Dietetic Intern Rachel is back this morning to share a little nutrition research about milk and growth hormones. Whether you guzzle whole milk or hemp milk, I hope this will provide a little depth into the dairy industry.
Milk. You’re either a fan, somewhere in between loving and hating it, or you can’t tolerate it at all. For me, I’m a fan. When I hear milk I not only think of the many benefits that it reaps but it reminds me of my childhood. Growing up I was the little girl running around outside barefoot, playing in the straw bales, helping in the garden, riding shotgun in a tractor and waking up to the sound of cows mooing off in the distance….you know the typical things kids experience when growing up. HA! As you might have gathered, I grew up on a dairy farm. My appreciation for the hard work that goes into production of the nourishing food we consume, specifically a glass of cold milk, blossomed as the little girl with long, blonde pigtails ran around outside waving at her dad working hard out on the farm.
Even though I wasn’t aware at the time, my childhood would be considered unique. I would come to realize that my childhood instilled in me an appreciation for the countless hours worked and strategies farmers use to produce the wonderful food that we consume day in and day out.
So back to milk. I use it to make overnight oats, to top off my coffee, or with a snack after a hard workout. Obviously growing up on a dairy farm, I grew up drinking cow’s milk and still drink it to this day for a couple of reasons:
- To support all the hard-working dairy farmers out there
- To reap its benefits. Milk is a great source of protein, calcium, vitamin D and various other nutrients our bodies will benefit from.
More and more I have come to notice that people are choosing to not drink cow’s milk for a variety of reasons. Why people choose to switch from cow’s milk to plant based milk I’ve noticed falls on a spectrum. Maybe they’re lactose intolerant, maybe they prefer the flavor better, maybe because it’s the hot new thing to drink, and maybe it’s because of the growth hormones in milk? Wait, what? Growth hormones in milk? Yes, I must admit that even as a child growing up on a dairy farm, I knew very little about this topic. Could this be true? Is it something to be worried about? This topic recently came up in conversation with someone and it intrigued me. To get a grasp on these lingering questions and thoughts, I did what any curious soon to be Registered Dietitian would do and went to the literature and my favorite farmer (aka Dad) in hopes of some concrete answers.
The consumption of milk dates back to as far as 4,000 B.C. and would continue to evolve to a time when it was discovered that cows injected with growth hormones, specifically bovine somatrophin (bST) would cause an increase in milk production. bST is a protein hormone produced by the pituitary gland of cows that naturally increases milk production but is also necessary for growth, development, and overall health maintenance. Injection of this hormone was just another strategy along with proper hydration and nutritious feedings to increase a cow’s milk production. In the 1980’s, recombinant DNA processes would make it feasible to produce large amounts of bST. This artificial growth hormone would become known as recombinant bovine somatrophin or rBST. The FDA would approve the synthetic hormone in 1993 after extensive review of the safety of the product and its impact on consumers. Even with the approval of the FDA fears of the synthetic hormone would surface.
The concern was that cows injected with rBST had elevated levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), but it was found that cows injected did not have a higher level of IGF-1 than those cows that did not receive the synthetic hormone. There is a lot of concern around IGF-1 but it is actually found naturally in humans. Studies have shown that cows treated with rBST have resulted in a slight increase in IGF-1 in humans. Even so the FDA determined this not an issue of human food safety concern once it was determined this level was less than the natural occurring IGF-1 observed in the milk of lactating mothers. Elevated levels of IGF-1 have been associated with some cancers in humans, but follow-up studies have either been weak or inconsistent with results found in earlier studies.
As I was looking through the research, it appears that the rBST hormone itself has been well researched and reviewed by the NIH (National Institute of Health), the joint World Health Organization/Food and Agriculture Organization Committee (WHO/FAO), the American Medical Association (AMA) and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND). What would benefit from more research is a look at IGF-1 and the inconclusive results of studies previously done.
