Why Most People Shouldn’t Drink Milk

Milk is out of favor. Given the rise in dairy and lactose intolerance, alongside the surge in popularity of clean eating and the availability of nut milk alternatives, it seems that dairy has had its day.

But is it true that we shouldn’t be drinking milk at all?

We thought milk was good for us

It seems it was only yesterday that we were being told the white stuff was the good stuff. There was a time when everyone from Jennifer Aniston to Kate Moss asked “Got milk?”

Not so anymore. Once a staple of the American diet, milk has sunk so low in popularity (consumption has fallen 30 percent since the 1990s) that it’s now cheaper than water, and the dairy industry is in crisis. In tandem, people have become a lot more health-conscious and choose to shun milk in favor of “healthier” alternatives. You’re just as likely to hear someone say “Make mine a soy/almond/coconut milk latte” as a plain old semi-skimmed.

We thought milk was good for us, but it turns out that it may actually be weird that we drink it at all.

“The dairy industry has always claimed milk to be a perfect natural food,” says Cheryl Fayolle, a nutritional therapist in London listed on the British nutrition information network Nutritionist Resource. “However, whilst cow’s milk is perfect for newborn calves, many of the nutrients are problematic for humans. In fact, we are the only mammals who consume milk after childhood, and some argue that we are not conditioned to consume dairy at all after childhood.”

“Despite all the advertising, there is no biological requirement for cow’s milk,” agrees Christine Bailey, an English nutritionist and author of Go Lean Vegan (Yellow Kite Books, published July 2016). “The evidence of its benefits to humans is typically overstated. Our bodies weren’t really made to digest milk on a regular basis.”

So much so that a whopping 75 percent of the world’s population can’t tolerate it, says Bailey. “Dairy causes millions around the world to suffer digestive distress because of lactose intolerance,” she explains.

Some experts believe that we have things totally the wrong way round, and shouldn’t even be labeling people who can’t digest milk as lactose-intolerant, because it suggests this is abnormal.

Instead, they talk of lactose persistence — the ability to to digest lactose in adulthood — as the result of a genetic mutation found predominantly in the descendants of European dairy farmers.

Lactose intolerance: The symptoms

Fayolle explains: “Symptoms of intolerance occur within a few hours of ingestion of milk or milk products and cause a variety of symptoms, including abdominal cramps, bloating, flatulence, diarrhea, headaches, eczema, and nausea.”

Milk is such a basic element of many diets that we may not even realize it’s affecting us. For many, some of the lesser symptoms, like bloating, gas, and discomfort, are a daily occurrence, so commonplace that we don’t even question why they’re happening.

But what about calcium? Isn’t milk essential for strong bones?

“Milk and dairy should never be the main source of calcium,” Fayolle advises.

“It is misleading to suggest that you need dairy for strong bones,” says Bailey. Some studies actually show the opposite to be true: A higher consumption of dairy can in fact increase the risk of bone fractures. “That doesn’t mean you don’t need calcium, of course,” she adds.

Other good sources of calcium are salmon (with bones), sardines, seafood, and dark leafy vegetables, says Fayolle. Calcium is also found in smaller quantities in many other foods, such as almonds, asparagus, and broccoli.

So should we all be ditching all dairy?

Actually, no. The advice from many experts is to think twice before banishing milk from your diet completely. Everything in moderation, as the old adage goes.

For every study that finds a problem with dairy products (in research not only into lactose but everything from cancer to acne to weight gain), there’s at least one that shows a benefit. The benefits range from a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, reduced duration of respiratory infections in the elderly, and even a reduced likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s.

Some argue that, contrary to the argument that we’re not conditioned to digest milk, humans are in fact among the most adaptable organisms on the planet. Just look at those dairy farmers!

Lactose intolerance isn’t black or white, either. Just because some people can’t consume dairy in large quantities doesn’t mean that they can’t enjoy it in smaller amounts. “Most lactose-intolerant individuals can tolerate small amounts of dairy products, but would struggle with a large caffe latte or a bowl of milky cereal,” says Fayolle.

If you do decide to go dairy-free, however, this is a pretty good time to do it, thanks to the abundance of dairy-free alternatives available on the market.

Let’s keep in touch! Follow Yahoo Beauty on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.