The info in this blog is knowledge I've acquired over the years from various sources like books, podcasts & blogs. I'm constantly adding to this knowledge in my mission to become the 1st super healthy 100-year-old who can do backflips. As I learn more, I will update this blog as necessary to reflect any new findings.
HOW MILK WAS RUINED FOR ME
I grew up thinking that we needed milk for calcium to grow up big & strong with indestructible bones. This info came from my mum of course, so I had no reason to question it. That logic is also pretty sound to be fair to her. That reasoning stayed with me until I was in my early 20's & that theory was challenged. I watched 1 of those vegan scare mongery documentaries that were all the rage at the time. It was either "what the health" or "cowspiracy" (can't remember which one) & some guy with a fancy doctor title questioned why we were drinking another animals milk. His argument against the habit was that cow's milk might be suitable for growing baby cows, but it's got no business being part of our diets. It's essentially baby calve growing formula, full of hormones specifically to develop calves to cows which could be detrimental to our health. Another interesting point that he made was that we're the only mammal to carrying on drinking milk into adulthood.
After my head finished exploding from those 2 points, I began unpacking what they actually meant to me. As much as I enjoyed cows milk, I couldn't deny how weird it was that its part of our culture to drink another animals milk. If anything, it makes way more sense to be exclusively drinking milk from humans, but this concept is somehow even weirder. Not just to myself but the 20 odd other people I've asked about this hot topic. Either way, that guy from the doc with the fancy title ruined milk for me & now I want to ruin cow's milk for you. I've made it my life's mission to make the world see that drinking another animals milk is just as gross as drinking another human's milk. Ok, that's extreme, I don't care about this topic that much. I also know cow's milk is here to stay. Worldwide milk production has increased every year since 1998 due to demand, despite the growing number of alternative options that are now available to us. & the fact that most people are lactose intolerant, which can lead to uncomfortable symptoms like cramping, diarrhoea, & bloating (more on this later). I just want to explore how this habit became the norm when evolutionary it's completely unnecessary.
THE PURPOSE OF MILK
Milk was originally a starter food for mammalian infants, aka kids of mammals. It's perfect for this as it provides a rich, dense source of nutrients including natural sugars & fats for energy. Whilst providing protein, fats, minerals, & vitamins for growth. Basically, everything a kid needs to develop into a fine, upstanding, member of society with strong bones. Babies can survive for months solely on milk. It's not the case for adults though, as milk is lacking in vitamin B12, vitamin C, fibre, & iron, which are vital for us to do adult stuff. This is the same for all kinds of milk, even when sourced from different species the milk tends to contain the same nutrients but in different proportions.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF COW'S MILK
Cow milk-drinking is a behaviour that became the norm relatively late in human evolution. Our species has only been around for 300,000-years & 10,000 years ago or so, basically no one drank milk. The 1st people to start drinking milk on the regs were early farmers in western Europe. Today, the habit is common practice in northern Europe, North America, & a patchwork of other places. As a result, the genes that make it possible are unevenly distributed among world populations. An estimated 75% of the world's population has an intolerance to lactose (the sugar found in milk). This condition occurs when people have a deficiency in lactase, the enzyme that digests lactose. In most people, the level of lactase decreases rapidly after infancy. This is so that adults can become lactose intolerant as naturally, we didn't evolve to drink milk in adulthood.
However, in some parts of the world, particularly in Scandinavia, populations have evolved to continue making lactase into adulthood as they adapted to years of consistent milk consumption. (I'd just like to take a moment to give a shout out to our bodies for being super adapting machines). Approx. 98% of Scandanavia is lactose tolerant now compared to only around 10% of China. Domestic cattle were introduced in Asian countries much more recently than in other parts of the world, creating this vast discrepancy.
