Myths About Milk (III)

Milk is a healthy food, should we have more? Before answering this question, let's understand some other facts about milk

Lactose in milk

—Some people are born with lactose intolerance, and they will suffer from diarrhea when they drink it, so they will naturally not drink more. The people who are hurt by lactose are those who think they are not lactose intolerant. As we age, the amount of lactase in our body actually decreases. This is a natural process because nature thinks we no longer need milk to grow. The vast majority of elderly people don't even have lactase anymore. It can be argued that milk is not suitable for adults who should have been weaned long ago

Protein in milk

—Whey protein, which can cause gas and bloating, and is also an insulin stimulus. In addition to insulin problems, chronic rhinitis, sinusitis, postnasal drip and ear infections have all been linked to cow's milk.

-- Casein, 80% of the protein in milk is casein. It is an indigestible protein that takes hours to break down in the gut. Our immune system tends to perceive non-digestible milk proteins as an irritant. Exposure of the body to high levels of casein may trigger an immune response against inflammation.

Hormones in milk

Breast milk contains hormones that make a baby grow, and cow's milk contains hormones that make a calf grow. This is a natural property of milk. The same hormones that work on calves also have effects on us as adults. Moreover, many large dairies around the world inject cows with hormones, including bovine somatotropin, which is used to increase milk production, and these foreign hormones can increase the risk of estrogen-related cancers in humans.

Milk production process

Most of the milk we see in the supermarket has gone through the 2 processes of pasteurization and homogenization. Pasteurization is the process of heating milk to a certain temperature to kill bacteria. But in this process, most of the enzymes and vitamins in the milk are destroyed. The homogenization process gives the milk a creamy consistency. It changes the size and shape of milk fat, which can make it easier to absorb and cause inflammation in the body. Smaller milk fat molecules also attach to artery walls.

After understanding these, I believe you have your own answer to the question of whether you should have more milk.

To sum it up simply, if children love to drink, drink in moderation, just one cup a day, and drinking more is not beneficial. But children with acne, chronic rhinitis, and gastrointestinal problems are best not to drink. Those who do not like to drink milk are a gift from God. There is no need to force children to drink because of calcium supplementation and these misunderstandings.

As for the adults, they are all grown-ups, so let's “wean” them off.