Dairy products: To consume or not?

LosingLizard

There has been recent evidence that casein (the protein in milk) actually robs the body of calcium, rather than increasing it. Much of this was discussed in the documentary "Forks Over Knives", as well as The China Study and Eat to Live.

Apparently, as the consumption of dairy in our diet increases, so does the rate of osteoporosis.

I personally eat cheese, butter, and yogurt occasionally, but stopped using cow's milk for cereal or cooking, instead using rice milk or almond milk. I can't say if it affects my weight or health - I have no studies on myself to determine. But I know I've read enough compelling evidence against drinking cows milk.

As for the antibiotics and growth hormones - this is true. It is a result of factory farming. Cows are fed antibiotics daily in their food to prevent widespread illness from their crowded and unsanitary living conditions. The growth hormones are given to ensure the cows grow at a faster rate to increase turnover. (Please see documentary Food, Inc.)

That being said, it is not hard to find hormone free milk. It will be labeled as being from cows who have not been administered the growth hormone. Organic milk will ensure the cows have not been given the antibiotics either. If you want to drink milk, organic should definitely be chosen over the cheaper varieties, both for health and ethical reasons.

Pebble321

I'm just gonna speak up as a doctor here. It's true that factory farm produced milk and other dairy products sometimes contain hormones and other chemicals (although, no pus(!?) that I'm aware of....human lactating mothers don't produce pus, why would a cow, sheep or goat?) In any case, by purchasing organic, hormone and antibiotic free dairy products, it's possible to avoid the nasties that can show up in the milk, etc.

Dairy, while not the only source of calcium and vitamin D out there, is a very good one, and has, in fact, been shown to aid in losing weight, particularly around the belly, when consumed in reasonable, low fat quantities. (And, of course, by those who don't have an allergy or lactose issue.) It's true that people are the only species who consume milk on a regular basis after infancy, but I suspect that has more to do with the fact that other animals simply don't have the means (thumbs...) to milk other creatures. My pets certainly don't refuse a bowl of milk or piece of cheese if it's offered to them.

Humans have been consuming dairy products for thousands of years, worldwide. It has been a staple in our diets, and thus, we have evolved to process these foods in a way that perhaps we wouldn't have otherwise. Those who are lactose intolerant have probably come from a lineage of peoples who did not rely as heavily on dairy as others, and thus didn't develop (or didn't develop as well) the same enzymes for digestion of dairy.

I advise my patients (for the record, I'm an OB/Gyn) to drink milk if they can during and after pregnancy in particular, because pregnancy and breast feeding causes calcium to be removed from our own bodies and given to our children. The most efficient way to replace that is through dairy products. Leafy greens have it, but are more slowly digested, and therefore less efficient in providing a replacement for what is lost.

It's nice to see some rational info from a knowledgable person. Thanks!

LOLmerrill

There has been recent evidence that casein (the protein in milk) actually robs the body of calcium, rather than increasing it. Much of this was discussed in the documentary "Forks Over Knives", as well as The China Study and Eat to Live.

Apparently, as the consumption of dairy in our diet increases, so does the rate of osteoporosis.

I personally eat cheese, butter, and yogurt occasionally, but stopped using cow's milk for cereal or cooking, instead using rice milk or almond milk. I can't say if it affects my weight or health - I have no studies on myself to determine. But I know I've read enough compelling evidence against drinking cows milk.

As for the antibiotics and growth hormones - this is true. It is a result of factory farming. Cows are fed antibiotics daily in their food to prevent widespread illness from their crowded and unsanitary living conditions. The growth hormones are given to ensure the cows grow at a faster rate to increase turnover. (Please see documentary Food, Inc.)

That being said, it is not hard to find hormone free milk. It will be labeled as being from cows who have not been administered the growth hormone. Organic milk will ensure the cows have not been given the antibiotics either. If you want to drink milk, organic should definitely be chosen over the cheaper varieties, both for health and ethical reasons.

YEAH! Forks over Knives was so good! Honestly, I dont see why people are taking it so personally that all of the cruelty based foods are also proving to be rather unhealthy... Factory farmers really don't need the defense. hahaha

LOLmerrill

As for the antibiotics and growth hormones - this is true. It is a result of factory farming. Cows are fed antibiotics daily in their food to prevent widespread illness from their crowded and unsanitary living conditions. The growth hormones are given to ensure the cows grow at a faster rate to increase turnover. (Please see documentary Food, Inc.)