The lactase persistence trait which makes people lactose tolerant was first favoured by evolution in pastoralists (people who raise livestock, I didn't know what they were at 1st either). Hunter-gatherers, who didn't look after animals, understandably did not acquire this genetic mutation. It makes sense that people who didn't have access to animal milk weren't under tremendous evolutionary pressure to adapt to drinking it. Still, this theory doesn't explain how the lactose persistent gene has spread around the world. In northern Europe, more than 90% of people are lactose tolerant. The same is true in a few populations in Africa & the Middle East. But there are still also many populations where the lactase persistence trait is much rarer: many Africans don't have the trait & it is uncommon in Asia & South America.
Another thing that I can't really get my head around is why humans who were lactose intolerant persisted in drinking milk into their adulthood in the first place. I know people who experience this now & the embarrassing repercussions of consuming anything with lactose in it puts them off going anywhere near diary. Our ancestors must have loved milk so much that bloating, stomach cramps & diarrhoea wasn't enough to stop them from indulging. & they indulged to the point that they initiated this lactose tolerant adaption many people have been blessed with today.
Anyone who can stomach consuming dairy products needs to recognise the heroic endeavours of their ancestors who made it possible. All I need is 1 bad experience with food & I'll never go near it again. Was cow's milk really delicious enough to suffer through the negative symptoms that came with drinking it? If it was red wine than I'd get it but milk, it really wasn't that hard for me to give it up. & that's without experiencing the cramps & diarrhoea. & anyone in today's world who does experience those symptoms & still drinks cow's milk, why are you living like this? There are so many lactose-free alternatives which I have been kind enough to collate below.
MILK OPTIONS
Cow's Milk
Cow's milk to be fair to it boasts a very impressive nutrient profile. It's loaded with high-quality protein & important vitamins & minerals, including calcium, phosphorus & B vitamins. If its nutritional profile was a significant factor in past humans decision to drink it for their whole life, then that makes sense. 1-0 ancestors. But how much of these nutrients would have been absorbed if their lactose-intolerant body was emptying its bowels immediately after consumption? For the lactose tolerant people out there 1 cup (240 ml) of whole milk provides:
- Calories: 149
- Fat: 8 grams
- Carbs: 11.7 grams
- Fibre: 0 grams
- Sugar: 12.3 grams
- Protein: 7.7 grams
For people who choose to steer clear of cow's milk due to concerns over lactose or potential contaminants, like antibiotics, pesticides & hormones there's good news. It's the 20th century & there are a plethora of non-dairy options available if you want or need to avoid cow's milk. Read on for a summary of the milks I've tried.
Soy Milk
Soy milk is made from soybeans or soy protein isolate. It has a mild, creamy taste & is the most similar in nutrition to cow's milk. It was my go-to after I ended my relationship with cow's milk. However, like most things in today's society, it soon became problematic. Soy milk is controversial because it contains large amounts of isoflavones. These can negatively affect estrogen receptors in the body & the function of hormones. Before you swear off of soy, there hasn't been any conclusive evidence to prove that drinking soy milk in moderation causes harm. Either way, this information was enough to put me off drinking it. There're so many options out there, its not worth risking potential sterility on soy. I rate it at 4/8 (I'm rating stuff out of 8 because its 1 of my favourite numbers)
1 cup (240 ml) of unsweetened soy milk contains:
- Calories: 80
- Fat: 4 grams
- Carbs: 3 grams
- Fibre: 2 grams
- Sugar: 1 gram
- Protein: 7 grams
Almond Milk
Almond milk seems to be the gateway milk of non-dairy milk. It wasn't the case for me, but it's been the one I've drunk the most consistently over the years. It has a light, sweet, nutty flavour & is low in calories, fat & carbs. Cons, it's low in protein & contains phytic acid, a substance that limits the absorption of iron, zinc & calcium. I rate it at 6/8.