The cool thing about this topic is that the majority of farmers have gotten away from using rBST because it is expensive and not needed. As of 2007, 85% of dairy operations were not using rBST. Farmers opt for other strategies such as nutritious diets, proper hydration and comfortable living conditions for cows to improve the quality and production of milk. Milk corporations have listened to the fears of the consumers and have labeled whether or not their milk products are rBST-free. There should be no concerns over rBST if you are choosing to consume a milk that is labeled free of artificial hormones. All Grade A milk which makes up approximately 95% of our milk supply is required by law to be tested for antibiotic or animal drug residues before it is processed. Any milk found positive for these things is rejected for human consumption. As you can see there are many precautions taken to keep the safety of the consumer in mind.
What I want you to take away from this is that dairy products are just fine in moderation. Yes, IGF-1 and its impact on humans still needs to be studied more, but the amounts that we consume have not been found to be concerning. Dairy products are a wonderful source of nutrients as are many other plant-based products. Whether you choose to consume cow’s milk or not, is ultimately up to you. Personally, I am still going to enjoy my glass of cold milk while thanking my local farmer for all the hard work they do ?
julia says
yeah, i’ve always been confused why people refuse to drink cow’s milk if they aren’t allergic and don’t mind the taste. thanks for the research summary. i’m sure there are lots of contradicting studies, but i’m happy to keep drinking cow’s milk.
Jillian says
What turned me away and what this writer did not mention was the ethical standpoint. Cows are impregnated over and over because they cannot produce milk without having a calf (just like us the milk is meant for their babies). Factory farming footage has shown baby cows being ripped away from their mothers early causing severe distress. I have also read (but am not sure if this happens everywhere) that if the baby is a female it will live the same fate as its mother, and males become veal because they cannot produce milk and that is how farmers will make a profit. I have watched footage from factory farms where the cows are not medically cared for and being locked to a pump for many hours of the day causes infections on their udders, which can lead to puss and bodily fluids in the milk. Have also seen footage of a dairy cow’s body being so spent from a lifetime of this horrific cycle that it had to be pushed with a plow into the slaughter house where they all end up when their bodies no longer produce milk.
Not locating sources but it is information that is very easy to find. It probably does not happen on every farm but the majority of milk people buy does come from factory farming practices like this. That played a huge role in why I switched to other milks and have limited my intake of other sources of dairy.
Erin Hack says
well said, Jillian. I don’t drink milk from an animal because it isn’t ethical. The things that these poor cows go through is horrible. And I’m sure the author may have come from a caring dairy farm, and I hope that she did, but using animals to produce something that we don’t need is torture and I want no part of that. And with the wide range of vegan milks and cheeses, there is no need to promote suffering.
julia says
yes, that is a very good point, and I actually had heard that same thing and had forgotten, maybe purposefully since I drink milk? it’s hard to know how to be responsible without feeling like I’m being irresponsible in some other way. (i’m thinking of almond milk right now and all of the water they take up in CA drought.)
MK says
Thank you for your comment, Jillian. At first I didn’t want to bring this up, because I’m assuming the guest intern is young and perhaps unaware (didn’t want to come off as lecturing her). But then I thought it deserves to be addressed. Whether it’s a factory farm or not, the idea of continually impregnating cows just so we (humans) can drink their milk meant for their babies is repulsive. No other species does this (willingly). If you don’t eat veal (due to the cruelty factor — calves fattened up, living in tiny pens all their lives) but still consume cheese (or other dairy products), you are still supporting the veal industry. I had to ask myself if cheese (or yogurt or ice cream etc) is really that important. For me, easy answer: not at all. Visit a farm sanctuary. It really opens one’s eyes. And I won’t even touch the issue of how truly unhealthy (specifically casein — milk protein) milk is for humans. The real research/info is out there. You just have to do a little digging.
Michele says
Wow, I learned something new today. I will not eat veal but didn’t realize that eating dairy products still supported that industry. I personally drink almond milk mainly because it’s so much lower in calories but I do love yogurt and cheese. I will have to rethink that.
