Busted: 6 milk myths you probably believed to be true

Though the nutrition value of this beverage can’t be denied, the misconceptions surrounding milk are rampant. Here're some of them

By: Pooja Tyagi |
May 11, 2017 3:43 pm

Can be called one of the most consumed beverages around the globe, Milk has long been associated with good health. Although the nutrition value of this beverage can’t be denied, the misconceptions surrounding it are rampant. Here we have outlined a few of the most prevalent that you might be hearing.

Myth: Milk is the only good source of calcium

Buster: Fortified drinks like soy milk and orange juice pack just as much as or more calcium than the average cup of milk. Among vegetable kale, tofu, broccoli, and beans are good sources of calcium.

Myth: Milk consumption results in stronger bones

Milk Baby (Photo: Dreamstime)

Buster: Several pieces of research claim that milk depletes calcium from our bones and increases fracture risk. Moreover, these researchers are supported by the data which shows that countries with the highest rate of osteoporosis are the ones where people drink more milk!

Myth: Milk is nature’s most wholesome food

Buster: There is enough evidence to prove that nowadays cows are full of toxins, such as pesticides, antibiotics, bacteria and hormones. Thus, the milk they discharge is getting increasingly unhealthy and nutrition-less.

Myth: Cows need to be milked otherwise their udders will explode

Drinking Milk (Photo: Dreamstime)

Buster: Like humans and other animals, cows only produce milk to feed their calves. If they don’t have babies, they don’t make milk. However, to keep the cows lactating, farmers impregnate them through artificial insemination once a year.

Myth: Cow’s milk is for humans

Milk and Cow (Photo: Dreamstime)

Buster: Cow’s milk contains an average of three times the amount of protein than human milk, contributing to a variety of illness and disease.

Myth: Dairy industry adds growth hormones in milk, which are bad for humans

Milk (Photo: Dreamstime)

Buster: To boost milk production, farmers give rBST hormone to cows. This rBST is the synthetic copy of Bovine somatotropin (BST) or bovine growth hormone (BGH), which is a naturally-occurring hormone in cows that helps them produce milk. Thus, it does no harm.