Milk Does A Body Good-  But Should We Be Drinking It?

Does everyone remember the “Got Milk” campaign from the 90’s.  With all the celebrities touting milk mustaches?  It was a big push for the milk industry to get people to drink milk again, as the consumption of milk had been steadily declining since the 1970’s.  In fact, milk consumption has dropped about 40% in the past 40 years or so.

Source: USDA

So it doesn’t look like the “Got Milk” marketing ploy worked.  Why not?  

You’re right, it didn’t.  There was like a year or 2 where milk consumption went up a tick, but it’s generally been a steady decline.  From what I can gather, it’s two fold.  Lots more eating out- aka less home cooked meals with milk at dinner.  Couple that with the fact that there were a lot more drink options popping up in the 90’s.  Drinks like Yoohoo, Sunny D, soda, Hi-C and other juices, Capri sun, Snapple, Kool-Aid…need I go on?  With so many more options on the market, no wonder milk didn’t stand a chance.  Soy milk hit the market in the mid 90’s, but didn’t really catch on until well into the 2000’s, around 2010.

But, why the big push to drink milk in the 90’s?

Besides the declining market affecting dairy farms across the US, milk is a really healthy option.  Drinking 1% or skim milk, which is lower in saturated fat compared to 2% or whole, provides calcium, vitamin D, protein, potassium, and phosphorus.  Truly , it’s one of the best sources of calcium out there.  Low calcium intake increases the risk for osteoporosis. osteopenia. calcium deficiency disease (hypocalcemia).  Getting enough calcium to build strong bones is imperative until the age of 30.  After that, you need to keep up the calcium intake to maintain your bone density. Here’s how much you need daily:

I’m not buying it, I can get my calcium from other sources, right?

Possibly.  The Mediterranean Diet, which we talked about in our last blog (read about it here) is relatively low in dairy, and milk is practically non-existent.  So, how do they get their calcium in?  The Mediterranean diet relies on other sources of calcium, like sardines, which Americans don’t eat all that frequently.  Let’s take a look where calcium might come from in your diet:

That’s kind of it.  The Got Milk campaign encouraged 3 glasses of milk a day, which would get you 900mg of calcium, or about 70% of your daily intake.  Not bad, but if you’re not drinking milk, you need to make sure you’re getting it from other sources.  You need a lot of cheese, which comes with a lot of fat, to meet your needs.  Most yogurt is smaller portions, or lower in calcium (like Greek tends to be).  Plus, they tend to come with added sugar, which milk doesn’t.  Broccoli is typically listed as a calcium source, but you would need to eat 30 cups of it a day to meet your needs.  See what I’m getting at?

But I heard milk has added hormones and antibiotics that are bad for me.

Hold on.  Yes, there are hormones in milk.  Naturally occurring bovine growth hormone  (bGH) is found in all milk, since it’s a protein produced by the pituitary glands cows for normal milk production.  There is a synthetic hormone called rbGH given to cows to help them produce more milk, so is that one the problem?  Nope.  First, studies show that the total amount of growth hormone (whether added or natural) is about the same. Plus, while bGH does pass into the milk of cows, humans don’t absorb it. On top of that, the heat during pasteurization inactivates it, AND our digestive tracks break down whatever’s left.  When it comes to antibiotics, yes, cows are given antibiotics.  I would hope so!  If they get sick, give them something to help them!  But, the FDA has placed a limit on antibiotic use in cows and the milk is screened for antibiotics levels.  It’s worth nothing, research does show that about 60% of non-organic milk contains trace amounts of antibiotics.=

I’ll just drink soy milk or something else.

Great!  There are so many milk alternatives out there if you don’t want to drink milk, have a lactose intolerance, or just don’t like the taste.  HOWEVER! Be aware that milk alternatives are NOT milk equivalents.  Meaning, check the label.  If you’re using milk for the protein, check that.  If you need the calcium, check for that.  Be aware of added sugar.  I personally don’t recommend coconut milk products as they are higher in saturated fats and there are so many other options.  Check out this chart so you see what I mean:

So when it comes to milk, no you don’t have to drink it (sorry dairy farmers! And the Got Milk campaign).  But make sure you’re getting your calcium and vitamin D in another way, since milk is one of the best sources for those nutrients, and we rely on them for strong bones and teeth.  Milk, organic milk, milk alternatives, yogurt, kefir, fortified OJ and cereal can all be part of a health diet.  So you pick what’s best for you!  Enjoy!

Stay Happy, Stay Healthy

This blog was written by Chris Henigan MS, RD, LDN, co-founder of Simple Start Nutrition.  For more blog posts and nutrition information follow @simplestartnutrition on Instagram and Facebook.  Also feel free to contact us, by visiting our website (simplestartnutrition.com) to schedule an appointment to discuss your nutrition related needs.  We’re here to help.

References

1. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Bovine Somatotropin (bST).
2. World Health Organization. Evaluation of certain veterinary drug residues in food. Seventy-eighth report of the joint FAO/WHO expert committee on food additives
3. Calcium. Facts Sheets for Health Professionals https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-HealthProfessional/
4. Welsh JA, Braun H, Brown N, et al. Production-related contaminants (Pesticides, antibiotics and hormones) in organic and conventionally produced milk samples sold in the USA. Public Health Nutr. 2019;22(16):2972-2980. doi:10.1017/S136898001900106X.