Why Humans Should Not Drink Cow’s Milk?

While the industry is in full swing running campaigns that encourage people to consume more dairy, I want to explain in a few arguments why not drink cow’s milk (or any other animal that is not human).

I am not a doctor, I am not trained in nutrition and I do not raise cattle. I am a journalist who researches safe sources, has proven on her skin the benefits of stopping drinking milk, in addition to seeing live the horror of cow exploitation.

Why Humans Should Not Drink Cow's Milk?
Why Humans Should Not Drink Cow’s Milk?

Yes, milk is present in many things: in the most diverse culinary recipes and even in cosmetics.? Therefore, I wonder daily how people have not yet woken up to the many negative things that consumption brings!

Want to understand why you should stop drinking milk? Do you need good information to use when family and friends counter-claiming the supposed benefits of milk? You have everything you need here: 12 good reasons not to drink cow’s milk! ??

 

How did Cow’s Milk get into Human Life?

“Guys, I can use this food for myself too!”

When did a human being look at a cow feeding its calf and think of the sentence above? What logic did he use to suppose that cow’s milk, especially, would serve us very different animals?

What is known is that with the emergence of agriculture around 10,000 years ago, a man began to domesticate docile animals, such as oxen, pigs, and sheep for the plow. This exploration made access to meat, leather, and, of course, milk easy.

But our body was not made for this other milk and it had to adapt.

The records of humans best adapted to cow’s milk date from about 7500 years ago among populations in Central Europe and the Balkans, as reported by a UCL article, University College London.

Over these thousands of years, these people have generated many descendants also adapted to lactose. Today they are less than 30% of the population.

While populations in Europe already used milk in their diet, people living in Asia, most of Africa, and the Americas did not have this culture. Dairy products were widespread after navigations, colonization and cultural impositions took place. Cattle breeding for milk crossed the sea!

However, milk as consumed today has a very recent history.

According to a BBC article, until the 19th century, consumers of cow’s milk were children. Seeing an adult in Europe or the United States drinking milk was not common.

What triggered the rampant consumption of milk and its use in various foods and in various forms?

Consumption began to grow when, in the early 20th century, milk production in the United States was much greater than demand. There it became the mission of the farmers and the government that subsidized them to convince the population to take this excess.

It was there that in 1920, not coincidentally, it was scientifically attested that cow’s milk was a super food, in fact the most complete of nature. It was also considered indispensable for human beings to have strong bones and prevent osteoporosis.

Analyze these historical facts and draw your conclusions.

Note how commercial interests prevailed and contributed to food culture. And with so many ranchers interested in getting the most out of the pets, milk meant extra profits beyond meat.

Today, as milk is in everything, many people cannot imagine life without it, and in reality, the only one who cannot be without is the calf.

There are so many reasons for not drinking milk. Why not stop?

2 reasons not to drink cow’s milk

The commercialization of cow’s milk is one of the worst industries in terms of animal exploitation and suffering and that is why I argue that vegetarians should cut milk from food as well.

But we must not forget that several other non-human kinds of milk are widely marketed and even considered healthy and gourmet options, such as buffalo and goat. Although they have less lactose and may come from non-industrial farms, they still carry animal cruelty and non-health promotion.

In this context, I now share the most important reasons that have led many people, including me, not to drink cow’s milk, be it in any of its forms.

As usual, I added the sources of my research and I was very didactic so that there was no doubt. I hope it will be useful and really help and make you healthier and release kittens and calves out there. ??????

 

# 1 The milk the cow produces is from the calf

If I had to choose a reason among everyone to present and justify why not drink cow’s milk, this would be it. It is logical!

Each mammal in nature produces a type of milk according to the nutrients that the newborn baby needs. The cow produces milk when I give birth to a calf that meets the nutritional needs only of the calf of this species.

This is so obvious that it shocks me that people want to find arguments in favor of cow, goat, buffalo or any other non-human milk. After all, the milk that meets our biological needs is breast milk and, even so, only during childhood.

 

# 2 Animals suffer a lot in this process

I often hear people say that animals have no feelings and don’t mind being in pain. I am convinced that whoever says that has never seen live cows, oxen, or calves.

I have always had family members living on the farm and I grew up watching how these animals live in the type of confinement considered as light as possible. Ah! But remember that light for humans is still heavy for them.

So I can say that it is clear how cows have feelings. They are empathetic to other beings of their kind, seek comfort, care for their young, cry out in pain, have favorite friends, have reactions to external stimuli and remember what is safe and what is dangerous.

How do they look during milk production for us? Suffering is very intense, sometimes worse than livestock (when it is raised free). After all, the function is daily, therefore, abuse too.

On large industrial dairy farms, cows have suction machines on the mammary glands for a long time. This is extremely painful, since machines are one size and cows are not. Thus, teats hurt and infect easily and, as expected, the solution for the rancher is to give antibiotics and express milk even when the animal is in pain.

Farm produces 70 thousand liters of milk per day with a carousel system. An article that aired on Globo Rural in 2014. They explain what a successful dairy farm is like. It is shocking how progress is for them. ???

