Cow milk. Myths, truths and lies about it

Myths and truths about cow’s milk .

Milk yes or milk no? Is it good or not? How much milk can we consume? Does it contain mucosa? Antibiotics? What’s this about?

To ask you all this, I will answer some of the most common questions about whether or not to consume cow’s milk.

Whether you are passionate about milk or not, you may want to know the claims and the truths or lies about milk (proteins, fats, calcium etc.)

3,2,1 let’s get started!

In the past, milk was not consumed

First mistake. Cow’s milk began to be consumed moooogollón years ago thanks to a mutation that allowed to digest the main milk sugar, lactose! Breastfeeding overcome. This was an advantage for those who could consume it since it was a complete food that helped survival.

We are the only adults who consume milk

This is true. At birth we all drink milk thanks to the lactase enzyme that breaks down lactose and helps us digest it. In another mutation we stopped producing this enzyme after childhood and became lactose intolerant (and other things), but not all.

If you are lactose intolerant you cannot consume dairy

Fallacy and lie. Milk sugar intolerant if you can consume low-lactose dairy or without it and this includes cheeses and there are also different percentages of lactose in dairy, so it is not impossible to take dairy if you are intolerant, you just have to be careful.

Babies should not be given cow’s milk

You may have heard that babies less than 1 year of age should not be given cow’s milk. This is because cow’s milk does not offer a sufficient amount of certain nutrients to children under 1 year of age. It is true . Plus, your baby has a hard time digesting the protein and fat in cow’s milk.

However, it is safe to give cow’s milk to children over 1 year of age. A child of 1 or 2 years of age can perfectly drink cow’s milk, always whole. After 2 years of age, children can drink low-fat milk, although it is best to drink whole milk.

What is the milk limit that children can drink daily?

For children between 1 and 9 years, meanwhile, the amount of dairy products recommended by the Spanish Association of Pediatrics (AEP) is 2 or 3 servings per day. How much is a ration? A cup of milk (between 200 and 250 milliliters), a bottle of yogurt (125 grams) or about 30-40 grams of cured cheese.

The advice of pediatricians is that children do not drink more than half a liter of milk per day as usual, since, in general, children also consume other dairy products, in addition to milk, with this amount the daily need would already be covered .

Adults must leave whole milk

And this why? The difference between whole milk and skim milk is the fat it contains . Milk with less fat is healthier, milk and everything with less fat, but fat is also necessary.

If you choose to drink semi or skim milk it will be because you want to have a balanced diet, but not because drinking whole milk is the wrong thing.

Milk contains hormones and antibiotics

This is not true. Although antibiotics are used in some cases for the prevention of mammary infections in the cow. Antibiotics are used for medical purposes but milk will never be found on the market with MRLs (maximum residue limits) above what is established in the legislation.

In the case that they are administered (this topic is regulated ), a waiting time is respected to ensure that the animal metabolizes these substances, so that they are not finally present in the milk. Then in the UHT and pasteurization processes these microorganisms are killed.

The issue of giving hormones to production animals (meat, milk …) to promote their growth has been banned for a few years now. ROYAL DECREE 2178/2004 , of November 12, which prohibits the use of certain substances with hormonal and thyrostatic effects and beta-agonist substances for use in livestock farming.

Lactose intolerance is an allergy to milk protein

Only 2% of the population is allergic to milk protein, therefore this is not true.

In summary

In short, milk is milk . Do not stop taking it if you do not have allergies or intolerances. Eat yogurt and milk as everything, in moderation.