Sara says
Kath, I love your blog, but I can’t believe this article made no mention of the ethical issues here – we don’t NEED milk and to subject animals to this kind of factory farmed process is misery for them.
Jamey says
LOVE this topic!! I’m glad to have someone set the record straight! Milk is healthy for a person’s diet, especially kids. Too many people are missing out on vital nutrients from milk because of the fear of hormones!
Renee says
Having grown up on a dairy farm, I’m curious what your thoughts are about drinking raw milk. It’s illegal to buy it here in NJ, but we travel over to PA just to get it, believing there is no better milk you can consume.
Alyssa says
I have the same question! I choose not to drink cow’s milk often because in the pasteurization process many of the nutrients are stripped out, only to be added through artificial supplements (which I prefer to stay away from). If raw milk were legal in Maryland, then I would choose to consume that.
Rachel says
Pasteurization kills harmful bacterias such as Salmonella, E.coli, and Listeria that can cause food borne illnesses. This is especially important for those with lowered immune systems, older adults, pregnant women and children. I would recommend consuming pasteurized milk for this reason! Don’t want all of you getting sick 🙂
Sagan says
I find it so interesting how dairy production is different in Canada vs. the States (in terms of using hormones).
Organic dairy is where it’s at!
jill says
Word!
Elyse says
Here in Canada, I don’t think hormones are allowed in milk, that being said, I rarely drink cows milk still and when I do it has to have lacteeze in it, thanks to a lactose intolerance.
Erin @ Her Heartland Soul says
I love milk and drink it daily but only buy organic. I like that I can feel good about my purchase. 🙂
Karla says
Many people chose to not drink dairy milk because the majority of cows are raised on factory farms where they are treated inhumanely including being kept in small spaces, indoors and being separated from their babies at birth, Other people chose not to drink milk because they are concerned about the planet and it takes 2,000 gallons of water to make one gallon of milk.
Elise says
And for many, it’s both! Great response.
Karen says
And as has been pointed out, almonds use up a huge amount of water, and are nearly all grown in California, which is experiencing a drought right now. Personally I cannot digest nuts, and if I want to get calcium and protein from a dietary source, it’s yogurt or cow’s milk for me. Everybody deserves the right to make the decision that is right for them and not be shamed or guilt-bombed for it.
Nicole says
I grew up in Canada and loved drinking milk. One could argue I drank way too much. I only stopped drinking it when I moved to the US, I thought it was in my head but the milk always tasted sour, like it was just going off. Even organic milk down here, while better tasting, still isn’t as good. Basically, I milk binge whenever I go home haha. I don’t know what it is about the milk here but it’s nowhere near as good as what I grew up with.
Susie says
In Canada, growth hormones are only approved for use in cows that produce beef. They help to produce leaner beef at a lower cost to consumers.
Growth hormones are not used in cows that produce milk. They are also not used poultry and pork production.
http://www.dairygoodness.ca/good-health/dairy-facts-fallacies/hormones-for-cows-not-in-canada
Keegan says
I think you are leaving out one major reason why people choose to drink cow milk substitutes and that is the cruelty of dairy farming. Cows’ milk is meant for baby cows, not humans. To be able to provide that milk to humans instead, baby cows are ripped away from their mothers within hours of giving birth. For those of you that drink cow milk I urge to look into the matter further, it’s not just about hormones, it’s about cruelty. http://freefromharm.org/dairyfacts/ http://dairy.mercyforanimals.org/ http://milkiscruel.com/
Katharine Carlsen says
Applause!!!!
MK says
Or check out this very informative documentary: Cowspiracy.
Rachel @ FitFoodieFiles says
I totally respect people’s decision to continue to drink cow’s milk, but I do think it’s important to have all the facts. Although it is nice to think that our cow’s milk (and other dairy products) comes from small dairy farms where cows are grazing in pastures and chickens roam freely, the reality is that the majority of dairy products (even those labeled as organic) come from large factory farms where animals are grossly mistreated. Smaller farms that don’t want to engage in these practices simply can’t compete with those who do. It’s a sad reality, but nonetheless one that is important to face.