That being said, it is not hard to find hormone free milk. It will be labeled as being from cows who have not been administered the growth hormone. Organic milk will ensure the cows have not been given the antibiotics either. If you want to drink milk, organic should definitely be chosen over the cheaper varieties, both for health and ethical reasons.

Exactly. i dont drink milk because of the gross dangers of hormones and antibiotics. I dont drink *organic* cow milk as a substitute, however, because the dairy industry is exploitive and cruel. Nuff said?

AlwaysWanderer

As for the antibiotics and growth hormones - this is true. It is a result of factory farming. Cows are fed antibiotics daily in their food to prevent widespread illness from their crowded and unsanitary living conditions. The growth hormones are given to ensure the cows grow at a faster rate to increase turnover. (Please see documentary Food, Inc.)

That being said, it is not hard to find hormone free milk. It will be labeled as being from cows who have not been administered the growth hormone. Organic milk will ensure the cows have not been given the antibiotics either. If you want to drink milk, organic should definitely be chosen over the cheaper varieties, both for health and ethical reasons.

Exactly. i dont drink milk because of the gross dangers of hormones and antibiotics. I dont drink *organic* cow milk as a substitute, however, because the dairy industry is exploitive and cruel. Nuff said?

I take it you dont eat meat? or eggs? Or any animal products?

CMH24

I would go crazy without dairy but ALL things in moderation!

unsuspectingfish

I'll probably never quit consuming dairy entire, but I've done my best to cut out the majority of it. If it's something you like that works for you, then I say drink in moderation. That being said, I feel that milk is the easiest of the dairy products to find an alternative for. I'd suggest that, if possible. I prefer rice milk. I think it's got the best flavor and texture.

As for the calcium aspect, I do take a calcium supplement, but I've found that, as I replace more of my animal-based foods with veggies, I have less and less need for that. If I had collard greens for dinner every night, I wouldn't need it at all.

None of those sites are actually run by medical professionals...and lots of them appear to be anti-dairy advocacy groups, who, for whatever reason, have their own agendas.

The dairy industry is the most subsidized industry in this country. It's in the government's best interest to convince people to consume dairy products, early and often. Most of the dairy advocacy groups have their own agendas, too, which is to get us to buy dairy. These anti-dairy advocacy groups seem to have one of two agendas that I can see: treat animals better OR be healthier.

Which one are you going to trust?

girlinahat

Think about this.... We humans are the only species after that consume milk, as part of our regular everyday diet, from other animals. Yes, we have our mother's milk during infancy as do other animals but that's it. We don't need it. Why do you think so many people are lactose intolerant? Our bodies weren't meant to process it.

originally yes. Our bodies were unable to continually process milk into adulthood (although were able to supplement the diet of children). However those in the Northern Latitudes developed a tolerance to lactose and could continue to drink milk, which allowed for survival in times of food scarcity.

It was this development in the human body (amongst others) that allowed for the establishment of early agriculture and indeed SURVIVAL in the Northern Latitudes.

So for most people, the body has evolved to process milk.

Having said that, there is some debate as to how successfully the body processes milk produced under modern methods, and it makes sense to be cautious of farming practices that feel the need to rely on hormones and antibiotics.

However, boycotting a product is possibly less effective than making a choice that shows the producers that mass-production is wrong and cruel.

dleithaus

Older men probably need it also. After age 40, I found I had nightly episodes with painful and sleep interrupting leg cramps. I did some research and found that blood calcium concentrations may play a role. Then I started tracking the amount of calcium I was getting in my normal diet, and outside of any supplementation.... I was at 60% RDA. I increased the amount of calcium with more dairy and some supplementation. My leg cramps went away.

Since that time, I have always consumed some dairy (and vegetable sources) for calcium along with supplements. I am not sure why my magic calcium consumption number is the equivalent of 200% RDA (2000 mg equivalent calcium)... but if I drop below that... say to 1500 mg nightly leg cramp incidence increases. Activity and water consumption within my normal limits, appear to have no correlation with my particular observations.

