Milk and Mass Propaganda

[scem0]

I just want to know everyone's thoughts on Milk. It doesn't take much research to find that milk does not "do the body good". Milk has very few health benefits going for it and increases the risk of contracting many types of cancers.

Milk (and arguably the rest of the dairy industry) is the poster example of propaganda. Ask any lay-person is milk is healthy, they will tell you it is. Ask legitimate health experts what they think about milk, you'll get a completely different answer - and it won't be a good one.

Google around, you'll see what I'm talking about.

e

 

[iGary]

I just want to know everyone's thoughts on Milk. It doesn't take much research to find that milk does not "do the body good". Milk has very few health benefits going for it and increases the risk of contracting many types of cancers.

Milk (and arguably the rest of the dairy industry) is the poster example of propaganda. Ask any lay-person is milk is healthy, they will tell you it is. Ask legitimate health experts what they think about milk, you'll get a completely different answer - and it won't be a good one.

Google around, you'll see what I'm talking about.

e

I stay away from it. Even organic milk is suspicious. My daily supplement has the caclium I need, as does the bread I usually have with breakfast.

 

[Black&Tan]

We go through about 2 gallons a week. Our pediatrician wants us to use 2%.

 

[scem0]

I stay away from it. Even organic milk is suspicious. My daily supplement has the caclium I need, as does the bread I usually have with breakfast.

you're right, organic brands are suspicious. Horizon and Organic Valley have both used some bad business tactics to try and get ahead of each other - and 90% of organic milk bought is bought from them. Horizon is trying to degrade organic food standards to save themselves money. I'd be extra wary of them.

e

 

[Queso]

Alpro soya milk is the way to go. That's the one Starbucks uses in it's soy lattés. Thank God!!

Keep your dairy intake low. A little is good for you. Too much is very bad, especially for women.

 

[mactastic]

There is no good substitute for actual real milk in many cases. I prefer non-fat for things like cereal or if I drink it straight. But I keep the whole-milk stuff around most of the time for cooking.

 

[vniow]

I don't care what you say, I'm not giving up my milk chocolate and ice cream!

 

[Danksi]

I don't care what you say, I'm not giving up my milk chocolate and ice cream!

... yeah, there's no way I'm drinking 5-15 cups of tea and coffee a day, without milk!

I thought milk was important for youngsters growth, mother's milk being obvious, but then less so during 20's+

 

[CanadaRAM]

I just want to know everyone's thoughts on Milk. It doesn't take much research to find that milk does not "do the body good". Milk has very few health benefits going for it and increases the risk of contracting many types of cancers.

Milk (and arguably the rest of the dairy industry) is the poster example of propaganda. Ask any lay-person is milk is healthy, they will tell you it is. Ask legitimate health experts what they think about milk, you'll get a completely different answer - and it won't be a good one.

Google around, you'll see what I'm talking about.

e

I would like to know everyone's thoughts on the examples of anti-milk-crusader propaganda.

Google around, you'll see lots of it. Including shrill, un-substantiated and un-qualified claims of milk causing many types of cancers.

 

[aristobrat]

http://www.milksucks.com

After you haven't had dairy for awhile, your body becomes lactose intolerant. Coincidence?

 

[aristobrat]

... yeah, there's no way I'm drinking 5-15 cups of tea and coffee a day, without milk!

I thought milk was important for youngsters growth, mother's milk being obvious, but then less so during 20's+

There are lots of flavored soy products that work great in tea/coffe.

The late Dr. Benjamin Spock, America's leading authority on child care, spoke out against feeding cow's milk to children, saying it can cause anemia, allergies, and insulin-dependent diabetes and in the long term, will set kids up for obesity and heart disease, America's number one cause of death.

 

[Kingsly]

I would like to know everyone's thoughts on the examples of anti-milk-crusader propaganda.

Google around, you'll see lots of it. Including shrill, un-substantiated and un-qualified claims of milk causing many types of cancers.

I was under the impression that milk contains almost all the nutrients necessary for sustaining life, which would explain why mammals nourish their babies with the stuff.
People have been drinking milk since the dawn of time, and only recently with the introduction of all that chemical crap they put in food, are we experiencing plagues of obesity, high cholesterol, etc.
In my opinion, pour it on (no pun intended).

 

[vniow]

There are lots of flavored soy products that work great in tea/coffe.

There's soy ice cream as well, but it often doesn't come in quite the variety that cow milk ice cream does. I only drink soy milk and can't stand cow but ice cream and chocolate like I mentioned above is a different story.

I was under the impression that milk contains almost all the nutrients necessary for sustaining life, which would explain why mammals nourish their babies with the stuff.

The key word here is babies. There's a reason why many people grow up to be lactose intolerant, their bodies grew out of having to need the stuff in order to sustain themselves.

