Phoebe Buffay from the show “Friends” was always known as a bit “quirky” and “out there”. However she occasionally surprised viewers with memorable gems like this one.
[Season 2, Episode 3: The One Where Heckles Dies]
“Okay Ross, could you just open your mind like this much? Okay. Now, wasn’t there a time when the brightest minds in the world believed that the Earth was flat? And up until like what, fifty years ago you all thought the atom was the smallest thing, until you split it open and this like whole mess of crap came out. Now, are you telling me that you are so unbelievably arrogant that you can’t admit that there’s a teeny, tiny possibility that you could be wrong about this?”
The writers of the show got the desired laugh when Ross “caved,” but they also touched on an interesting topic.
Think for a moment about the things we are taught from an early age, and are later found to be false. Obvious examples would be Santa Claus, The Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy. The obvious examples, however, are purposeful lies, told for a number or reasons. The examples that Phoebe mentioned are falsehoods perpetuated by the passing down of misinformation from generation to generation.
More examples like Phoebe’s are falsehoods such as “coffee will stunt your growth,” “Christopher Columbus discovered America,” “tomatoes are a vegetable,” and “milk is essential to strong bones.” Wait…what? Milk isn’t essential to building strong bones. Keep reading.
Is milk a good source of calcium?
Milk is one way of getting calcium into the body…but cows do not produce calcium. Calcium is found naturally in soil. Plants absorb calcium through their roots, as they grow. Dark, leafy-green vegetables such as spinach and collards are high in calcium. Beans, lentils, almonds, and seeds are also great sources of calcium.
Active calcium absorption is dependent on Vitamin D, which is not found naturally in milk…it has to be added. Even with Vitamin D, roughly one third of the calcium in dairy is absorbed and stored in bones. Cow’s milk, specifically because of its protein content, causes the body’s pH to become acidic.
Calcium is an acid neutralizer, and is pulled from the body’s largest calcium store…the bones. Bone density increases as bones grow through the process of “remodeling.” The amount of calcium stored is relative to bone density…but is not the direct cause of the density itself. Long-term reduction in calcium does however, reduce bone density…and can lead to osteoporosis in adulthood. So much for the claim that dairy is essential to strong bones!
Are humans the only mammal that utilizes the milk of a lactating species other than its own?
There are numerous claims that the Red Billed Oxpecker will pilfer milk from an impala…although it seems to be the same unfounded claim, simply re-stated in multiple articles. The Red Billed Oxpecker diet consists mainly of ticks and other parasites. This is why the bird can be seen “grazing” on the backs of impalas. There are also reports of Seagulls and Sheathbills stealing milk from elephant seals. Even if this does happen on occasion, it is not part of their daily food intake.
Humans added milk to their diet by domesticating lactating animals like cows and goats. It became a dietary staple because it was available. History teaches us that just because we can do something, doesn’t mean we should do it.
At what age do we no longer need milk?
Mammals that consume their mother’s milk prior to weaning produce an enzyme called lactase. The lactase enzyme, produced by the small intestine in humans, is what allows them to break down and digest the sugar (lactose) that occurs naturally in milk. Lactase is produced less and less after mammals are weaned off their mothers. Most humans stop producing lactase completely before puberty.
The ability to consume milk into adulthood is known as “lactase persistence,” and seems to only occur in human beings. This genetic mutation is actually a rare occurrence on a world-wide scale.
What does it actually mean to be lactose intolerant?
When humans don’t produce enough or any of the lactase enzyme, the result is usually varying digestive disorders due to the body’s inability to breakdown the sugar (lactose) in dairy products. People that are lactose intolerant may still be able to process the protein (casein) in dairy products. An intolerance to the casein protein itself is usually an allergic reaction that can manifest in the form of digestive issue similar to those caused by a lactose intolerance. Allergic reactions can be as severe as anaphylaxis, which is life-threatening…as it can completely close the airway.
Is Lactose Intolerance a disease?
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases actually lists Lactose Intolerance as a disease.1 This raises the obvious question of why the absence of a genetic mutation (lactase persistence) would be categorized as a disease.
The reality is that most entities that promote dairy as an essential part of a healthy diet, do so with marketing rather than scientific research. Even the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) recommendation of dairy as a food group is based on research funded by profits from the dairy industry and published by the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board (Dairy Board).2
With so much endorsement coming from the federal government, it’s no wonder why America is one of the few remaining countries where consumers are forced to pay more for dairy alternatives.3
What are the pros and cons to dairy alternatives?
Several alternatives exist for people trying to steer clear of dairy products.
Soy milk is among the more popular of the alternatives. Soy milk has high amounts of calcium, potassium, and protein…making it an acceptable replacement for cow’s milk. Soy milk also contains carbohydrates in the form of sugar, making it very calorically dense. A large portion of soy products available to consumers contain some form of a Genetically Modified Organism (GMO). Organic (naturally grown and harvested soy) is the best source of soy products. Soy allergies are also as common as lactose allergies. Despite the wide-spread belief that soy contains high amounts of estrogen, it is safe for men and women to drink…without the fear of disrupting hormone levels. This particular myth about soy comes from the presence of compounds called phytoestrogens…although there is very little research to prove this plant hormone has any effect on human hormone levels.
Other milks are easily obtained such as almond milk, oat milk, and coconut milk. Almond milk is not a great source of protein but contains comparable amounts of calcium to soy milk. Oat milk is very calorically dense, but has small amounts of protein per serving and can spike insulin levels due to its high sugar content. Coconut is an excellent source of potassium.
Neither coconut milk nor almond milk contain sugar, unless added…making them both a low calorie milk alternative. Whereas soy and almonds both contain common allergens, coconut allergy is not a common occurrence.