There are people who believe that the above report represents the minority of industrial farms; It is a minority, because the smaller dairy farms have even worse conditions, with dirtier environments.

On farms with fewer cows, on the other hand, there are no suction machines. There are retreators, who also manage to hurt cows.

In both cases, for the cow to produce milk, she must have given birth. So, the industry makes this cow pregnant, most often by artificial insemination (an invasive process).

The dairy cow also has no right to feed its own calf when it is born. On larger farms, the puppy cannot even stay with his mother for a day. Absurd!

And if you doubt that calf and cow suffer, look for videos of that moment of separation. It is heartbreaking. And the cow will suffer this many times throughout its life. ??

It is necessary that everyone knows the pain and suffering caused for cheese to reach your table. It’s not worth it. Believe!

 

# 3 The way milk is produced is not at all hygienic

Did you see the images from the Globo Rural video? That is a model farm. Still, cows live where they make feces and suction machines are used to suck milk from bruised teats that often contain pus and blood.

Moisture, several animals together, feces and urine, hurt by movement in small spaces. All of this contributes to the proliferation of bacteria that are not good for the cow and that, consequently, will reach the milk and the body of those who take it.

We know that dairy cows are medicated so that nothing bad gets into the milk. If that were true and if everything in the process was really hygienic, pasteurization would not be necessary.

Without pasteurization and the addition of various chemicals to make the milk fit for consumption, it could not be sold! This is proof that the dairy industry gives that, despite all the measures, the scenario is very disgusting. Ew. ?

 

# 4 There is no hard evidence that milk is good for bones

Speaking of the story of how humans began to drink cow’s milk, I told them that in the early 20th-century research emerged that showed that milk because it has too much calcium, could help strengthen bones and thus prevent disease.

Such research came at a time when the supply of milk was far greater than the demand in the United States. Reason to be suspicious!

Population studies show something different. Europeans and Americans, people with the highest milk consumption, have more osteoporosis than Asians, people who consume much less milk (tofu ?).

That’s because the fact that milk has a lot of calcium does not mean that humans absorb it well. Because it is acidic, it even harms the body, increasing the risk of cancer and other diseases such as diabetes.

For scientific data, I recommend the documentary What the Health available on Netflix. From 28 ’55 ”, the fallacies of the association between consumption of cow’s milk and strong bones are addressed.

 

# 5 Calcium can also be found in vegetables

But what about calcium? It is the question that anyone who does not drink milk and its derivatives always hears!

Calcium is important for bones, yes, but it is not present only in milk. It can be found in almonds, kale, broccoli, sesame and other foods. It is worth remembering that the calcium in these foods is even more bioavailable than the calcium in cow’s milk. ???

However, for better calcium absorption, we need vitamin D, a nutrient that our body is capable of producing. For that, it is necessary to sunbathe for a few minutes.

Finally, we must pay attention to factors that reduce calcium absorption, such as excessive consumption of coffee, salt, alcohol, and vegetables with oxalic acid (spinach, chard, cocoa, for example).

This does not mean that we should not consume these foods, especially vegetables, as they bring other important nutrients. Remember this to ensure your doses of this nutrient. After all, information is everything to be healthy!

 

# 6 Milk is perfect for the calf and terrible for us

Cow’s milk is naturally super protein, fatty, and full of hormones. This is what the calf needs, as it will quickly reach another 100 kilos.

Human milk is quite different and is perfect for babies. In addition to being less caloric, our mothers’ milk has more vitamins and almost half of protein.

Likewise, buffalo or goat milk is different: they are suitable for the growth of other species.

 

# 7 A large part of the population has lactose intolerance

During my studies to produce this list, I found sources that said that between 60% and 70% of the world population is lactose intolerant.

But even for those who can consume milk without major discomfort, the levels of lactase, the enzyme that digests lactose, drop considerably throughout life. This is a biological adaptation, since milk is necessary during childhood when we are unable to chew.

Whenever someone comes to tell me that they discovered lactose intolerance, my reaction is always to say: “look, in fact, this is the normal condition of people”.

Even those who continue to produce lactase, produce it less than when they were children and may have other discomforts, described below.

In addition, the antibiotics ingested by the cows to contain all the inflammations that the small dogs get from living in a poorly cleaned place will also end up in the milk. Bacteria killed (but still present) by pasteurization and pesticides in the feed that cows eat also go to the box on the supermarket shelf.

Finally, the countless dairy products are very fatty, that is, rich in substances that contribute to cholesterol and weight gain.

It is true that the milk of a cow raised free on a farm, only extracted for family consumption, is less harmful. However, there is animal exploitation and the milk that most people have access to is this super industrialized one.

 

# 9 Milk is a way to profit more from cows that would go to slaughter

We should choose foods for the benefits they bring us and considering whether they were produced fairly (here is conscious consumption in the vein, yes!). But for so long we have been “informed” by advertising, that we have chosen what is easily available.

As I told in the history of human consumption of cow’s milk, it was only presented to us as a superfood in the early 20th century when American ranchers realized that their cows could make them more profitable.

