The truth about animal milk/dairy
Milk is generally an emulsion of protein and fat in a water-based liquid. An emulsion is when you mix one liquid into another that don't generally mix, like oil and water when you make salad dressing. They're not dissolving into each other, but the little molecules of one are suspended in the other. For dairy milk, it's an emulsion of animal protein, fats, lactose, etc. For plant milks (soy, rice, hemp, etc) it's the same but, now it's nut proteins and oils. But in all cases, the emulsion is where the creaminess comes from in "milk". If you have less water, you call it cream (either dairy cream or plant-nut creams). Plant based milk does is nutrious and tasty, it does not carry the harm and health problems associated with dairy and animal milk. Mammal milk is an opaque white liquid produced by the mammary glands of all female mammals (including humans and monotremes). The female ability to produce milk is one of the defining characteristics of mammals. It provides the primary source of nutrition for their newborns before they are able to digest other types of food.1 How is it that humans began drinking another mammals milk that was not produced for us but specifically produced for their offspring? The fact is many over the world drink milk thinking it is okay and natural and there is no harm, but the truth is, other animals milk is very harmful to our health. Animal milk allergies are the most common food allergy in America, 60% of Americans are allergic to milk.2 Milk and cheese are loaded with fat and cholesterol and are frequently contaminated with pesticides, dioxins, and drugs; are linked to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers, including prostate cancer and breast cancer; and may even cause osteoporosis—because the excess protein in dairy products leaches calcium from the bones.3 Lactose intolerant is the inability to digest significant amounts of lactose, the predominant sugar of milk, and is the most common food intolerance among Americans. In fact, 30-50 million Americans or at least one out of ten people are lactose intolerant. This inability to digest lactose results from a shortage of the enzyme lactose, which is normally produced by the cells that line the small intestine. Lactose breaks down milk sugar into simpler forms that can then be absorbed into the bloodstream. When there is not enough lactose to digest the amount of lactose consumed, the results, although not usually dangerous, can be uncomfortable and include symptoms such as: nausea, cramps, bloating, gas, and diarrhea – which begin about 30 minute to 2 hours after eating or drinking foods containing lactose. Lactose intolerance can be easily diagnosed on an outpatient basis at a hospital, clinic, or doctor’s office.4 Cow's milk is the number one source of allergies in children, and research links consumption of dairy products, including cow's milk, to colic (stomach cramps), autism, chronic ear infections, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (type 1 or "juvenile-onset" diabetes), acne, obesity, flatulence, constipation, mucus, and a variety of other ailments.5
Try a dairy free diet today! There are plenty of healthy, tasty dairy alternatives!
A list of dairy alternatives and info
Milk (such as soy, almond, rice, etc)
Ice Cream and Yogurt
Other Dairy Alternatives (such as cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, etc)
Links and more information on milk:
Truth About Milk
Milk Myths by Viva! (Also a guide to Dair-free living)
Six Reasons You Should Avoid Dairy at all Costs (VIDEO)
Dairy Ads May Dupe Dieters
GoDairyFree
MilkSucks
Dairy Free Guide (PDF)
Dump Dairy
Unhappy Cows
No Milk
Milk Suckers
Milk Allergies
Learn more on lactose intolerance
Cow’s Milk is Poison
List of alternatives by TryVeg
List of alternatives by VegCooking
Milk substitutes on Wikipedia
Vegan substitutions at WikiCookbooks (incluues dairty alternatives)
Vegan substitutions (includes dairy alternatives)
Milk on Wikipedia (keep in mind some of the things on here may not be factual)
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