Do you think milk is safe?

quiksandy

I went to a church dinner last night and sat at a table where the discussion was cows milk and how damaging it is. How it possibly causes cancer and should not be consumed by humans. How it's injected with cancer causing hormones. I had never heard any of this. The thing is...I like milk. I'm not intolerant of it and it's a good source of calcium and vitamin D for me (especially in the rainy Pacific NW) But I don't exactly want cancer either. What are your thoughts? Do you think milk is safe? What about cheese? (gosh I love cheese!)

zyxst

I feel milk is fine to drink. People use scare tactics to push their food issues. You're not evil or horrible for drinking milk or eating milk products. Enjoy your cheese.

professorRAT

This is a good read on that topic: http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2442/is-cows-milk-the-worst-beverage-on-earth

The evidence regarding cancer is very mixed, so it is likely not a huge risk (if it was huge, the evidence would not be so mixed).

ladymiseryali

I would ask those claiming such things for peer-reviewed studies proving said claims. In other words, they're probably talking about of their @sses. Soy milk is a good alternative though. I actually prefer soy milk to regular as far as the taste goes.

sunsnstatheart

I practically live on milk and haven't seem any convincing evidence that its not safe. This is one of those areas where psudo-science seems to be getting in the way. There may some issue with the hormones that have been heavily injected into cows since the 90s so my wife and daughters only consume hormone free milk as they are at increased cancer risk (more than twice the price though so I drink regular milk as the alarms are focused on women and particularly girls). That said we do that out of an abundance of caution and I cringe every time we buy it as I feel we could be falling for simple scare tactics. Take a look at junkscience.com.

professorRAT

Here is another good article: http://news.menshealth.com/milk-superfood-or-poison/2012/05/16/

zephtalah

What does milk have to do with church? If you're concerned about the hormones put in milk just use organic or hormone free milk. There are much worse foods out there than dairy products.

sunsnstatheart

great article!

invisibubble

Of course most people with cancer drink milk. They also eat potatoes, get exposed to sunlight and do any manner of things that could seem to be correlated to a disease but likely aren't. They try to put the blame on certain things but as far as I see things, it's bollocks. My grandfather wasn't much of a milk drinker and he died of stomach cancer in his early 60s.. My grandmother eats a ton of dairy and she's well and kicking at 82.
We could be scared of bloody everything what with all the different campaigns, studies et cetera floating about.

Edited for a typo.

WendyTerry420

I feel milk is fine to drink. People use scare tactics to push their food issues. You're not evil or horrible for drinking milk or eating milk products. Enjoy your cheese.

^^^^

lyttlewon

It is pretty easy to avoid milk with rBGH and whatnot. Here is a consumers guide:

http://www.nwrage.org/files/nwrage/ORPFSR_rbghConsumerGuide.pdf

ETA since you are PACNW, I am Inland Northwest, shop at Fred Meyer. They carry really good brands. Their ground beef is not full of pink slime either.

tkcasta

Just buy milk that has no added hormones (specifically rBGH) and no antibiotics. Generally organic milk falls into this category. However, KEMP's has a line called "simply" (I think) and they have no rBGH. But do your research and make your own decision. Just make sure when you read research papers that you look at who funded the study.

MemphisKitten

Milk is not safe. Studies show the cassein is linked to cancer in animals as well as all the other problems. But it's also very difficult to eliminate milk from the diet. I do Soy and Almond milk, but I still have cheese and other dairy occasionally. I suppose that's better than nothing. Want to know who came up with the idea that we should drink milk everyday and give it to our children? Housewives in the 1950s. Milk does NOT do a body good.

SideSteel

Milk is not safe.

Alarmism doesn't do anyone any favors.

EDIT: But of course you have a right to your opinion. I'd love to see studies showing cancerous effects of milk in humans though.

For my fellow research nerds, Alan Aragon has a good write up in the November 08' issue of AARR where he covers milk-bashing.

SavageRabidBeast

Honestly, they say everything causes cancer these days so I myself am not gonna worry about it. Love my milk and will continue to drink it.

chubbygirl253

Yes, milk is safe to drink. Depending on who you talk to just about everything gives you cancer. Most people read something, pass info to a friend, and then it gets passed on again. The accuracy of information gleaned this way isn't the best way to decide what's right for you. There are health advantages to milk and I think the good outweighs the bad. Furthermore, I wouldn't look to the church ladies for my nutrition advice. The biddies at my church serve cake in the fellowship hall just about every Sunday, or at the very least cookies. Even though 75% of the congregation is either obese, diabetic, or both. So just like information on this site, take away what you want and leave the rest. When the church ladies give me nutritional advice or any other advice I just stand there, nod my head, sip my sugar-free watered down Kool-aid, and say "you might be right."