1 cup (240 ml) of unsweetened almond milk contains:
- Calories: 30
- Fat: 2.5 grams
- Carbs: 1 gram
- Fibre: 1 gram
- Sugar: 0 grams
- Protein: 1 gram
Coconut milk
Coconut milk has a creamy, milk-like consistency & a sweet, coconutty taste. It contains no protein, little to no carbs & is high in medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), a type of saturated fat. I've had this a few times but found it to be slightly too sweet for my liking. I rate it at 6/8
1 cup (240 ml) of unsweetened coconut milk (carton not the can) contains:
- Calories: 45
- Fat: 4.5 grams
- Carbs: 1 gram
- Fibre: 0 grams
- Sugar: 1 gram
- Protein: 0 grams
Oat Milk
Oat milk has a mild, sweet flavour. It is high in protein & fibre, but also high in calories & carbs. Oat milk contains beta-glucan, which can help lower cholesterol & blood sugar levels & boost your immune system. In terms of taste, it's my favourite alternative milk. Nutritionally it also stacks up well, the only reason I haven't made it my go-to is because of the high calories. I rate it 8/8.
1 cup (240 ml) of oat milk contains:
- Calories: 120
- Fat: 5 grams
- Carbs: 16 grams
- Fibre: 2 grams
- Sugar: 7 grams
- Protein: 3 grams
Hemp Milk
Hemp milk has a thin, watery texture & like most of the milks listed, a sweet & nutty flavour. It is low in calories & contains barely any carbs. Hemp milk is a great option for vegetarians and vegans because it is a source of high-quality protein & 2 essential fatty acids. On paper this milk seems perfect, but the texture lets it down. I rate it at 7/8
1 cup (240 ml) unsweetened hemp milk contains:
- Calories: 60
- Fat: 4.5 grams
- Carbs: 0 grams
- Fibre: 0 grams
- Sugar: 0 grams
- Protein: 3 grams
THE ARGUMENT FOR DRINKING COW'S MILK
Cow's milk is rich in many nutrients essential for life & well-being. Through our mid-20s, in particular, we need calcium & phosphorus to build a strong & dense bone structure as well as other crucial biological functions. These nutrients are required daily through our adulthood. If they're not available from dietary sources, they're instead withdrawn from our bones. This is something we want to avoid because it weakens our bone strength. These nutrients can be found in cows milk, but every nutrient in milk can be found in whole plant foods as well. & some other nutrients needed for healthy bones, like vitamin K & manganese, are not in milk but are in whole plant foods.
Current recommendations calling for 3 servings of dairy a day are more about politics & making money rather than they are about science. Considering that the average person's fibre intake is lacking, it makes sense to make more room for foods that offer both calcium & fibre. The saying killing 2 birds with 1 stone comes to mind. Thinking about it now, that saying hasn't aged well, what monster would kill a bird with a stone these days. Foods like almonds, chickpeas, chard, kale, broccoli, collard greens, & tempeh are good sources of calcium & fibre. Most plant-based milk alternatives are also fortified with calcium &, just like dairy milk, fortified with vitamin D.
FINAL THOUGHTS
There's no denying that I think it's weird that we casually drink another animals milk. Seriously who was the 1st person in history that looked at a cow's udders & thought lets pull on those & drink what comes out? & while we're on the topic, cow's udder's look kind of weird as well, the whole thing is weird. Despite these thoughts, I fall right in the middle of this debate. Similar arguments can be made for milk being good or evil.
Milk from cow's udders provides a really nice package of a lot of nutrients. It is a decent source of calcium which is important for youngsters whose bones are still developing & for adults who need to maintain the bone they have. & it offers a good dose of protein & much-needed potassium.
If you don't like it, or you have an intolerance issue, or you follow a vegan or paleo lifestyle, don't stress. A well-planned diet can easily provide these nutrients too. You can get potassium from fruits & vegetables—calcium & vitamin D from fortified non-dairy milks & plant foods.
Focusing on its necessity, you don't have to drink milk for good health or calcium as I spent most of my life thinking. Milk is an excellent source of protein & calcium. Is it the only source? No. & for the calorie counters out there, you need to drink 3 servings to get the recommended daily calcium amount. Fat content dependant, that's an additional 270 to 450 calories a day. Non-animal sources contain similar calcium amounts, but with a lot less calories. However, if you like bovine milk & can justify drinking something that comes out of something that looks as weird as udders that's cool as well.
Disclaimer: LOLA does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.