Is milk a recommended food?

Dr. Alejandro Ugarte
Médico Nutricionista
Diabetólogo M.N.63208
doctorugarte.com

Every so often, people, including professionals, appear to present their "nutritional theories" (unproven) as revealed truths in public media such as social networks, books, television, radio, newspapers, and magazines.

We know that milk contributes to the formation and maintenance of bones and teeth, participates in the production of hormones and enzymes, that is, provides nutrients that are essential for growth, development, and maintaining good health.

The noble beverage cannot escape the scrutiny that (almost) all products we consume receive.

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¿De dónde proviene el dulce de leche?

Is milk a superfood, an enemy to your health, or neither?

Many myths circulate about milk, most linking it to an increased risk of suffering from numerous diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cancer, autism, etc.

If we base each of them on current scientific evidence, we conclude that not only are these myths untrue, but that the consumption of milk and dairy products in the recommended amounts reduces the risk of suffering from them or simply does not establish such negative relationships.

5 Myths about milk

1. "Humans are the only species that drinks milk in adulthood, and moreover, consumes milk from other species. Therefore, cow's milk is not an appropriate food for humans, as their ancestors did not consume it."
   Answer: The reality is that research has reported that humans began to consume cow's milk when agriculture started to develop and they began to live off it. On the other hand, we are rational beings, thus having the ability to choose according to our needs and the mastery of the food chain.
2. "The proteins in cow's milk cannot be digested well, and moreover, milk neutralizes stomach acids, preventing proteins from being fully digested."
   Answer: This is incorrect; milk contains complete proteins with high bioavailability that can be digested by humans. There are people who have conditions known as lactose intolerance who cannot properly digest lactose because they have insufficient lactase enzyme, which is responsible for metabolizing it.
3. "Cows raised in barns have health problems that require treatment with antibiotics; therefore, the milk we drink contains traces of antibiotics."
   Answer: While it is true that antibiotics are used for the treatment and prevention of mammary infections in cows, studies on milk quality control have determined that the residual levels of antibiotics in milk are not significant.
4. "If the fodder has been grown with pesticides, when used to feed cows, they accumulate in the fat. Finally, pesticides are also found in milk and cause harm to health."
   Answer: Just like antibiotic levels, pesticide levels are analyzed and subject to regulatory standards to ensure that they do not exceed acceptable limits, as higher content can cause health problems.
5. "The consumption of dairy products causes cancer"; "the consumption of milk is related to type 1 diabetes."
   Answer: Whether for cancer or type 1 diabetes, there is no scientific evidence indicating that milk plays a role in the development of these diseases.

Lactose, the "sugar" in milk

Milk contains a sugar called lactose, which is a disaccharide because it is composed of two sugars: glucose and galactose.

We are born with an enzyme, lactase, whose function is to "break down" lactose so that it can be absorbed. Breast milk has 7% lactose, while, for example, cow's milk has less, almost 5%.

As we grow, the lactase enzyme decreases. In some countries, the population has much less lactose because they are not accustomed to consuming dairy, such as Japan or India.

However, in some areas of Europe or America, a large part of the population has lactase persistence in adults. That is, as they grow, they continue to have the enzyme. When lactase is lacking, symptoms appear upon consuming dairy; your stomach distends, you suffer from meteorism (gas), diarrhea, and uncomfortable digestive discomfort. This is known as lactose intolerance (like the character Leonard Hofstadter in the series The Big Bang Theory).

But here comes into play a delicate balance: the less dairy you consume, the less lactase you will have because function shapes the organ.

Lactose intolerance, a trendy self-diagnosis

There is a lot of talk about SIBO, and it is a trendy self-diagnosis. Many people go around saying they have SIBO, even if it is just a suspicion and they do not have a real diagnosis made by a health professional.

A similar situation occurs with lactose intolerance; many claim to suffer from it, but only a few go to the doctor to request a breath test that, by breathing into a mouthpiece, allows detection of whether they lack the lactase enzyme and if that is the reason they do not digest lactose well.

When you actually have lactose intolerance, with a real diagnosis, you will need to avoid dairy.

Fermented dairy products, such as some cheeses or yogurt, have less lactose. Generally, even a lactose intolerant person can tolerate a little milk per day, for example, in a cortado coffee.

But there is hope. Lactase pills exist. So if you are lactose intolerant and one day you want to eat cake or ice cream for dessert, you can ask your doctor to prescribe the lactase pill and, for example, order some cannelloni with white sauce.

The false "Milks"

There are several plant-based beverages that carry the title "Milk of..." without being milk. According to the Argentine Food Code (and those of the rest of the world), they are not milk; they are plant-based beverages (derived from rice, coconut, oats, almonds).

Can you consume them?

Of course! But remember that the bioavailability of calcium, that is, the amount you will be able to absorb from those milk substitute beverages, will never be the same as that of a dairy product. In real dairy, bioavailability is between 35% and 45% of the calcium from a cow's milk derivative, while in the case of a plant-based beverage, it will be only 5%-10%.

For this reason, I tell you that if you are attracted to the world of alternative beverages, you can consume them. Humans do not need a specific food: we need calcium and vitamin D, in this case, which are contained in milk. If you do not want to obtain them from there, you can look for other sources. This is the flexibility of humans and the food market; if you have the money, you can get almost anything.

If you have removed milk from your life, keep in mind that your kids see you if you are a teacher, aunt, godmother, mother, father, uncle, grandparent. The younger generations will be learning to live with little milk and few dairy products, and unless they have complete nutritional education (which is not learned on Instagram), they may have difficulties in having healthy and strong bones. The mineral density we need is built from childhood until the age of 30, and then we start to lose it.

It is very good to be critical and have doubts; consult your doctor or nutritionist to obtain a real diagnosis and appropriate treatment. But eliminating just to eliminate, unless it is because you like it, can pose a danger that you will see many years later and may be irreparable.

Note: There are "low-lactose" or "partially lactose-free" milks that work well if the intolerance is not so pronounced. What needs to be said is: They are not milks for people with diabetes, nor do they have fewer calories.