Cow's Milk Research Paper
Pasteurized Cow’s Milk is Unhealthy for Humans
"Got Milk?" I remember watching those commercials growing up and thinking how cool they were.
Millions and millions of people drink cow’s milk every day. Milk has become an apparent necessity in an abundance of peoples’ lives. Many people use milk for breakfast such as on cereal, putting in their coffee or simply as a glass of milk with toast. At most grocery stores, the choices are fat free, one percent, two percent, and whole milk. It is believed that milk as a source of calcium leads to strong bones, but this belief has its detractors and has become controversial. Advertisements such as "Got Milk" have brainwashed us into thinking that we "need" it. But most of the time this cow’s milk is …show more content…
Cow’s milk can impair a child 's ability to absorb iron. Combined with the fact that milk has virtually no iron of its own, the result is an increased risk of iron deficiency. Children can also have reactions to milk proteins that show up as respiratory problems and skin conditions. (Markoff) Cow 's milk proteins are a common cause of colic, and now the American Academy of Pediatrics has concluded that there is evidence that cow 's milk may well contribute to childhood-onset diabetes. As well as diabetes, obesity has become a problem in the United States. Consumption of pasteurized cow’s milk has contributed to this due to the high level of saturated fat in it. (Kalkworf) Osteoporosis can be caused by not enough calcium, but also by too much calcium. That is because once bones become saturated with too much calcium the ability to absorb more is inhibited. As many children grow they start showing signs of osteoporosis and it is from unstable calcium …show more content…
But there are other food sources than milk and dairy products that provide calcium. Foods such as leafy green vegetables, nuts, beans and seeds, fish and shellfish, and supplements all are a source of calcium. Calcium sources such as spinach, sesame seeds and almonds have even more calcium than milk. (Jamerson) Humans are the only mammals that drink another animal 's milk. There are many other milk alternatives such as soy, almond and coconut. One reason that cow’s milk is not as beneficial as a fortified alternative is that milk contains lactose making it more acidic. Approximately seventy-five percent of the world 's population is lactose intolerant, which means that they are unable to fully digest dairy products. Lactase is the enzyme needed to digest lactose, and most people stop producing it around the age of 5. (Calcium and Milk) Another reason cow’s milk is not beneficial is its nutritional value. When cow’s milk is pasteurized it kills bacteria but it also destroys the healthful nutrients, increasing sugars and fats and transforming proteins into unnatural amino acids that are less than healthy, therefore producing less calcium.
"Got Milk?" I remember watching those commercials growing up and thinking how cool they were.
Millions and millions of people drink cow’s milk every day. Milk has become an apparent necessity in an abundance of peoples’ lives. Many people use milk for breakfast such as on cereal, putting in their coffee or simply as a glass of milk with toast. At most grocery stores, the choices are fat free, one percent, two percent, and whole milk. It is believed that milk as a source of calcium leads to strong bones, but this belief has its detractors and has become controversial. Advertisements such as "Got Milk" have brainwashed us into thinking that we "need" it. But most of the time this cow’s milk is …show more content…
Cow’s milk can impair a child 's ability to absorb iron. Combined with the fact that milk has virtually no iron of its own, the result is an increased risk of iron deficiency. Children can also have reactions to milk proteins that show up as respiratory problems and skin conditions. (Markoff) Cow 's milk proteins are a common cause of colic, and now the American Academy of Pediatrics has concluded that there is evidence that cow 's milk may well contribute to childhood-onset diabetes. As well as diabetes, obesity has become a problem in the United States. Consumption of pasteurized cow’s milk has contributed to this due to the high level of saturated fat in it. (Kalkworf) Osteoporosis can be caused by not enough calcium, but also by too much calcium. That is because once bones become saturated with too much calcium the ability to absorb more is inhibited. As many children grow they start showing signs of osteoporosis and it is from unstable calcium …show more content…
But there are other food sources than milk and dairy products that provide calcium. Foods such as leafy green vegetables, nuts, beans and seeds, fish and shellfish, and supplements all are a source of calcium. Calcium sources such as spinach, sesame seeds and almonds have even more calcium than milk. (Jamerson) Humans are the only mammals that drink another animal 's milk. There are many other milk alternatives such as soy, almond and coconut. One reason that cow’s milk is not as beneficial as a fortified alternative is that milk contains lactose making it more acidic. Approximately seventy-five percent of the world 's population is lactose intolerant, which means that they are unable to fully digest dairy products. Lactase is the enzyme needed to digest lactose, and most people stop producing it around the age of 5. (Calcium and Milk) Another reason cow’s milk is not beneficial is its nutritional value. When cow’s milk is pasteurized it kills bacteria but it also destroys the healthful nutrients, increasing sugars and fats and transforming proteins into unnatural amino acids that are less than healthy, therefore producing less calcium.