Milk May Be Hazardous to Your Child’s Health

As parents, you might want to be aware of concerns about health risks to your children from cow’s milk products. These problems relate to the proteins, sugar, fat, and contaminants in dairy products, and the inadequacy of whole cow’s milk for human nutrition.

Health risks from milk consumption are greatest for infants less than one year of age, in whom cow’s milk can contribute to deficiencies in several nutrients, including iron, essential fatty acids, and vitamin E. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants under one year of age not receive whole cow’s milk, as iron deficiency is more likely on a dairy-rich diet. Cow’s milk products are very low in iron. To get the US RDA of 15 mg of iron, and infant would have to drink more than 31 quarts of milk per day. Milk can also cause blood loss from the intestinal tract, which, over time, reduces the body’s iron stores.

Colic is an additional concern with milk consumption. Pediatricians learned long ago that cow’s milk was often the reason for colic. Breastfeeding mothers can have colicky babies if the mothers are consuming cow’s milk. The cow’s antibodies can pass through the mother’s bloodstream into her breast milk and to the baby.

Concerns are greatest for children in the first year of life, yet there are also health concerns related to milk use among older children.

Several reports link insulin-dependent diabetes to a specific protein in dairy products. A long-standing theory is that cow milk proteins stimulate production of antibodies which, over time, destroy the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas.

Food allergies appear to be a common result of milk consumption, particularly in children.

Many children are unable to digest the milk sugar, lactose. This is known as lactose intolerance, and causes uncomfortable gastrointestinal symptoms in those who attempt to ingest dairy.

Most milk and dairy products contain significant amounts of saturated fat, as well as cholesterol, contributing to cardiovascular diseases and certain forms of cancer. The early changes of heart disease have been documented in American teenagers.

Milk contains frequent contaminants, including pesticides, antibiotics and hormones.

Dairy products offer a false sense of security to those concerned about osteoporosis. In countries where dairy products are not generally consumed, such as China, there is actually less osteoporosis than in the United States. There are many good sources of calcium such as broccoli, green leafy vegetables, and beans. Even cows don’t drink milk--they eat grass.

There is no nutritional requirement for dairy products, and consumption can result in chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and formation of atherosclerotic plaques that can lead to heart disease. If your children consume a healthful diet of grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, they will meet their nutritional needs without the health risks of milk.

Remember: All mammals drink mother’s milk of their own species. No other species drinks milk beyond infancy.

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