Milk does a body good? Remember that commercial? Well we know now that this simply is not TRUE! Despite is real rich white color, milk has a much darker side, and one that the dairy industry doesn’t want you finding out about.

Milk is not only a drink, it is a cultural phenomenon that can be traced back thousands of years, but despite all the research proving milk is actually NOT healthy for humans, it is for baby cows.

In the USA, we grow up hearing about the benefits of dairy milk. Maybe you heard that milk helps you maintain bone health? Maybe your heard its the only way that you can get calcium? Those are simply false and really marketing campaigns by the dairy industry. We are told we need to drink it to be healthy. But, do we really? Are there any cold, hard facts about milk that contradict this health claim? There certainly are! Here are ten fascinating facts about cow’s milk.

Observational cohort studies have shown higher dairy intake is linked to higher ovarian cancer risk.
Cow’s milk protein may play a role in triggering type 1 diabetes through a process called molecular mimicry.
Across countries, populations that consume more dairy have higher rates of multiple sclerosis.
In interventional animal experiments and human experiments, dairy protein has been shown to promote increased cholesterol levels (in the human studies and animal studies) and atherosclerosis (in the animal studies).
The primary milk protein (casein) promotes cancer initiated by a carcinogen in experimental animal studies.
D-galactose has been found to be pro-inflammatory and actually is given to create animal models of aging.
Higher milk intake is linked to acne.
Milk intake has been implicated in constipation and ear infections.
Milk is perhaps the most common self-reported food allergen in the world
Much of the world’s population cannot adequately digest milk due to lactose intolerance.
In observational studies both across countries and within single populations, higher dairy intake has been linked to increased risk of prostate cancer.

Now that we have established the health concerns that come with milk let me give you some milk alternatives. I am going to go through briefly each milk and tell you some quick facts on each of them and then let you decide. Remember It is important to educate ourselves and be

Goats Milk:

Goat’s milk is more easily digested then cows milk and is the best “animal milk” in my opinion. It’s protein molecules are sized differently than cow’s milk. It packs as much calcium as whole cow’s milk and contains more tryptophan, an essential amino acid. It is the nearest to mother’s milk in composition, nutrients, and natural chemical properties. It is easy to digest and is a magnificent bodybuilding food. If you don’t homogenize cow’s milk you must remove some of the cream. With goats milk this is not necessary as it is naturally homogenized. You can get it in either whole or skim. It does have a distinct flavor especially if you buy whole. Skim is relatively close to cows milk taste depending on what brand you get. It is more pricey compared to cow’s milk-Our children drink goats milk and they can not tell the difference between it and raw cows milk. They are not allergic to raw cows milk, but goats milk is cheaper so we usually go with that. I am sure when they go to a friends they will be offered regular cows milk and do just fine with it, plus when we go to families and that is all they have it is what they drink. They seem to not notice the difference at all. That’s one thing our kids sure do love is their MILK, so we feel great giving them goats milk or raw milk since it is the better choice over conventional cow milk. Us on the other hand, well, we just leave the goat milk to the kiddos…LOL!

Organic Milk:

In any animal milk you choose you always want to go organic. They are highly regulated and safer then other commercial milks. This means they are produced with out growth hormones, pesticides, antibiotics, and synthetic fertilizers. This is always a good thing and much better for your body.

Raw Milk:

One of natures perfect food. It can either come from a cow, goat or sheep (never had sheep milk, you?) Here are some facts about raw milk and why so many people are raving about it. Here is also a good article about it why raw milk is better for you. We do enjoy our Kefir (we will talk about later) which has many benefits as raw milk does.

Non Dairy Alternatives:

Soy:

Made by soaking soybeans and grinding them with water, soy milk is rich in protein and calcium and has no saturated fat. It also scores low in calories and comes in many flavors….plain, vanilla, sweetened, chocolate, ect.

-We are not soy fans at all. We try to avoid anything that has soy in it at all cost. You can read this post we wrote a while back on why to say no to soy! All soy is unless it is fermented is GMO garbage and can cause more harm than good. When we see people drinking it we just cringe especially when they are giving it to their children when having a milk allergy. Soy milk is a big NO NO in our book!

ALMOND:

Made from ground almonds mixed with water and sweetener. It shares several properties like dairy milk: Both have a wide variety of vitamins and minerals, and a comparable fat content. Almond milk also has a rich, nutty taste and comes in several flavors, making it an wonderful alternative for those allergic to dairy or soy. Almond is by far one of our favorite around the house even though our kids do not like it as much as their goat milk. We love the creamy nutty flavor and it is very easy to make on your own. You can use it as a substitute in almost any of you recipes that call for regular milk and usually makes it taste even better too. We love the stuff.

Coconut Milk:

Made from ground coconut meat and juices, this milk is rich, creamy and tasty and its flavor is outrageously delicious! Its fats are more easily digested than those in dairy milks and coconut milk is low in cholesterol. There is a wide variety of things you can do with coconut milk and we would have to say that it’s one of Mother natures best and yummy creations. This is another milk we like to keep in stock. Usually we buy it in the can and have it stored. Although you now can buy it in a carton which its pretty good that way too. We love coconut milk and make so many things out of it…whipped cream, kefir, in soups, curries, for sauces, ect. If we are really watching calories though this is not our first milk of choice even though it is packed with all kinds of great benefits. It ones of those milks that is a must have in our home!

Rice/Oat Milk:

Made from ground rice or oats, this type of milk is very low in fat and calories. It also comes in plain or vanilla flavors and is lactose- and soy-free. It does not have that much protein and usually has more sugar added to it then other milk alternatives. It also lacks vitamins A and C which we know are good for you. It is high in fiber though. We buy rice or oat milk on occasion, not usually though. Sometimes the hubby gets sick of almond milk so he wants rice or oat instead. Rice Milk/Oat is very easy to make so if he wants it we just try and make it ourselves.

Hemp Milk:

Made from the seeds of the hemp plant, this milk is a powerhouse of goodness! Hemp milk contains high levels of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids along with good minerals such as B12, and has an adequate amount of protein per serving. It has a very rich creamy nutty flavor as well. We like hemp milk in this house even though it is usually used as a nutrient giver instead of a milk that we use everyday. We like to make it (see recipe below) once in a while just to guzzle for health purposes. I think we have only bought it from the store once. Hemp milk is extremely good for you but it is very expensive and defiantly not a milk we could use on a day to day basis.

In summary, there are so many good alternatives to commercial conventional cows milk that are great for your body and have so many health benefits. If you haven’t made the switch, switch to ha healthier milk alternative.

Here is a good article to review when choosing different milk alternatives as well.

Got MILK?