 

[WildCowboy]

Low-fat chocolate milk is one of the best recovery drinks for athletes. It contains the proper carb/protein ratios for both refueling and rebuilding muscle. It's better for you than the ridiculously-priced "recovery drinks" that are saturating the market these days.

Good enough reason for me...

 

[Kingsly]

The key word here is babies. There's a reason why many people grow up to be lactose intolerant, their bodies grew out of having to need the stuff in order to sustain themselves.

Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest significant amounts of lactose, the major sugar found in milk. Lactose intolerance is caused by a shortage of the enzyme lactase, which is produced by the cells that line the small intestine. Lactase breaks down milk sugar into two simpler forms of sugar called glucose and galactose, which are then absorbed into the bloodstream. Not all people deficient in lactase have the symptoms commonly associated with lactose intolerance, but those who do are said to have lactose intolerance.

People sometimes confuse lactose intolerance with cow’s milk intolerance because the symptoms are often the same. However, lactose intolerance and cow’s milk intolerance are not related. Being intolerant to cow’s milk is an allergic reaction triggered by the immune system. Lactose intolerance is a problem caused by the digestive system.

Some causes of lactose intolerance are well known. Primary lactase deficiency is a condition that develops over time. After about age 2 the body begins to produce less lactase, though most people will not notice symptoms until they are much older.

Secondary lactase deficiency occurs when injury to the small intestine or certain digestive diseases reduce the amount of lactase a person produces. These diseases include celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and Crohn’s disease.

Researchers have identified a genetic link for lactose intolerance. Some people are born with a likelihood of developing primary lactase deficiency because it has been passed to them genetically (inherited from their parents). This discovery may be useful in developing a diagnostic test to identify people with the condition.

Harvard University researchers recently examined the relationship between dairy consumption, obesity, and factors leading to the development of type 2 diabetes in young adults. For this analysis, more than 3,000 young adults from 4 US cities completed a questionnaire that documented lifestyle habits, including smoking status, physical activity, and diet. A physical exam and blood tests measured blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood sugar levels, and body fat.

Study participants were monitored over a 10-year period, and were diagnosed with insulin resistance syndrome if they had at least two of the following symptoms: high blood sugar, obesity, high blood pressure, and a combination of low HDL cholesterol and high triglycerides. Among the volunteers who were somewhat overweight, there was a significantly lower incidence of IRS characteristics --- obesity, high blood pressure, abnormal blood sugar levels --- in those who ate more dairy foods. Those who ate at least 5 servings per day (of milk, cheese, yogurt, and dairy-based desserts) reduced their odds of developing IRS by 72%, even after taking into consideration other dietary and lifestyle factors that affect the likelihood of developing IRS.

 

[SamIchi]

Interesting, I ever really liked cow milk, I do enjoy soy chocolate milk though. Ice cream and pizza is something I can't give up. If they find a soy alternative to these foods, I'd consider but for now, I'll stick with the regular stuff.

 

[scem0]

I was under the impression that milk contains almost all the nutrients necessary for sustaining life, which would explain why mammals nourish their babies with the stuff.

Correction: Cows nourish baby cows with cow's milk. The milk that comes out of a cow is different than the milk that comes out of a human or an ape, etc. We are the only mammals that drink cow's milk other than cows. They also only drink it when they are babies, not when they grow up.

People have been drinking milk since the dawn of time, and only recently with the introduction of all that chemical crap they put in food, are we experiencing plagues of obesity, high cholesterol, etc.

Exactly. I'm more anti-commercial milk than the substance itself. I'm not against mother's breastfeeding their children, or against drinking clean, raw cow's milk (although I personally would not do that). I'm against drinking the homogenized, hormone/steroid pumped, chemical filled milk that you buy at the grocery store which is unhealthy.

Oh and I just want to add that I'm advocating that the whole world cut themselves off from milk completely. I'm a lover of dairy myself - I love pizza, pastries, etc. I don't really like milk anymore by itself, but it's great in cooking. I like my tea black, but sometimes it's nice to have when making a dessert chai . All I'm saying is that people should be aware of how bad milk is nutritionally, and they should limit the amount that they drink.

e

 

[Lau]

I think milk is totally vile - I drink black coffee and black tea and on the rare occasion I have cereal I just put water and fruit on it. If I do drink milk, I can feel it at the back of my throat and I feel crappy all day. So anything that makes milk look bad is fine by me, because I don't think it does me any good.

Having said that, I do enjoy a nice piece of cheese. I'm not sure I should, given the above reaction to milk, but, dammit, I do love cheese.

 

[Kingsly]

I'm against drinking the homogenized, hormone/steroid pumped, chemical filled milk that you buy at the grocery store which is unhealthy.

Ditto.

 

[scem0]

I think milk is totally vile - I drink black coffee and black tea and on the rare occasion I have cereal I just put water and fruit on it. If I do drink milk, I can feel it at the back of my throat and I feel crappy all day. So anything that makes milk look bad is fine by me, because I don't think it does me any good.

