Don’t Milk It! - Afropolitain Magazine

As children we were told that drinking milk was important to building strong bones, but recently this notion has been proven to have hidden motives.

The rates of diabetes are skyrocketing in the U.S. and other parts of the world. But what’s to blame? We know sugar is a major antagonist but the excessive consumption of processed meat, poultry and dairy have also been found to be culprits.

The documentary What the Health, tells us that “Some studies have shown 73% of Afro-Americans, 95% of Asians, roughly 70% of Native Americans and about 53% of Hispanic-Americans to be lactose intolerant”.

Despite this, the U.S. government continues to encourage Americans of color to eat foods that are known to be harmful, all for the benefit of dairy farmers. “That´s a form of institutionalized racism”, says Dr Milton Mills, M.D./critical care physician.

Science has backed up the link between dairy and autoimmune disease, multiple sclerosis, type one diabetes and other rheumatological problems. Furthermore, researches have found that the consumption of milk causes eczema, acne, constipation, gastric reflux, iron deficiency and anemia in children. Milk protein is one of the most allergenic foods. Organic or not, it has a lot of hormones and is packed with saturated fats, galactose and cholesterol.

Milk even increases the risk of developing prostate cancer in men by 34%. For women who have breast cancer, just one serving of whole milk daily can increase their chances of dying by 49%. Milk’s harmful effects far outweigh any benefits and consumers are encouraged to think twice before choosing a milk product.

According to Paige Tomaselli, a senior attorney at the Center for Food Safety in the U.S.,“The pharmaceutical industry sells 80% of its antibiotics to animal agriculture”. If dairy is so bad why are so many people “addicted” to it? The answer is caseine, a protein found mainly in dairy. Once consumed, it breaks down in the digestive system to create casomorphines which are like crack for your brain.

If what you´ve read here has you questioning your milk consumption, but you aren’t quite ready to give it up, consider some alternatives. There are many healthy options available today such as hemp, almond, coconut or flax milk to name a few. Step out of your comfort zone and try a delicious golden milk latte or a cashew pumpkin late for a change. Your body and mind will thank you.