Debunking myths: DAIRY

Today, I am talking about a topic which is quite controversial, and on which we hear so many contradictory opinions. DAIRY.

Is it bad for you? Are humans meant to drink cow’s milk? Do we need calcium? What about bone health?

There is a lot to cover and we could really go in depth, but I have decided to give you an overview of the research out there so you can form your own opinion on the topic and make the right choices for yourself.

1/ The milk we consume has changed. Indeed, milk use to come from Jersey and Guernsey cows which produce A2 type milk (A2 being casein, the protein in milk). However, these cows can’t produce large amounts of milk, and with a growing world population, farmers switched to more productive breeds. The milk protein now is A1 which seems harder for our bodies to digest. In the UK, the brand Gold Top offers Jersey milk on Ocado.com.

2/ Everybody hasn’t got the gene which allows to process milk. Humans are born with a gene to produce lactase ( the enzyme to digest lactose). That gene mutates between the age of 2 and 5 ( the weaning age in most cultures). When populations in Africa starting drinking cow/goat’s milk 10,000 years ago – start of agriculture-  that gene mutated and was present in adult hood in some people. However a large part of the world population hasn’t got the gene to produce lactase  (for example, most people in South East Asia) when in other parts, people have it and are tolerant to lactose (for example, in Scandinavia).

3/ The naturally occurring lactase found in milk is destroyed during the pasteurisation process. Raw milk is easier to digest but is obviously risky when it comes to bacterial infections.

4/ Dairy creates inflammation and has been linked to IBS (inflammatory bowel syndrome), IBD (inflammatory bowel diseases), Eczema and other auto-immune issues. 

5/ Due to the hormones found in milk, dairy has been linked to hormonal imbalances and cancers of organs sensitive to hormones – breast, cervix, testicular, uterus, prostate etc.

6/ In a study conducted in Sweden, lactose was used to accelerate the AGEING process in mice.

7/ The bone health and dairy myth. Saying that drinking milk is good for bone health is a huge simplification of the process for the absorption of calcium and bone formation. Calcium absorption is very complex and the presence of vitamin D is necessary. Vitamin K is also crucial for the utilisation and regulation of calcium in the body. Finally, magnesium is also absolutely needed for calcium absorption and bone formation. Calcium is present in many other foods (green leafy vegetables, beans and pulses, sea vegetables) and is probably better absorbed than from milk due to lactose intolerance in many people.

8/ Studies have shown a higher rate of bone fractures in people who drink milk. This paradox is most probably due to the fact that many people can not process lactose and hence can’t absorb calcium from milk.

In the light of the above, I would suggest finding out if you are lactose intolerant or not. If you are, I would cut out dairy and not bother with lactose-free milk and products as they tend to be processed. If you are able to digest lactose and dairy, I would switch to A2 type milk and stick to unprocessed raw cheeses (typically, many traditional French cheeses) in order to consume a product high in lactase and good bacteria for the gut.

I will soon publish a post about all the milk alternatives on the market and what my favorites choices are + why!

In the meantime, look after yourselves ?