In terms of health, there are some prestigious studies (such as The China Study) linking the consumption of animal fats and proteins to a higher incidence of diseases such as cancers, diabetes, metabolic sydrome, heart disease etc. It’s very easy to find conflicting nutritional advice from many different sources, but there are potential health concerns as to why people might choose to forego dairy products.
I do appreciate your research on rBST and IGF-1’s safety for human consumption, as I think the more you know about where your food came from and what is in it, the better. I just wanted to shed some light on alternative reasons why people might choose not to drink cow’s milk!
Laurie says
I’m one of those people who no longer drinks milk. In fact, I no longer consume any dairy, meat, chicken or fish after watching documentaries like “Forks Over Knives” and reading books like “The China Study”. There is significant data which shows that eating a whole food, plant-based diet is very healthy for humans and provides all of the nutrition we need from whole grains, legumes, fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds. There are so many videos out there which show the abuse which some dairy cows go through to produce our milk. Non-dairy milks (soy, almond, rice, hemp, etc) taste great, don’t add to the suffering of animals or the mis-use of the Earth’s resources . . . plus there isn’t a risk of consuming growth hormones or anitbiotics. Win win! 🙂
tracy says
Non-dairy milks clearly do not add to the suffering of animals, but there was some internet controversy a few weeks ago about the amount of water required to grow almonds. And where do 80% of the world’s almonds come from? California. We are all aware of the drought problems there. I’m not blaming almond farmers for the drought, but to say there is no impact on Earth’s resources to produce other milks is not accurate. Let’s just all agree to disagree on the topic. We all make our own choices for our own personal reasons.
Karla says
I live in California. We have a huge water issues but almonds are not the problem. It takes 8 gallons of water to make a gallon of almond milk, whereas it takes 90 gallons of water to make a gallon of dairy milk.
Ali says
That documentary impacted me so much! We (my husband and I) never buy cow’s milk and we eat vegetarian much more often. Dairy milk seems so unnatural for humans after FOK, especially since the vitamins/nutrients can be eaten in real food, plant-based diets.
It seems like there are two very different sides of this whole debate. It’s hard to know which side to believe because of the strong contradictions!!
Kath or Rachel- would either of you mind addressing this (at least briefly)? What are your thoughts on Forks Over Knives and The China Study since many of us commenters today seem to be on that side? I am genuinely curious!
P.S. My comment isn’t meant to be mean-spirited or anything! It’s just a topic with so much controversy- I’m fascinated with it!! 🙂
KathEats says
Writing from my phone, but early humans of European decent needed milk to thrive when they migrated out of Africa and their clothing prevented adequate vitamin D absorption. They evolved to digest dairy and it was very critical for their survival. I think it’s a great nutrient-dense food option.
Rachel says
Wait, what? I’m confused. I didn’t think that Vitamin D naturally occurred in milk. I think that milk that contains vitamin D has been fortified with it.
KathEats says
I might be getting something wrong here. I’ll need to research this next week.
Lisa C says
I believe the pasteurization process destroys some nutrients. I believe that is why Vit A and D are added back in.
Sarah says
That’s right, milk is fortified with vitamin D because your body needs it to absorb the calcium. That’s why most calcium supplements are also vitamin D fortified. Milk has only trace amounts.
Claire says
Isn’t modern milk fortified with vitamin D? How much vitamin D is in unfortified milk?
Ellen says
Vitamin D is artificially added to milk. Pretty sure early humans weren’t getting any significant quantity of D from milk. They did eventually get more D by evolving less pigmented skin, which is better able to absorb D from the sun…
KathEats says
Early humans were drinking unadulterated milk
Ellen says
Yes, sorry if I was unclear, but that was my point – they were drinking milk to which vitamin D had not been added. So: they were likely not getting a lot of vitamin D from that milk.
Meme says
What Rachel and Ellen said. Vitamin D is artificially added to most milk in the U.S. (and Canada?). There is only trace amounts, if any, in whole milk straight from the cow.
