Debunking Milk Myths“Should I be drinking Soy Milk, Almond Milk or Cow’s Milk?”
“Wait, isn’t milk bad for you?”
“What is the craze with Coconut Milk?”
I get asked these question a lot. With so many milk and dairy-free milk alternatives how do you know which one should you be pouring over your cereal in the morning? Should you even be drinking milk? The quick answer to that last question is, unless you are allergic to dairy then yes, you should be drinking milk.
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As you are well aware, milk is essential for
proper bone growth and development, especially in children and adolescents.
Other benefits related to daily consumption of milk include blood pressure
maintenance, reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, improved sleep quality,
and decreased symptoms of PMS in women. Additionally, drinking milk can be
helpful in weight maintenance. While whole milk contains about 120 calories and
5 grams of fat per cup, you can opt for a lower fat version such as 2% or skim.
Fat Free or Skim milk contains the same amount of protein as Whole Milk but
with less fat and calories.
·
Recently, you may have read about debate against the
promotion of milk in our diets. Some
common issues with milk consumption among Americans include everything from
contamination, to promotion of certain diseases like autism, cancer, and heart
disease.
o
Contaminants of interest include pesticides
and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
Since these contaminants do not readily leave the body they can build
up, possibly having detrimental effects on the immune, reproductive, and
central nervous system. Research also
shows links between polychlorinated biphenyls and cancer (1).
o
A compound called insulin-like growth
factor (IGF-I) found in cow’s milk has been associated with both prostate and
breast cancer when found in high concentrations (2).
o
The European Journal of Clinical
Nutrition stated in 1994, "Milk
consumption correlates positively with cholesterol levels in blood as well as
coronary mortality. In comparisons between 17 countries, there is a good
correlation between national cholesterol levels and mortality from ischemic
heart disease."
·
It is worth
noting that the associations with milk and heart disease are most likely due to
the high saturated fat content of whole milk and full-fat dairy products. However, it is important to consider whether
it is actually the contents found in milk and dairy products, or merely the
saturated high fat content that lead to the occurrence of heart disease.
While
soy milk is not technically milk, it's a popular milk substitute for vegans
since it’s derived from a plant source.
It is made from soybeans, which are soaked, finely ground, and then
strained. Soy milk does not contain any lactose, so it is also a suitable
alternative lactose intolerant individuals. One cup of soymilk contains about 7
grams of protein, 4 grams of carbohydrate, 4 grams of fat, very little
saturated fat, and no cholesterol.
Fortified soy milk contains about 300 mg of calcium and approximately
120 mg of Vitamin D.
Various
animal studies have shown the bone sparing effects of the isoflavins found in
soy protein, and many recent studies show promising effects in humans as well
(1). These effects can be attributed to the
isoflavones, suggesting 83 mg of isoflavones daily may improve spinal bone
mineral density in post-menopausal women (2).
One cup of soy milk contains 20-40 mg of isoflavones, so one could
achieve this amount in 2-3 cups of soymilk.
The only downfall of soy milk is that it has only about a quarter of the
calcium as cow's milk. Many soy milk manufacturers are adding calcium to their
products, but studies show that it is not as beneficial as naturally-occurring
calcium. It is also important to point
out that while research suggests that isoflavins in soy milk can help reduce
and prevent osteoporosis, the recommended amount for dietary intake has not yet
been established.
Almond and Coconut Milks
- Both
Almond and Coconut milk are both lactose and cholesterol free milk
alternatives. However, both varieties are lacking in nutrition compared to
cow’s milk. They provide only 1 gram of protein per cup verses the grams
found in regular milk.
- The
positive press surrounding coconut milk has to do with the content of
lauric acid and other medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs). MCFAs promote weight maintenance without raising
cholesterol levels and may be helpful in preventing weight gain (6). Some research suggestions that lauric
acid may have favorable effects on HDL cholesterol (7), but these studies
are not conclusive.
- While
they serve as great low calorie alternatives that are fortified with many
of the same vitamins and minerals, most experts agree that both Almond and
Coconut Milk are inferior sources of nutrients for children (8).
The Takeaway…
Either
soy or cow’s milk can have the same beneficial effect when consistently
consumed as part of a regular healthy diet. The push for no dairy products seems like
another diet fad that Americans may or may not choose embrace. The science
behind milk consumption in combination with weight bearing exercise for the
preservation of bone mineral density and prevention of osteoporosis is well
established. If you are worried about
extra chemicals and hormones added to cow’s milk, I suggest you buy Organic.
Horizon, Organic Valley, and Stoneyfield Farms are just a few brand you can
find at most supermarkets.
1)
Baars
AJ, Bakker MI, Baumann RA, et al. Dioxins, dioxin-like PCBs and non-dioxin-like
PCBs in foodstuffs: occurrence and dietary
intake in the Netherlands. Toxicol Lett.
2004;151:51-61.
2)
Voskuil
DW, Vrieling A, van’t Veer LJ, Kampman E, Rookus MA. The insulin-lik growth
factor system in cancer prevention: potential of dietary intervention
strategies. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2005;14:195-203.
3)
Cramer
DW, Greenberg ER, Titus-Ernstoff L, et al. A case-control study of galactose
consumption and
metabolism in relation to ovarian cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev.
2000;9:95-101.
4)
Lydeking,
E, Jens, O, Beck, E, and Jenson, K. (2004). Soymilk or progesterone for prevention
of bone loss. European Journal of Nutrition, 43(497), 246-257
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