Is Cow Milk Good For Health?

So, your mom probably told you that cow milk is the best thing for your body, and you should drink your glass of milk without making fuss. What if it isn’t? What if milk has many negative effects that you don’t really know? Sounds strange, doesn’t it?

You have all heard of how milk provides many important vitamins and nutrients like calcium, among others. But, is cow milk good for health? Although milk itself is an extremely healthy food, the subtle ways that it affects the body can sometimes cause more harm than good.

Let’s look at some expert views on cow milk benefits and side effects:

1. Nutrition:

In terms of nutritional benefits, there are many conflicting opinions on whether cow milk is good for health or not. Long mooted as the complete nutritional food, leading doctors of the past and present have studied and detailed their findings on cow milk.

For:

Dr. William Sears, leading pediatrician and Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Irvine, said in a study in 2006: “Milk is one of the most nutritious foods. It contains most basic nutrients growing children need in fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals (except iron). Although, you can derive most of these nutrients from seafood, legumes, and other vegetables, milk is a one stop shop for most of these nutrients. Children eat more amounts of dairy products more consistently than other foods. Although, whole milk might not be the best calcium source, it is the most practical.”

2. Cancer:

Cow milk is rich in essential nutrients and is also rich in Vitamin D. Although it is generally assumed that this is what makes milk an effective anti-carcinogenic, many experts disagree.

For:

The Director of Clinical and Pediatric Studies at Creighton University, Joan Lappe, PhD, conclude in a study by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2007: “This is the first clinical trial to show that boosting vitamin D status can affect the overall risk for cancer – a proposition that has tremendous public health potential. By choosing vitamin-D rich foods like milk and taking a supplement, Americans can help improve their vitamin D levels and potentially impact their cancer risk.”

Against:

While the study concludes that vitamin D can potentially reduce cancer risk, there are many other factors that can lead to other forms of cancer. Alison Stewart, Editor of the Consumer Health Journal, concluded in 2004: “Milk consumption can lead to cancer risks, as it contains an insulin-like growth factor, IGF-1. This is because milk is primarily produced for children and IGF-1 is essential for growth. Although IGF-1 helps growth, excessive levels may stimulate cancer cells.”

3. Heart Disease:

With many experts speaking about the ill-effects of high amounts of saturated fat in whole milk, there are many possible implications of drinking whole milk. Saturated fat can cause complications in diabetics and people who are at risk of heart problems.

For:

Dr. Peter Elwood, MD, Professor of Epidemiology University declares that cow milk does not increase any risk of cardiovascular disease. He concluded in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health in 2005: “Men who consume more milk experience lowered risk of ischaemic (inadequate blood flow) stroke and heart disease. These results are quite beneficial. Although milk is perceived as harmful and something that increases cardiovascular risk, you need to make every effort to restore milk to its rightful place in a healthy diet.”

Against:

Dr. Margaret Moss, MA, Director of the Nutrition and Allergy Clinic in Manchester, had an entirely different opinion. She noted in the Journal of Nutritional & Environmental Medicine in 2002: “Many studies conclude that milk consumption and rate of death due to CHD (Coronary Heart Disease) are closely associated. Countries where milk isn’t really popular exhibit low rates of CHD death, while Portugal (one of the countries with a high rate of milk consumption) records a higher rate of CHD death.”

4. Bone Health:

Milk contains calcium, and you need it for strong bones. Although milk contains high levels of calcium, experts still conflict about how good milk consumption is for preventing osteoporosis.

For:

Connie M. Weaver, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Food and Nutrition, Purdue University, concluded on the National Dairy Council website in 2002: “You should usually have four to five servings of calcium-rich foods like milk and dairy products per day. And you need to get to the optimal bone mass during adolescence. Low calcium levels can impact bone growth periods, and the youth of today might face serious public health problems in the future.”

Against:

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine concluded in a 2007 study: “The debate over the long-term consumption of milk rages on; studies don’t clearly imply or state whether milk consumption is good for your bones. Evidence has suggested that milk consumption does not improve bone health. Bone health is related to physical activity and not how much milk or calcium you had as a teen. Apparently, milk has no benefits later on in life either.”

Conclusion:

Walter Willett, MD, Ph.D., Professor of Epidemiology Head of the Nutrition Department at the Harvard School of Public Health has this to say about cow milk. “The point isn’t that you have to give up dairy, but it’s also important for people to know that they don’t only have to drink milk to be healthy.”