Dr. Conway says
I am confused about this statement. Milk has only trace amounts of vitamin D. Modern day milk is a good source because vitamin D is added. I don’t see how milk could have been a source of vitamin D for early man.
Elise says
I’m sorry, but this response makes absolutely no sense. As an RD I would hope you know that vitamin D is added to the dairy products we’ve been taught are “so important” for our health. In reality, the nutrients found in dairy can be found naturally in a variety of plant foods, and the only reason Americans have been taught to believe it is healthy is because the dairy industry is subsidized heavily by the U.S. government. Calcium, protein and vitamin D can be absorbed by the body from a variety of plant sources and are certainly not exclusive to animal-based dairy.
KathEats says
This article explains my point exactly. The selection for lactase and therefore tapping into a new source of nutrition that was especially important during famine.
And
KathEats says
And here is another article explaining milk’s role in human evolution. Off the top of my head I had vitamin Ds role wrong, but it is a player in the hypotheses, perhaps related to the fat levels in milk and its nature as a fat-solube vitamin. My main point is that milk is indeed nutritious. It’s not water and void of anything good. Humans depended on it fir survival. Yes you can get the same nutrients from other foods, but I believe that diversity of diet is important and dairy products have a place in mine.
Nina says
You left the last sentence of the second quoted paragraph out:
“But lactase persistence also took root in sunny Spain, casting vitamin D’s role into doubt.”
I appreciate that you are sharing sources with your readers, but it seems disingenuous to only share snippits of paragraphs while redacted parts that don’t support your argument. Sure, the reader can click the link and read the article herself (as I did), but you also have an obligation to be forthcoming with information.
KathEats says
I said “Off the top of my head I had vitamin Ds role wrong, but it is a player in the hypotheses, perhaps related to the fat levels in milk and its nature as a fat-solube vitamin.”
Just a hypothesis, and apparently not a solid one since more recent research has come out. I was copying and pasting on my phone and didn’t intend to leave anything out. Who knows what it was about milk that made humans select for lactase production, but it was something!
jenna says
I agree, Elise! While I DO believe that dairy is a great source of the nutrients you mentioned, as well as others, there is no one single food (be it milk, or kale, or quinoa, or soy) that everyone needs to be eating. I absolutely think dairy can have a role in a healthy diet in moderate amounts, but it’s far from necessary in a modern balanced, adequate diet. I will comment that there are few naturally occurring sources of vitamin D, particularly from plants. Supplementation or sunshine are often a good idea for those who don’t consume enough.
Tiffany says
Thats really interesting, Kath. Even if early humans of European decent needed milk at that time, that doesn’t mean individuals need it now to survive. Especially when we have so many non-dairy milks readily available.
Im really fascinated by this discussion. Would love to hear your opinion 🙂
Nancy says
It would make more sense to me that early humans of European descent needed milk as a calcium source as they migrated north. Non-dairy sources of calcium would not have been readily available during winter months ( I know my broccoli just won’t grow when the ground is frozen solid and covered with a foot of snow!). Even early Americans in northern states subsided on root crops that could be stored through the winter in the root cellar for their vegetable intake. There weren’t shipments of broccoli, greens etc. from Mexico or South America in the general store.
Nancy says
So, if everyone followed your diet, there would be no need to even have any domesticated animals to use for food – cows, pigs, goats, chickens can all go extinct and no one will ever miss them except kids at the petting zoos (that’s too exploitive also).
Karen says
Laurie, for years I ate a vegetarian diet and shortly before I became pregnant with my oldest, I went vegan. Like you, I worked hard to find non-animal sources for my nutritional needs. I also too vitamin supplements. I did eat eggs and some dairy when pregnant with my 2nd and 3rd sons.
