Milk is nature's perfect food but only if you are a calf. The evidence of dairy's harmful effects to humans is increasing.
Dr. Dr. David Ludwig and Dr. Walter Willett, of JAMA Pediatrics, recently published an editorial in which they argue that milk may increase the risk of cancer and promote weight gain. Recent studies have found that one diet drink (diet milk shake) a week increases your risk of type 2 diabetes by 33 percent and a large diet drink increases the risk by 66 percent.
What about low fat milk or non-fat milk? These are the healthier options, right?
Wrong! Fat is not what makes us fat, despite commonly held mistaken belief. Low fat diet is known to increase hunger and slow metabolism. Increased hunger leads to overeating. Overeating starchy and refined carbohydrates leads to obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Dr. David Ludwig found that those who ate a low fat, higher glycemic diet burned 300 calories less a day that those who ate an identical calorie diet that was higher in fat and lower in glycemic load. For those who ate the higher fat, lower glycemic diet, that’s like exercising an extra hour a day without doing anything!
Studies have shown that those who consumed low fat milk products gained more weight than those who ate the full fat whole milk products. They seemed to increase their overall intake of food because it just wasn’t as satisfying as the real thing. In fact, those who drank the most milk overall gained the most weight. It makes logical sense. Milk contains over sixty different hormones that boost growth. That's how a little calf quickly grows into a big cow.
The sad thing is that many schools and “healthy” beverage guidelines encourage the idea that flavored milk is better than soda and that getting kids to drink more milk by any means is a good idea. This is dangerously misguided.
There are 27 grams of sugar in 8 ounces of Coca Cola and a whopping 30 grams of sugar in 8 ounces of Nestlé Chocolate Milk. Sugar is sugar and it drives obesity and diabetes. It is not a good way to get kids to drink milk.
There are many problems with milk:
- Dairy and milk products do not promote healthy bones. Studies show that higher calcium intakes are actually associated with higher risk of fracture.
- Milk may not grow strong bones, but it does seem to grow cancer cells. Milk increases the hormone called IGF-1 or insulin-like growth factor, and that's like Miracle-Gro for cancer cells.
- Dairy products have been linked to prostate cancer. And cows are milked while pregnant (yes, even organic cows), filling milk with loads of reproductive and potentially cancer-causing hormones.
- Dairy increases the risk of type 1 diabetes.
- Dairy is a well-known cause of acne.
- Dairy causes millions around the world (75 percent of the population) to suffer digestive distress because of lactose intolerance.
- MIlk causes intestinal bleeding in 40 percent of infants leading to iron deficiency.
- Dairy is a known trigger for allergy, asthma, and eczema.
Bottom line: Milk promotes weight gain, cancer and osteoporosis. If you ate only whole foods, fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, and whole grains (not whole grain flour), you might be better off overall.