The Truth About Milk
“The human body has no more need for cows’ milk than it does for dogs’ milk, horses’ milk, or giraffes’ milk.”
~ Michael Klaper
For as long as I can remember, milk has been my nemesis. The taste, the texture, the color – everything about it just rubs me the wrong way. Even as a baby, I rejected it with a vengeance, spitting it up after a mere few gulps. Luckily, my parents discovered the wonders of soy milk, but that’s a story for another time.
While my four delightful siblings happily guzzled milk without a care, I always felt like the odd one out with my lactose-intolerant superpowers. Little did I know, it turns out that most wee ones have no trouble digesting lactose thanks to their abundant supply of lactase – the enzyme that breaks milk down into those sweet sugar components, glucose and galactose.
However, as we grow out of our adorable baby phase, about 75 percent of the global population loses their milk-digesting prowess. Those adults who can still handle milk truly deserve the title of ‘lactase persistent.’
While it is customary for mammals to rely on alternative food sources after weaning, we defy the norm by continuing to indulge in the consumption of milk.
But here’s the kicker: we’re not content with just any milk, we go the extra mile and drink it from another species!
Are you experiencing the signs of lactose intolerance?
Don’t worry if you’re feeling symptoms of lactose intolerance. It’s perfectly normal, just like losing your baby teeth or shedding those adorable baby chubbiness.
So why do we all keep consuming cow’s milk?
Well, we’ve been influenced by the media and the dairy industry, and since childhood, we’ve been taught by our parents and teachers that milk is essential for strong bones and teeth.
But let me tell you, as a health-conscious individual, there’s more to the story.
Why Drinking Milk Is Bad For Humans
1. Baby Calf Growth Fluid
Cow’s milk is designed to turn a 65-pound calf into a 700-pound cow as rapidly as possible. Milk should more correctly be labeled as “baby calf growth fluid” because that is exactly what it is.
Brimming with hormones, lipids, proteins, sodium and growth factors that are meant to increase a calf’s weight, cow’s milk is very unfriendly to the human body.
2. Linked To Cancer Risks
It increases our weight and is loaded with estrogens. These hormones are related to speeding up puberty in children.
3. Acidifies The Body’s pH
Calcium neutralizes acid and since most of it is stored in the bones, the very same calcium needed to keep the bones strong, is used to neutralize the acidifying effect of milk. Once pulled from the bones, calcium is excreted through the kidneys via urine leaving the body with a calcium deficit.
In fact, studies have shown that drinking milk from a young age doesn’t protect against future fracture risk but actually increases it.¹
4. It’s Unethical
To keep a cow lactating through drugs or pregnancy just so we can drink her milk is cruel. Each time we drink a glass of milk, a calf is not getting his.
5. Contains Hormones And Antibiotics
When cows are injected with these toxins, they end up in the milk we drink. Raw milk may be less acidifying than pasteurized milk, but I still don’t recommend that you drink it. Think about all the harmful effects it is doing to your body each time you drink a glass of milk.
Healthier Alternatives To Milk
As a non-lactase persistent individual, I much prefer drinking unsweetened almond milk.
It took me a while to fully embrace the concept, but the idea of turning almonds into milk initially made me cringe. I mean, how can almonds possibly produce milk?
But here’s the thing: almonds offer all the incredible benefits of dairy milk, without the unwanted additives such as pus, antibiotics, and other unnatural substances that unfortunate cows are subjected to. Not only that, almond milk is alkalizing and provides our bodies with essential healthy fats.
If you’re experiencing digestive issues after consuming dairy, consider replacing your milk with healthier alternatives such as almond milk, rice milk, cashew milk, coconut milk or even oat milk.
Moo-ve Over
I recommend avoiding sheep or goat’s milk for the same reasons. By abstaining from consuming the milk of another species, we can ensure that we are making ethical choices. These animals often undergo treatments that are against their natural instincts to continuously produce milk for our consumption.
Leave their milk alone and discover better alternatives. Choose the path that benefits both you and them in the long run.
Do you think humans should be drinking cow’s milk?