Fast-forward to my third baby’s birth, and the newborn screening showed him to be completely deficient in carnitine, which is essential for fat metabolism. Without it one can have muscle weakness, heart failure, even go into a coma. Carnitine is either obtained through diet (it is found in red meat, mostly, very small amounts in avocados) or synthesized by hte body but the diet must contain lysine ,mostly found in eggs and chicken. It was assumed that he had an inborn error of metabolism, a genetic disorder, until they tested my blood. I had ZERO carnitine in my system; the doctors were confused, since they had tested me for the genetic problem and I did not have it. After analyzing my diet and lifestyle, my geneticist decided it was probably m y years of a vegan diet–little to no animal products–combined with pregnancies that had depleted my body of its carnitine stores and set my poor baby up for six months of testing and supplements. He is still less healthy than his brothers.
I would advise anybody who is of childbearing age, if you want to follow a vegan diet, that you carefully research carnitine and supplement if you plan to have children. I wouldn’t wish the dread I had for the first six month’s of my son’s life on anybody. I follow an omnivorous diet now and we are all much healthier for it.
Cassie says
I get my dairy through Greek yogurt and quark because I’m lactose intolerant. It’s an absolute staple!
Liv says
Aww this kind of bummed me out! It sounds like you grew up on a great dairy farm, but I think encouraging the consumption of milk, without even touching on the bad dairy “farms” and their harmful practices, is a bit of a shame. It would be soooo great if all “farmers opt for other strategies such as nutritious diets, proper hydration and comfortable living conditions for cows to improve the quality and production of milk”, but that simply isn’t the case. It not only ignores a huge problem (Industrial Animal Agriculture aka Factory Farming), it also does a huge disservice to those farms, and farmers who do actually opt for those other strategies you mentioned, as it acts like they are commonplace.
Hannah @ eat, drink and save money says
Thanks! This is a great topic.
I’m lactose intolerant, and my toddler has a milk protein allergy so we do a combo of soy, coconut and almond milk. My husband can drink milk so I still buy dairy for him. I’ve always been confused about the hormones so I buy organic assuming that it is better and hormone free. This post cleared up some misconceptions that I had. I’m glad to be a little more informed now!
annemarie says
As a person who has spent time on dairy farms as a part of my studies (veterinary school), I often say that if more people learned about the realities of the dairy industry, dairy consumption would decrease significantly. The cycle of impregnating cows continuously, getting rid of them once they are no longer producing enough milk (after about 2 years of age), the destruction of day-old bulls, and the general consideration of the cows as things to be used and discarded, is truly horrid. The industry as it stands now, is a horrible one that calls into questions many ethical dilemmas. If one claims to love animals, she should not contribute to the industry. I am not referring to small farmers who do care for their animals but the large factory farms.
Katharine Carlsen says
On point!!!!! if anyone is interested in reading about factory farming I highly recommend Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer.
Carilynn says
Anne Marie,
I would have to point a flaw out in your argument and since you are a veterinarian you would know better. A cow doesn’t have her first calf until she is of 2 years or older. She hasn’t reached puberty until she at least 15 months and the gestation length of the cow is 9ish months. There is no way a farmer could even attempt to milk a cow until after they are 2. As far as the other arguements, I love my animals, I am a farmer, a dairy farmer more specifically, but what is the “magic” number of animals that I must own for me to be called small versus large? My cows have names, my cows diets are specific to them, they get pet every day. When does a number of animals start determining whether I am a compassionate human being? I am hear to answer any questions that any one might have, and for that matter to invite anyone out to my farm to see my “girls”.
Randy says
I hear you; fondly remembering my childhood living out in the country and riding on the tractor with my dad. I remember playing in the wheat fields with my friends Dale and Mike that lived next door. I wish I could go back to that time!
Thanks for the tour down memory lane with your special post today.
Rachel says
Also commenting from my phone-I’m noticing a lot of comments referring to the cruelty of these animals. Sadly, poor treatment of animals in general does occur at some farms but this wasn’t what I researched. I wanted to learn more about the hype around hormones and share what I found with the public. I honestly can say I haven’t seen Forks over Knives so I am not in a place to make a comment about it. If curious about documentaries I would recommend going to the research or talking to a variety of people. Just wanted to share what I learned in an evidence based way.
