Not Like Mom's

A calf grows up to be a 600 lbs. cow and does not drink mother’s milk after approximately seven months from birth. Humans are the only ones that drink milk of other animals. Why do humans need cow’s milk at all?

Yesterday after my 6:00pm bootcamp class, we got into a discussing about the necessity of milk in the adult diet. I have long been of the belief that milk beyond a certain age provides no nutritional value to the human body. Do human need to drink cow's milk? There has been tons of research done to answer this question.

Cow's milk form the first foreign protein to enter an infant's body since most formulas are dairy based. Some researchers have said that the consumption of dairy and dairy products results in the increased incidents of immune disorder in countries with high dairy use. We know that a strong immune system is basic for the body to fight off disease.

All types of animal milk contain a simple sugar called lactose. The body produces the enzyme lactase to digest lactose. The problem, however, is that production of lactase reduces significantly after weaning. Which is why people become lactose intolerant. Milk is thus absorbed into the blood without proper digestion. All proteins, including milk protein, are made of blocks of amino acids. These amino acids must first be broken down by the digestive system to avoid excessive immune responses. Repeated exposure to undigested amino acids can result in an overactive immune system, which can result in the body attacking itself and not harmful bacteria. This has been know to cause allergies and other medical issues.

Dairy products are loaded with fats that are easily stored under your skin as "body fat." The fats in that cold glass of milk, that little bite of cheese, and that small bowl of ice cream will move from your lips to your hips effortlessly. Over 25% of children are overweight in Western countries and cow's milk,cheese, yogurt, ice cream, butter, and sour cream, with all their fat and calories, contribute greatly to this deadly epidemic.

A popular advertising campaign seems to promote the myth that dairy products help people lose weight. Shouldn't the idea of milk acting as an "anti obesity" food strike you as fundamentally contradictory? After all, the biologic purpose of cow's milk is to provide large amounts of energy and nutrients to grow the young animal from 60 to 600 pounds. So how does milk become a weight loss product in the 21st century?

The idea that dairy is needed for calcium is also wrong when you consider that dark green leafy vegetables provide an excellent source of calcium without the added fat. Nuts, especially almonds contain as much if not more calcium than most dairy products.

I don't believe dairy serves a purpose in the adult diet. It certainly isn't an agent for weight loss and it quite possibly does more harm than good. Think about that the next time you reach for that bowl of rocky road. Thanks for your ear and keep reading!