Thus, the American industry subsidized research and advertising to encourage the population to drink more milk and dairy products. It didn’t take long for this to spread to other cultures.

 

# 8 Even skimmed or lactose-free milk are harmful

Explaining better.

Fat and sugar are not the only problems with consuming cow’s milk. Simply taking them out does not guarantee that the human being is healthy. This commercial feature of skim and lactose free only allows people who could not take milk from the calf to enjoy it.

To make matters worse, types of cancer influenced by hormone levels, such as variations in the prostate and breast, for example, are related to the consumption of cow’s milk, full of her sex hormones.

Drinking milk for ranchers is a way of increasing production and making all that high cost pay a lot. After all, the world consumes many liters of milk!

And believe me, there is a lot of milk producer that is not evil. It’s worse: you think that is normal.

 

# 10 Milk contributes to the production of gases

I’m not talking about cow gases, methane, a pollutant. I mean our gases!

Because it is super protein, very allergenic and poorly digested by most people, cow’s milk makes our stomach and intestines work hard to get the job done.

This can lead to gas, abdominal discomfort and even diarrhea and constipation.

In addition, forcing your intestine to digest milk without doing it well, can cause inflammation and decrease nutrient absorption. This is because with the intestinal walls always inflamed and also by ingesting calcium (which in itself reduces the absorption of iron), there is a reduction in the useful area that absorbs nutrients and takes them into our blood.

Therefore, it is common for people to discover lactose intolerance in addition to anemia. Drinking cow’s milk impairs iron absorption!

 

# 11 And acne

Studies prove that milk and acne have a strong relationship. I also prove it!

Years ago I went to a nutritionist who identified my lactose intolerance. And believe me, my skin looks great like never before.

Of course, I delved deeply into the matter to see if it was related. Has!

One of the most respected studies that bring this hypothesis is 2007, from Harvard School of Public Health . What happens is that cow’s milk is full of hormones, which contribute to the formation of blackheads and pimples.

So, if you suffer from acne after adolescence, here’s the tip. They may be the hormones, but not yours.

 

# 12 The dairy and pharmaceutical industry just want you to buy

They don’t want your health. They are not concerned with animal welfare. But mostly, they don’t want things to change.

Even with so much data saying why not drink cow’s milk (or any other animal’s milk), the big industry insists on having us as customers.

For this, the dairy factories create “healthier” versions of milk, with added vitamins or proteins, for example.

Not to mention the pharmaceutical industry, which only benefited from questions about the benefits of milk consumption. She created lactase in tablets, the magic pocket enzyme that gives you the possibility to consume milk even though you are intolerant without suffering symptoms. But, as we know, doing a damned bad thing to yourself.

 

How to avoid dairy products in a world with so much milk added?

How to stop drinking cow’s milk?

First, you will have to want a lot. Then, you will have to say many no and adapt to the questions that will be asked.

Are you vegan? Are you on a diet? You don’t even like cheese?

It worked for me to stop gradually. Not because I liked or missed it, but because it took me the courage to say no to what people had done especially for me.

It breaks my heart to remember that many people receive vegetarians with preparations drizzled with cheese, sour cream, and the like. We cannot allow it. There are ways to avoid this.

The fact is that today, fortunately, I learned how to escape from milk. For you to do the same, in addition to having the will and being strong in saying no, I recommend that:

Talk to people close to you about it

Tell and explain your position and how important it is to you.

Everything has gone more smoothly since I started to explain that this choice determines my happiness, well-being and is part of my beliefs. It is the life I chose.

 

Don’t expect options for you: get ready

Do not create expectations to not be upset. No one has an obligation to give you food.

You can eat before, take your snacks, offer to make a dish or just stay on the salad.

Replace with vegetable milk

Today there are many products that mimic milk and dairy products. There are many good ones, bad ones and, in general, none are cheap. But there is away!

I love to make coconut milk or almonds to drink with coffee, for example. But I have to say that they are not the same as the originals, but they taste good and are good. I guarantee you that you quickly forget the “originals”.

So, if you make a point of cheeses and the like in your life, I suggest you go for the vegan versions.?

 

Why are there still campaigns in favor of animal milk?

For everything I’ve researched so far and for what I live daily as a non-consumer of dairy products and an advocate for food without milk, I say tradition.

Have you ever wondered what doctors and scientists would have to do if everything changed? It is comfortable for them to continue in the same way! Changing always hurts, whether to leave home, quit your job, or make big decisions. It is always a fresh start.

Of the doctors I know who tell me that milk is important to guarantee my daily doses of calcium, none went to study when challenged about it. What they and what Dráuzio Varella has done is to find justifications for maintaining what they have learned.

Not to mention chefs and pastry chefs: the base of their work is milk and dairy products.

The workers of this gigantic exploratory industry, who are afraid to admit and see themselves as those who consent to this cruelty, are also stagnating.

For these groups, it is easier to follow the same path. It’s how they work and earn a living.

But as we know, they also need to know! If a “food” has such a high price for cows and calves and for our bodies, why consume it?

There’s no reason for that. And 12 to change.