Karla says
Most studies promoting the health benefits of milk and dismissing the health risks of hormones and paid for my lobbyists of big businesses making millions on the cruelty of animals. Did you know you can only consume 30% of dairy milk’s calcium whereas with vegetables and grains like Quinoa, you consume almost 100%?
Liv says
I think the problem for me is that you ignored the white elephant in the room, which makes it impossible to appreciate the research you did about hormones and their hype. I was so distracted by the fact that you didn’t even mention factory farming and its consequences, that I wasn’t able to get anything else from your post. Which is a bummer, because you obviously put time and effort into it!
I think that I would have been able to appreciate the fact that you only wanted to write about your research on hormones if you hadn’t included things like the question of “Why people choose to switch from cow’s milk to plant based milk”. When you answer this, you ignored what is for me (and it sounds like many others), the main reason I don’t drink milk! And the reason I choose non-dairy milks is certainly not because “it’s the hot new thing to drink “. You also stated that “Farmers opt for other strategies such as nutritious diets, proper hydration and comfortable living conditions for cows to improve the quality and production of milk”, which unfortunately is not the case at the majority of dairy farms in America.
Also, I think at least for myself (and I assume some of the other commenter’s), we aren’t just referring to the cruelty of animals when we discuss factory farming and its consequences. Yes, how the animals are treated is a HUGE problem but there are countless other negative ramifications of factory farming.
Jen says
I think a major reason that people choose not consume dairy is for ethical reasons and factory farming practices. I appreciate that you grew up on a farm and saw the peaceful side of the industry, but the majority of our dairy does not come from the quaint, picturesque farm that you mentioned in this article (I really wish they did, though). I would encourage people to learn more about where their dairy products come from (even organic!) before purchasing. I understand that some people have access to small farm products where they can meet the farmers and even their cows. For those of us who are only buying products from the grocery store, please understand that you are not buying happy cow milk. Sure, milk gave our ancestors Vitamin D and has a great nutritional profile, but thankfully today we have the means to fill nutritional gaps in a more ethical way.For now, I’ll sit here with my cold glass of coconut milk.
Kate says
I’m glad other people have commented on the fact that the writer didn’t mention the ethical reasons for one not to consume milk. The dairy industry is so cruel, but unfortunately if you are raised in that type of environment it may just be seen as normal or standard practice.
Linda @ TheFitty says
I no longer drink milk, but I’m still too much if a whimp to go cold turkey on all dairy!
Katharine Carlsen says
Got empathy? I’m so disappointed there is no mention of a major reason people choose plant based over cows milk – a deep love, connection and respect for animals. Why would I take a calf’s milk when I don’t need to in order to live a healthy and happy life? There is no justification for the mother and baby’s suffering.
Brandy says
I don’t drink dairy milk for ethical reasons, same as why I don’t eat meat. I think factory farming is horrific and do not want to support the abuse of animals.
jill says
Way to stir up the (milk) pot guys! I can say that I have seen almost EVERY food documentary, perused a lot of books on the topic and done some critical thinking about milk. Especially after having children. What is it about reproducing that makes us care so much? Oh ya, they are the next generation! I think this post was well written and pertained nicely to the title of such post. As a reader, I expected to read about hormones not factory farming. There are so many resources for that topic. It is good to be informed but I’m glad the writer wrote about something she clearly has experienced first hand and knows about. Maybe another guest blog post could be on the organic/conventional/factory farm milk production? Peace!