I just found it interesting that if I had gone to a doctor they probably would have given me some prescription drug for "restless legs" or something similar, and with a little effort of monitoring and adjusting my diet, the same (better?) result was achieved.

Counting all calories....

Barneystinson

Think about this.... We humans are the only species after that consume milk, as part of our regular everyday diet, from other animals. Yes, we have our mother's milk during infancy as do other animals but that's it. We don't need it. Why do you think so many people are lactose intolerant? Our bodies weren't meant to process it.

originally yes. Our bodies were unable to continually process milk into adulthood (although were able to supplement the diet of children). However those in the Northern Latitudes developed a tolerance to lactose and could continue to drink milk, which allowed for survival in times of food scarcity.

It was this development in the human body (amongst others) that allowed for the establishment of early agriculture and indeed SURVIVAL in the Northern Latitudes.

So for most people, the body has evolved to process milk.

Having said that, there is some debate as to how successfully the body processes milk produced under modern methods, and it makes sense to be cautious of farming practices that feel the need to rely on hormones and antibiotics.

However, boycotting a product is possibly less effective than making a choice that shows the producers that mass-production is wrong and cruel.

Thank you for this response. Intolerance varies strongly by ethnicity and origin.

http://www.ahrq.gov/downloads/pub/evidence/pdf/lactoseint/lactint.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactose_intolerance

It's generally also not a good idea to compare the human diet to other species with quite varied diets. That's about akin to saying "well, we're the only species to cook meat and vegetables to aid in digestion, so, we're wrong."

My boyfriend, who I live with and cook for, is strongly lactose intolerant. Strong stomach discomfort, and well, yeah stuff I don't need to mention here. Me, of French and English descent can eat cheese and butter with an absolute gusto with no issues.

I've tried removal for several months at a time in the past just to see if there were any weight loss benefits and I could detect zero. I don't drink or use milk, though. Much prefer a bit of cream in my cooking as I'm one of those dreaded low carb people.

If you're really concerned about hormones and ethics, buy local and/or buy organic. If cow's milk is somewhat irritating, try goat's milk (or cheese/yoghurt made from goat's milk). It's a favorite in Mediterranean / Middle Eastern cooking and is delicious.

Barneystinson

Older men probably need it also. After age 40, I found I had nightly episodes with painful and sleep interrupting leg cramps. I did some research and found that blood calcium concentrations may play a role. Then I started tracking the amount of calcium I was getting in my normal diet, and outside of any supplementation.... I was at 60% RDA. I increased the amount of calcium with more dairy and some supplementation. My leg cramps went away.

Since that time, I have always consumed some dairy (and vegetable sources) for calcium along with supplements. I am not sure why my magic calcium consumption number is the equivalent of 200% RDA (2000 mg equivalent calcium)... but if I drop below that... say to 1500 mg nightly leg cramp incidence increases. Activity and water consumption within my normal limits, appear to have no correlation with my particular observations.

I just found it interesting that if I had gone to a doctor they probably would have given me some prescription drug for "restless legs" or something similar, and with a little effort of monitoring and adjusting my diet, the same (better?) result was achieved.

Counting all calories....

Magnesium / calcium balance is crucial for restless legs and cramps.

LOLmerrill

None of those sites are actually run by medical professionals...and lots of them appear to be anti-dairy advocacy groups, who, for whatever reason, have their own agendas.

The dairy industry is the most subsidized industry in this country. It's in the government's best interest to convince people to consume dairy products, early and often. Most of the dairy advocacy groups have their own agendas, too, which is to get us to buy dairy. These anti-dairy advocacy groups seem to have one of two agendas that I can see: treat animals better OR be healthier.

Which one are you going to trust?

^THIS.

mynameisuntz

There has been recent evidence that casein (the protein in milk) actually robs the body of calcium, rather than increasing it. Much of this was discussed in the documentary "Forks Over Knives", as well as The China Study and Eat to Live.

Apparently, as the consumption of dairy in our diet increases, so does the rate of osteoporosis.

I personally eat cheese, butter, and yogurt occasionally, but stopped using cow's milk for cereal or cooking, instead using rice milk or almond milk. I can't say if it affects my weight or health - I have no studies on myself to determine. But I know I've read enough compelling evidence against drinking cows milk.