Having said that, I do enjoy a nice piece of cheese. I'm not sure I should, given the above reaction to milk, but, dammit, I do love cheese.

haha, I bet I'm the same way.

I haven't had plain milk in years, but when I cut it out of my diet along with all other dairy and wheat I dropped 40 pounds and felt better than ever. I suspect that if I were to drink a glass of milk right now I'd get a tummy ache.

But I'm totally with you on the cheese. Mmmmmm, I could eat cheese all day long! Same goes for yogurt .

e

 

[saunders45]

I'll file this under the same umbrella as "Meat is bad for you. Don't eat animals."

 

[LethalWolfe]

http://www.milksucks.com

After you haven't had dairy for awhile, your body becomes lactose intolerant. Coincidence?

Hey, a website brought to you by PETA. I'm sure it lacks any sort of inflammatory, sensationalistic, manipulated, and/or self-serving "information."


Lethal

 

[Kingsly]

Hey, a website brought to you by PETA. I'm sure it lacks any sort of inflammatory, sensationalistic, manipulated, and/or self-serving "information."


Lethal

Once again, ditto.

 

[blackfox]

My 2 cents on the subject of milk - feel free to disagree with any/all of my points...

1. Nature seems to suggest that many young feed exclusively on milk until they are weaned away from it by other foods. Humans are no different in this regard. The natural dissapearance of the milk-digesting enzyme (lactase) in many adults seems to suggest that we as adults have no more need for milk than adult tigers or chimpanzees.

2. Although Milk is a complete protein food, it also contains fat, which means it does not combine well with other food, except itself. This does not pose a problem as a baby, reliant solely on milk - but as an adult, it can pose problems.

Milk curdles immediately upon hitting the stomach, so if other food is present, the curds will likely coagulate around these food particles and insulate them from exposure to gastric juices - perhaps delaying digestion long enough for putrefaction. So if you must drink milk, drink it by itself. If taken alone, it is an excellent food.

3. The above applies to raw, unpasteurized milk. Pasteurized milk is crap. Pasteurization destroys it's natural enzymes and proteins. Raw milk has the enzymes lactase and lipase, which allow the milk to digest itself. Pasteurized milk has destroyed these enzymes, making milk difficult for it to be digested by humans, even babies. More importantly, perhaps, is that the alteration of proteins inthe milk make many of the mineral elements in milk (such as Calcium) largely unassimilable.

4. Until the 20th Century, most of humanity drank raw milk. In the US, raw milk is illegal is most states. It is possible, though not necessarily true , that this was done for profit. It is far more profitable to pasteurize milk and extend it's shelf-life. Pasteurization also makes it possible to use milk from less-than-healthy animals, as the pasteurization process kills most of the harmful germs in that milk. This is also a potentially cost-cutting procedure.

Needless to say, I stay away from pasteurized milk. It actually tastes pretty bad too. I remember raw milk from growing up in England, and all I can say is that if you have had it, you will probably find pasteurized milk an extremely poor substitute.

FWIW...

 

[CanadaRAM]

American Dietetic Association

"Food and Nutrition Misinformation on the Internet

The Internet is a rapidly expanding source of food and nutrition information. Forty-six percent of those participating in a 2005 Food Marketing Institute survey said they used the Internet on a regular basis. Although people are increasingly relying on the Internet for nutrition information,(10) consumers must be informed that the accuracy of information appearing on Web sites is not governed by any regulatory agency. As a result, sites featuring sound, science-based content coexist with sites containing questionable, inaccurate, or alarming nutrition information promoted by individuals and groups supporting unscientific views."

British Dietetic Assn.
Dieticians of Canada
Nicholas Institute for Sports Medicine
National Cancer Institute has no contra-indications
- the only studies of cancer that involved milk that I could find showed that people who grew up in US and Russian states where and when atomic weapons testing took place, had higher levels of thyroid cancer, which was linked to radioactive iodine ingested with milk (presumably from cows grazing on contaminated pastureland) and noted that the incidence dropped with the cessation of testing.
American Institute for Cancer Research has no contraindication for milk, and includes milk-based recipes in its recommendations


Of course, it is true to say that millions of people don't tolerate milk. If you don't then it isn;t a good food choice for you. If you do, though, the fact that someone else is intolerant it not reason to stop consuming milk.

Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
There are studies that present weak evidence of drinking large amounts of whole milk (and not any other type) with increased ovarian cancer. "However, since the association was a weak one, the new report is no reason to stop drinking milk in moderation, the researchers note.... Although [whole] milk consumption may increase the risk of ovarian cancer, this cancer is relatively uncommon. In contrast, there is strong evidence that milk consumption (and a high intake of calcium, which is found in milk) may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, which is a much more common cancer than ovarian cancer. Consumption of low-fat milk might also lower the risk for other diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.""