Hayley Harmon

Mrs. Marsh

English 10B

2 June 2015

The Problem With Milk

From the beginning of our life here on this planet, to our inevitable demise, we consume

tons of milk. According to the Huffington Post, Americans drink 20.4 gallons a year on average.

In todays society, it is acceptable, even deemed necessary to drink milk regularly. The

American Heart Association suggests that we eat about 2-3 servings of dairy products daily.

Public schools have given it an important place in each lunch. But even with all of this publicity,

is it really necessary for our health?

One of the main cases for milk that is argued by parents, schools, and the general public,

is that it helps people grow. It helps baby cows grow into strong, able-bodied adults, so why

wont it do the same for kids, right? Wrong. There is a reason that humans are the only species

that consume milk into adulthood. It isnt a natural instinct to drink milk as an adult, Kris

Gunnars says. If it is used to help babies grow, then why would we, as fully grown creatures,

need to drink it afterward? As Gunnars puts it, a cows milk is specially designed for a young,

developing calf, not a human, making it even more confusing why the placement of cows milk

into our diets is a cultural norm.

A cows milk used for its intended purpose (for a developing calf), helps cultivate strong

bones for the calf to support itself during its life. To some, this means that it will do the same for

humans, some even going as far as to say that it helps prevent osteoporosis. But according to
studies, the truth is actually the opposite. With milk being so processed these days, it can have

negative effects on our health. The acidity of processed milk is actually harmful to bones,

wearing them down, states Vivian Goldshmidt. The pasteurization of milk also causes digestive

issues for lots of people. Milk also can be a leading cause of several more problems. Nutrition

M.D. informs that other problems induced by dairy can include diabetes, lactose intolerance,

vitamin D toxicity, contamination due to extensive growth hormones, food allergies and other

health concerns of infants and children, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and even several

types of cancers.

Another argument used by those in favor of milk, is that it contains calcium. Goldshmidt

also reasons that milk does contain some calcium in it, but in reality, there is not very much in it

at all, not nearly enough for our bodies to absorb and benefit our bone development. In study

observing people who drank over 3 glasses of milk each day, it was concluded that they had a

larger risk a fractures, and, generally, death, according to Abby Phillip from the Washington

Post. But there is hope! Laura Schwecherl tells us that some non-dairy foods that are very rich in

calcium include figs, collard greens, oranges, broccoli, white beans, kale, tofu, and almonds.

These options offer favorable alternatives to milk products for necessary nutrients, as it is

estimated that 75% of the earths population is unable to properly digest milk, says Gunnars

again. Nutrition M.D. tells us that 15% of Caucasians, 53% of Hispanics, 70% of African

Americans, 74% of Native Americans, and a shocking 95% of Asians are lactose intolerant, and

also that countries where little milk is consumed have the least numbers of bone fractures and

breaks, such as Asian and African countries.

 Something that should also be taken into consideration is the treatment of cows at dairy

farms. Undercover investigations from Mercy For Animals show us that sows are forced to live

in their own waste; in filthy, crowded lots. Infections are common, and often feces collects on

the wounds, worsening them. The cows are impregnated to produce milk, only to have their

young is taken from them when they are only one day old, eventually to be slaughtered.

Undercover investigations from dairy farms all around the country expose cows being treated

like slaves, including and not limited to: whipping, punching, stabbing, and kicking the cows,

having their horns burned off, breaking their tails, and shocking them electrically, all without

anything to numb the pain. Cows that are too sick to produce milk or let alone walk are called

downers, and are left to suffer for days or even weeks on end.

With all of these issues traced back to milk, why are we still drinking it? Just because it is

culturally appropriate to drink cows milk, doesnt mean that it should continue. As people who

care what we put in our bodies, we shouldnt ignorantly follow social patterns, but question the

way we are eating, for the good of ourselves and the animals.
 Works Cited

Goldschmidt, Vivian, MA. "Debunking The Milk Myth: Why Milk Is Bad For You And Your

Bones." Debunking The Milk Myth: Why Milk Is Bad For You And Your Bones.

Saveourbones.com, n.d. Web. 01 June 2015.

"Got Misery? Milk Does. New Video Exposes Shocking Animal Abuse at a Dairy Farm. Watch

It Now." GotMisery.com. Mercy For Animals, n.d. Web. 01 June 2015.

Gunnars, Kris. "Is Dairy Bad For You, or Good? The Milky, Cheesy Truth."RSS 20.

Authoritynutrition.com, 03 Apr. 2014. Web. 01 June 2015.

Phillip, Abby. "Study: Milk May Not Be Very Good for Bones or the Body."Washington Post.

The Washington Post, 31 Oct. 2014. Web. 01 June 2015.

Polis, Carey. "By The Numbers: What Americans Drink In A Year." The Huffington Post.

TheHuffingtonPost.com, 27 June 2011. Web. 01 June 2015.

Schwecherl, Laura. "18 Surprising Dairy-Free Sources of Calcium."Greatist. Greatist.com, 7

Apr. 2014. Web. 01 June 2015.

"Suggested Servings from Each Food Group." Suggested Servings from Each Food Group.

American Heart Association, 17 Feb. 2015. Web. 01 June 2015.

"Understanding the Problems with Dairy Products." Nutrition MD. NutritionMD.org, n.d. Web.

01 June 2015.