Loading ...6 Reasons to Stop Drinking Milk Today
While there are many ethical and moral questions to be answered when one considers their consumption of milk, there are numerous health concerns to take into account as well. This piece will explore some of the reasons, related both to health and ethics, to quit that nasty habit of drinking cow’s milk.
1. Pathogens, Bacteria & Antibiotics – Oh My!
The first glaring problem is the state of the milk cows themselves. Dairy cows are fed high-protein, soy-based feed instead of their natural feed of green grass. This practice produces grown cows with abnormally enlarged pituitary glands, giving them the ability to produce milk more rapidly. The downside to humans: the process leaves the cow weak and unhealthy, forcing the milk industry to pump the animals full of a variety of antibiotics to keep them well enough to continue to produce. These antibiotics are commonly found in the finished product that many of us consume on a very regular basis.
2. Pasteurization
Problem number two: the pasteurization process. Pasteurization is the act of heating the raw product up to extreme temperatures in order to destroy the native pathogens and bacteria that cow’s milk contains. Unfortunately, this process also destroys the natural enzymes found in the milk, enzymes that the human body requires in order to properly break it down when it is consumed. Because the human pancreas was not designed to break down the mother’s milk of animal species, it is often lacking when it attempts to deliver the enzymes necessary to break down the milk; people whose pancreas is unable to produce sufficient enzymes are called lactose intolerant. Continued consumption of cow’s milk can cause your pancreas to become overworked to the point that you develop lactose intolerance at any point in your life.
3. Homogenization
The butterfat found naturally in cow’s milk is forced through a commercial process called homogenization. This process forces the butterfat to the point of rancidity, allowing it to be easily removed for the sake of “low fat” cow’s milk. Removing the butterfat altogether produces skim milk, a product marketed to us as a health food; what is ironic is that the removal of the butterfat keeps the human body from properly digesting the milk, leaving behind the many vitamins, minerals and short chain fatty acids that are naturally found in milk.
4. Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH)
The American FDA has recently approved the use of Bovine Growth Hormones by dairy farmers with the intention of allowing for increased milk production. So how does BGH affect humans? Well, it causes a drastic increase in insulin-like growth factors (IGF-1) in the milk of commercial dairy cows, forcing the people who consume the finished product to consume it directly. IGF-1 has been found to promote the transformation of human breast cells to cancerous forms among other negative health effects.
5. Cows Are People Too!
Okay, so maybe cows aren’t people. They are, however, sentient beings that deserve nothing less than a free, natural and happy life that doesn’t involve being chained up in a small stall, being biologically made to believe that it is pregnant nine months of the year in order to increase milk production or being deliberately made sick and pained for selfish human consumption. There is no spiritual standpoint on Earth that advocates or allows for the torture of animals and the commercial dairy process is nothing less than absolute torture.
6. It’s Absolutely Disgusting
We are the only species on Earth that regularly and happily consumes the breast milk of another species. At the same time, sitcoms and humorous books make light of many people’s “gross factor” when it comes to the breast milk of human women; it just doesn’t make any sense.
My final decision to quit cow’s milk once and for all came only recently relative to my lifespan and I can still easily reflect on the ease with which I was drawn into the commercialism of it all. I was fed cow’s milk as a child and it quickly became a daily part of my diet. I fell for the commercials and commercial propaganda that continuously told me how healthy milk is. Education and insight are the foundations of most positive change and I hope that this piece will encourage you to get up from your computer chair, walk to your fridge and immediately pour what milk you have in the fridge down the drain. At the very least, please research the subject further in order to make up your own mind!
See also: 6 Reasons to Stop Eating Meat Today
Aw, isn’t she cute? Note the ID tag stapled into her ear.
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February 15th, 2008 at 5:42 pm
Your arguments are not sourced:
1. “These antibiotics are commonly found in the finished product that many of us consume on a very regular basis.”
Not sourced and… Why is this bad?
2. “Because the human pancreas was not designed to break down the mother’s milk of animal species, it is often lacking when it attempts to deliver the enzymes necessary to break down the milk”
Not sourced… and if lacking – isn’t the defense mechanism of lactose intolerance already the solution?
3. “the removal of the butterfat keeps the human body from properly digesting the milk, leaving behind the many vitamins, minerals and short chain fatty acids that are naturally found in milk.”
Not sourced… and… you seem to suggest that it’s ok to drink milk as long as it’s whole milk.
4. “causes a drastic increase in insulin-like growth factors (IGF-1) in the milk of commercial dairy cows” … “IGF-1 has been found to promote the transformation of human breast cells to cancerous forms among other negative health effects.”
Not sourced and… your IGF-1 argument concerning cancer is weak unless you provide concrete examples. This is a serious allegation.
5. “Cows are people…”
You lost me here. You can make this argument about all animals. This argument will force you to provide alternative protein sources for humans and drastcially change all our diets. Are you suggestng a pure vegetable (grains, nuts, legumes) diet?
Are you maing the argument here that these non-meat diets are better for us? You’ll need to demonstrate this.
6. “It’s Absolutely Disgusting”
So it’s ok to eat hamburgers (beef), chicken (including the eggs), fish (sigh… but NOT dolphins, right?) and even cocktail meats (hotdogs, bologna) but you have a bigger problem with milk?
Aside from some health concerns regarding milk (which have not been sourced), you haven’t made a convincing argument yet.
I give this a grade of C for now…
hmm… writing this comment sure has made me thirsty…
February 15th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Thank you for the comments! To answer your questions:
1. Studies are still being done on these antibodies and their long term effects on humans. My contention is that consuming zero unnecessary chemicals is ideal.
