided by the United States Department of Agriculture is a list of dairy free foods that contain calcium. Some of the foods are canned fish, for instance sardines or salmon with bones. Soybeans and other soy-based beverages, soy yogurt, some other dried beans, and some leafy greens, like collard and turnip greens, kale, spinach, bok choy, or broccoli. Other foods the U.S.D.A. provides are foods that are fortified with calcium, such as juices, cereal, and soy or rice milk (2005).  

Dr. McDougall, author of When friends ask where you get your calcium (2007)informs that calcium is a mineral found in the ground, plants are able to absorb the mineral and in return the “plants are loaded with minerals, in amounts sufficient to grow the skeletons of the largest animals that walk the earth, like the elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, horse, and cow” If these enormous animals are able to get their calcium through plant based foods, then obviously humans, which are much smaller, can also get sufficient calcium through plant based foods too.

 So how much calcium do I really need?

Not only are there alternatives to calcium, but there is also new research founded that calcium requirements are much lower than previously estimated. Curtis D. Hunt published in the October 2007 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded, The findings suggest that the calcium requirement for men and women is lower than previously estimated…the new balance data also concur with the recognition that saturation of the active transport component of calcium absorption occurs at an intake of 500 mg/day (2007, 1062). The common requirements for calcium are between 1000-1200 mg a day, but other research shows the people retain calcium better at 500mg a day. This review of the basic research should put to rest the message that large intakes of calcium are necessary for healthy bones, but it won’t, because of the money to be made by the dairy and calcium supplement industries. 

Dairy and the Govornment

Currently, the government and dairy industry is leading consumers to believe that dairy aids in weight loss, but findings have shown that eating dairy is one of the highest fat foods people can consume. Dr Lanou states “Most cheeses get about 70 percent of their calories from fat, and even skim milk is 55 percent sugar, as a percentage of calories” (2003).  The dairy industry is beginning to ignore the health warning of dairy and push schools to serve more than low-fat milk, even though, “2% and whole milk are by far the largest sources of saturated fat in children’s diet” (CPSI, 2004). They are doing this by using the clout they have with the government. Similar to the tobacco industry, the dairy industry wants to hook 6-12 year olds and the government and dairy industry is pushing that dairy    is a healthy food choice (CPSI, 2004).Clearly, the dairy industry is working as hard as possible to keep milk in the homes and schools, even if it means risking the health and well being of their consumers. The ironic thing is the tobacco industry does the same thing. At least the tobacco industry includes warning labels.  

Let me Milk it a little more

Some may argue that organic milk can essentially be healthy for instance, Dr. Ben Kim author of Is Dairy Really Good for Your health?  States that “Milk can be a healthy food of choice…” (2005). He also goes on to explain that milk can be healthy as long as the cows are fed organically, only Jersey or Guernsey cows are used, and the milk is not      pasteurized or homogenized (Kim, 2005). Overall pure organic milk is good, the only problem with that, is accessibility of the milk. They are certainly not sitting on the shelves at the local grocery store.  People are being mislead, that dairy is good for the body, but there are multiple amounts of research linking dairy, to health diseases like, cancer, osteoporosis and diabetes. Milk has always be the number one source for calcium, but again people have been mislead to believe that milk is the only source of calcium, and not informed about other foods like broccoli, rice milk, and beans that have the same if not more calcium than milk. People have also been mislead to believe that humans need more calcium than they really do, which makes people want to eat more dairy and drink more milk in fear that if they do not get enough calcium they will get osteoporosis. This misleading information all stems from false marketing from the government and the dairy industry. The industry tells people lies like dairy will help aid in weight loss, even though it is one of the highest fat foods people can consume. In addition the dairy industry tries to promote schools to offer higher fat milk even though it is enabling in the incline of childhood obesity. Overall, dairy does not do a body good. It only contributes to the countless diseases Americans suffer from on a daily basis.

References

Center for Science in the Public Interest. (2004) Dairy industry   urged to stop promoting high- fat milk in Schools    Retrieved on March 20, 2008 from     http://www.cspinet.org/new/200404261.html

Cramer D, Harlow B, Willet W. (1989). Galactose consumption and      metabolism in relation to the risk of ovarian cancer.    Lancet ;2:66-71

Feskanich D, Willet W,Stampfer M, Colditz G. (1997) Milk,     dietary calcium, and bone fractures in women: a 12-year      prospective study. Am J Public Health 87:992-7.

Hunt, c, Johnson, L. (2007). Calcium requirements: new    estimations for men and women by cross-sectional statistical analyses of calcium balance data from metabolic     studies. Am J Clin Nutr. Oct;86(4):1054-63.

Karjalainen J, Martin JM, Knip M, et al. A bovine albumin     peptide as a possible trigger of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. N Engl J Med 1992;327:302-7.

Kim, B.(2005) Are dairy Products Good For Your Health?

Retrieved on March 14, 2008 http://drbenkim.com/articles- dairy.html

Lanou, A. (2003) Dairy Dishonest in a Side Step Campaign:          Physician Committee for      Responsible Medicine. Retrieved on      March 20, 2008 from:    http://www.pcrm.org/news/health031023.html

McDougall, J. (2007) where do you get your calcium? McDougall

 Newsletter, v6, 2. Retrieved on March 20, 2008 from:

   http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2007nl/feb/whenfriendsask.htm

New S. (2003, May).Calcium, protein, and fruit and vegetables as dietary determinants of bone health.  Am J Clin Nutr.   77(5):1340-1.

Scott, F.(1990)Cow milk and insulin-dependent diabetes    mellitus: is there a relationship? Am J Clin Nutr ;51:489-   91.

Stewart, A. (2004). Retrieved on March 20 2008      http://www.consumerhealthjournal.com/articles/milk-and-   cancer.html

United States Department of Agriculture (2005) Tips For   Making Wise Choices. Retrieved on March 19, 2008      http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/milk_tips.html