LittleMissDover

We're not designed as a species to drink milk past infancy so I certainly agree it's something our bodies can do without and in some cases it can be harmful to an individual.

However as to whether it's harmful to the human race as a general rule, I personally think we probably shouldn't have dairy products in our diet but then we also shouldn't have any processed foods if we're looking at it in natural evolutionary terms. If it isn't harming YOU personally there are a lot more things out there I would eliminate from your diet before dairy.

etoiles_argentees

:indifferent:

MoreBean13

Think about this logically....Don't you think if this were true, there would have been a lot more sick people in generations past? Those hearty folk that lived by the milkman's deliveries?

Milk is fine, healthy even- full of nutrients. Consider the agendas of those that push this nonsense. Usually it's a vegan scare tactic.

taunto

We're not designed as a species to drink milk past infancy so I certainly agree it's something our bodies can do without and in some cases it can be harmful to an individual.

Yeah... I call shenanigans. Milk is used in Ice cream. taunto needs his ice cream!

Also, taunto uses nmilk in his coffee. Have you seen me without coffee? Our bodies can definitely NOT do without coffee!

Sarauk2sf

Milk is not safe. Studies show the cassein is linked to cancer in animals as well as all the other problems. But it's also very difficult to eliminate milk from the diet. I do Soy and Almond milk, but I still have cheese and other dairy occasionally. I suppose that's better than nothing. Want to know who came up with the idea that we should drink milk everyday and give it to our children? Housewives in the 1950s. Milk does NOT do a body good.

Please cite these studies so we can get past the hyperbole

And btw - milk does MY body good

capriciousmoon

The only real reason to drink it is if you enjoy it. It's as safe as any other food.


You don't really need it for health and there are ethical reasons not to drink it, but it's really just up to you. Personal choice and preference.

_JR_

I almost died drinking milk one time....... oh wait..... nevermind.... that was Drain-O. No, milk is fine. Much better for you that Drain-O!

taunto

All the joking aside, Milk is considered a COMPLETE food. As in any human can live just drinking it for a long duration and get most of the important nutritions. Most doctors I know recommend drinking it daily. Our past generations suggest drinking it. Dairy products are highly suggested to be consumed daily.

MoreBean13

We're not designed as a species to drink milk past infancy so I certainly agree it's something our bodies can do without and in some cases it can be harmful to an individual.

However as to whether it's harmful to the human race as a general rule, I personally think we probably shouldn't have dairy products in our diet but then we also shouldn't have any processed foods if we're looking at it in natural evolutionary terms. If it isn't harming YOU personally there are a lot more things out there I would eliminate from your diet before dairy.

Designed by whom and how do you know what their design plans were? Ever heard of evolution?

pullipgirl

I bet they heard about it from Dr. Oz

Buddogmom

We're the only species that drinks another animal's milk, and there are far healthier ways to get calcium. That being said, if you spend the extra money for organic milk, you won't have to worry about the hormones and antibiotics. Personally, I love almond milk. Tastes more like cow's milk to me than soy milk does, and too much soy can be dangerous for those who have a history of breast cancer in their families.

Meg_78

I love milk, it is an important part of my diet. Here in Scandinavia, milk and dairy products in general are an important part of the diet.. We still give milk to our children every day in school. I have no qualms about drinking it myself or feeding it to my kids. Unless you have an intolerance to it, then I don't see a problem.

SideSteel

We're the only species that drinks another animal's milk

My cat drinks cows milk.

zombilishious

I just heard about a very chubby 9-year old's visit to the pediatrician. Her mother was concerned because her breasts were developing. Pediatrician said it was milk hormones. I'm thinking it's McDonald's.

toddis

I suppose you can't make a blanket statement. You'd have to look at the source of the milk. It could be possible the cheaper milk might have more adulterants that might be unhealthy. Milk unadulterated...totally awesome.

As far as humans being "designed" for anything..yeah...If i recall correctly we began as scavengers...you know like hyenas and such. I think if we can eat and survive on rotting carcasses we can drink milk.