Carilynn says
Hi Jill,
I am a dairy farmer and would be happy to answer any questions you might have about the subject. I believe every consumer should be educated on all of the choices and be free to make their own judgement, etc. I do have a question, though, because sometimes I get different answers from different people, what do you consider a factory farm? Or is that something you would also like to learn about differences in the types of farms?
aimee says
Isn’t it ironic that we often get shamed for breastfeeding our own babies past a certain age but find nothing wrong with drinking another species breastmilk our whole lives? Lol
Laura says
One thing to take into account is that unless cows are exclusively grass fed/pastured they don’t have the nutrients you speak of in their milk. If they’re eating corn and soy and other grains, they’re transferring that to their milk too. Same thing with meat produced this way. Meats from gras fed animals are high in anti-inflammatory omega-3s, while animals fed grain are high in inflammatory omega 6s. Additionally, the cow has the highest carbon footprint of any animal, so while occasional indulgence it the products from cows might be ok, that need to produce huge quantities of milk all the time is dangerous, to us and to the planet. In fact, that’s why the growth hormone was first used. We were trying to get more than was reasonable out of these animals. And, though I appreciate your research, I really wouldn’t believe what the FDA says about much of anything. We really really need to get the synthetic drugs, chemicals and hormones out of our bodies. I can’t find it now, but there was a recent study that showed that milk approved for human consumption was randomly tested and a high percentage of it was found to contain antibiotics and should never have been approved. Additionally, some of these antibiotics were not approved for use in cows. All those laws are almost useful…but only almost. Further, I agree with everything above about the pasteurization. That process, while it protects us from disease, also kills all the benefits we might have gotten from the raw milk, and makes it an anti-health food. There are also studies (even ones recently by ‘western’ doctors, Harvard Med I think?) showing that milk actually depletes the calcium from your bones. Want calcium? Sesame seeds have more, and it’s more bio-available.
I love dairy milk. I can digest it. And I choose to indulge only on rare occasions. I think if we treat meat and dairy more like supplements than the main picture we’ll do better for ourselves and the planet.
KathEats says
I’ve always been a huge proponent of grass-fed milk and meat : )
Melissa says
Who knew that out of everything that you could post that MILK would be such a strong topic of controversy. Just wow. LOL. I am just blown away.
Emily says
I like milk. I don’t drink a lot of it. I probably eat more yogurt than I drink milk, but I still like milk on occasion with a cookie. 🙂
Emily says
Hi Kath! Great post! Just wondering your personal thoughts on hormonal birth control and your health. You hear so many things, but I personally don’t know what to believe! Thanks for any info!
Emily
Amy says
This post rocked my world – and not for the author’s intended reasons. I had NO idea how inhumane and unethical the dairy industry truly is. The Whole Foods “humane”, “pasture raised”, “organic” labels make US feel better – but the poor newborn calves and their mothers still suffer tremendously.
I am a nursing mother and the mere thought of separating a baby calf from his/her mother hours after birth, only to be raised as a milk cow or slaughtered as veal, is just awful. Cows mother/calf bonds are strong like human bonds. The mothers cry for their babies and the babies frantically try to find their mothers to nurse. If the calves aren’t physically removed from their mother’s company, spiked plates are fixed to their faces so they can’t suckle. Not to mention the mastitis and lameness that the mothers develop from milk overproduction.
“Humane”, pasture-raised, organic, local dairy farms are no different – newborn calves are absolutely separated because the milk, which is perfectly designed for the calf, is intended for human consumption. There is no way around this. It brought me to tears. I do not think that there is an ethical and humane way to consume dairy products. My husband and I had a discussion about this last night and we are going to transition to a vegan lifestyle as much as possible.
This quote resonated with me: Voltaire once wrote, “If we believe absurdities, we will commit atrocities.”
http://freefromharm.org/dairyfacts/
Jessica says
I appreciate this post a lot. I was raised drinking milk, and I will raise my kids to do the same. I believe milk is delicious and also highly nutritious, and dairy products have always helped me stay healthy and strong. It’s great to hear Rachel’s perspective both as a dietician-in-training and coming from a family dairy farm!
Carilynn says
Rachel,
Thank you so much for this post. As a dairy farmer myself I have always looked for the best way to explain this and you did just that. I do hate the fact that sometimes I feel like there are misrepresentations of “buzz words” or acronyms that aren’t adequately explained to the consumer. Once we (I have responsibility in this too) educate consumers then they are able to make educated decisions, whatever they might be.