As for the antibiotics and growth hormones - this is true. It is a result of factory farming. Cows are fed antibiotics daily in their food to prevent widespread illness from their crowded and unsanitary living conditions. The growth hormones are given to ensure the cows grow at a faster rate to increase turnover. (Please see documentary Food, Inc.)

That being said, it is not hard to find hormone free milk. It will be labeled as being from cows who have not been administered the growth hormone. Organic milk will ensure the cows have not been given the antibiotics either. If you want to drink milk, organic should definitely be chosen over the cheaper varieties, both for health and ethical reasons.

Do not bring up the China Study. It's unbelievably well known for it's horrible science and irresponsible conclusions based on correlations.

It's one of the biggest jokes in the nutritional community.

mynameisuntz

uhhhh..... its out there. Just google. Or don't.

http://www.healthandnutritionbasics.com/article-detail.php?Health-and-Nutrition-Basics-Article-Milk-The-Dangerous-Truth-About-Dairy-Products-41

http://zerotoherotv.com/blogs/entry/Dangerous-dairy-Why-is-the-use-of-artificial-bovine-growth-hormone-still-legal

http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/reports/rbgh-how-artificial-hormones-damage-the-dairy-industry-and-endanger-public-health/

http://www.scribd.com/doc/46489745/Dairy-Report-PEMA-27pgs

http://www.naturalnews.com/027508_rBST_cancer.html

http://www.prisonplanet.com/the-war-on-milk-gm-dairy-and-cancer-links.html

http://www.vegetarian.org.uk/campaigns/whitelies/index.html

http://www.notmilk.com/forum/505.html

http://www.foodmatters.tv/_webapp_195142/How_Many_Pus_Cells_Are_In_Your_Milk

None of these are credible sources. Find peer-reviewed sources. Feel free to find some that aren't government-sponsored, if you like. They exist.

Amandanoralynn

Think about this.... We humans are the only species after that consume milk, as part of our regular everyday diet, from other animals. Yes, we have our mother's milk during infancy as do other animals but that's it. We don't need it. Why do you think so many people are lactose intolerant? Our bodies weren't meant to process it.

We're also the only animals that ship food internationally and make foreign food a dietary staple. Also the only animals to eat the variety of meat that we do.

Also only animal to use modern medicine and the internet and cars.

I don't get what you're arguing.

UMMM... the argument is that our bodies can't process bovine reproductive secretions for sh1t. It's hell on our systems. Just because you *can*, doesn't mean you *should*. Just a thought.

I am on the God's Diet and it is completely eating foods that God made not what man made. That includes the animals he put on the earth for us to provide the provision that in the days of the beginning that his people survived on. Which includes meat and milk. Their are many foods that man has taken and altered. So it all comes down to it, that if our bodies can handle it and it is not gluttony then we will most likely do fine. IMO!

cds193

If you want to put that stuff in your body, you will. Have at it. The information is out there. I'm not here to convert.
Cheers.

Not all farmers use hormones, or antibiotics to raise their animals. Dairy producers are not allowed to sell milk from animals who have been injected with penicilin for a select period of time (long acting and short acting penicilin have different periods of time). Hormones are only used in the beef animal industry (dairy cows are much different from beef animals) and not all producers should be prosecuted for the actions of some. Also, beef that has been properly cared for is not full of hormones and actually contains omega 3 fatty acids wich we all know as being good for us (if they are grass fed and pasture raised) therefore instead of lumping all of the producers together I ask that if you do not like the actions of some instead suggest organic for those of us who like to drink milk and eat cheese.

TCASMEY

Bump! This in entertaining!

JMCade

I think dairy is good. I drink skim milk, eat yogurt, cottage cheese, and string chees!

Glucocorticoid

OP - is your goal fat loss? How has that been working so far?

nanberube

I like dairy and have been consuming it all my life (48 yrs). I drink skim milk, eat yogurt and all kinds of cheese. I have never seen any correlation with weight loss or gain. However, I have noticed that if I don't have my milk, (3 glasses a day), I have less energy throughout the day. It probably has something to do with having less vitamin D for the day. If you enjoy dairy, then ENJOY! Just count the calories like all other foods. My dairy consumption accounts for the majority of my protein as well.