2. Lactose intolerance exists in all of us to some degree; it is less a defense mechanism than a sure sign that our bodies are not made to consume the mother’s milk of other species.
3. No, I’m suggesting that this practice is simply another low point of milk propaganda.
4. All sourcing is up to you in this case; the article is simply meant to promote further research by readers. I will make a point to source more completely in future articles for those very same reasons though – point taken
5. Meat eating isn’t at issue in this article – see the eating habits section for 6 reasons not to eat meat too
I am personally a strict vegetarian who consumes no milk and no meat.
6. No, it is equally disgusting to consume the things you mention.
Thanks again for reading and commenting!
February 15th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
What a little pussy…
February 18th, 2008 at 9:51 am
What next? 6 reasons to stop breathing?
February 18th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
No, breathing is a necessary practice with innumerable benefits. Drinking milk is a gross and unhealthy habit that is the direct result of immeasurable suffering. Do breathe, don’t drink milk
February 18th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
“Cow’s milk is a liquid secreted by the mammary glands of the adult female cow to nourish her young calf until weaned.” F’ing GROSS!! What would stop us from suckling on a teat from any animal…egh! Question – how many of us would suck the ‘secreted liquid’ from our wives nipples?
February 24th, 2008 at 11:51 am
You get more calcium from fresh vegetables then you could ever get from drinking any amount of milk.
February 29th, 2008 at 3:21 am
Hey Chris
Great article… after the research I’ve done, I have to agree with your points.
I’ve been about a week without milk and my nose congestion has already cleared up.
April 1st, 2008 at 12:52 pm
1. My cows do not receive antibiotics in their feed and all milk is tested for antibiotics before it enters the food chain. Each tank of milk at every farm across the nation is tested for antibiotics. The FDA strictly enforces a “no antibiotic” in the milk policy. You cannot possibly get any from our milk.
While my cows receive some grain while in the barn they are outside on pasture over 22 hours per day.
2. The enzymes your body needs to digest the milk come from you not the cow; coke and pepsi are what will kill your enzymes the same as either product will eat a nail in a matter of days. Do you really want very much of that in your stomach?
3. Homogenization does not make the fat rancid. The fat that is removed is removed before the process. The only thing that homogenization does is break the fat globules down so they will not separate and rise to the top in the container. Whole milk is 3.2% fat by law in most states but it comes from the cow anywhere between 2.3% – 5.5% so some of the fat is removed and used for butter and ice cream while bringing the milk to the level of 3.2%. One and two percent milk requires removing even more of the fat. I myself will only drink “whole milk”.
4. I have never used the BGH you refer to and the majority of farmers in my area do not either. FDA has proven that it is not injurious to human health but the main reason I do not use it is because I do not feel that it will long term be good for the cow. I have sat down with a pencil and paper and tried to pencil a profit from its potential use and I can find none. Sure there is a little extra milk production but it also causes one to have to feed more feed to the cow and then with the cost of the injections it only leaves room for Monsanto to make a profit.
5. Cows are treated humanely on my farm. They are not “Chained Up” but allowed to graze freely in the fields and to lie in the fields where they wish. Why would you think we chain our cows? There is certainly no profit for my family and I to live on if we had sick cows. All dairymen do their best to take care of the cows in their care.
6. I do not think drinking milk is disgusting, I think queers are disgusting.
Cheerily
IJK
April 2nd, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Let them stop drinking Milk!! That way they won’t be around long to complain!
What do I think is disgusting is people who would knowingly withhold the very best in nutrition for their babies and children.. MILK!! But I guess I deal with these kind of parents all the time.. I’m a foster mom.
June 22nd, 2008 at 12:57 am
Milk is disgusting. An ovo-vegetarian myself, drinking milk from another species seems so inherently corrupt… naturally speaking. And for ‘Amanda’.. the very best in nutrition for babies and children are THEIR OWN MOTHER’S milk… not the milk of a half-tonne bovine creature.
And Iris J Kelley, chances are someone in your family is gay. Drinking milk is an action, and being homosexual is a state of being. Get with the century.
June 24th, 2008 at 9:59 am
Wow. If I haven’t heard a bunch of load of shit. Ok maybe they do feed cows some shit that is bad for us.
But you then went off with the “hippie” standpoint with the “cows are people” which unless you’re of certain religions they are nothing more than a source of meat. (I’m not christian but even god said he placed animals on the earth FOR man).
And to try and convince me it’s gross, that’s funny. You’re told as a kid. “Eat your chicken” do you care? no. It’s your freakin’ chicken nugget happy meal with a really kick ass toy.
July 13th, 2008 at 8:21 am
Here in Austin we have a large vegan community. I see them out and about all the time. They are thin, weak, sickly, anorexic people because their bodies don’t get the proper nourishment that they need to live a healthy life. Milk, meat, and other things that vegans don’t eat contain naturally occuring vitamins and nutrients that our bodies can absorb easily. Don’t get me started on where store bought vitamins come from. Let’s just say that you may have walked on the “vitamins” that you put in your mouth. eeeewww… Do you really know how hard it is on the body to digest those pill vitamins? You’ll pass most of the contents thru your system before they can be used by the body. This is unlike naturally occuring vitamins and minerals in food that are digested properly. IE..calcium…from milk. Less than 10% of calcium from a pill can be used by the body because of the other vitamins that are needed to aid absorbtion. Ie..B6, B12, Niacin.
July 13th, 2008 at 8:37 am
Btw…what are you eating now that many vegitables are infested with salminella poison? Gross…and deadly!!
July 31st, 2008 at 1:54 am
You’re rubbish. Milk is tasty. Go eat grass with your cow friends!
August 11th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
I understand milk drinkers are being implicitly critized, but I’m surpised by the vitriolic and intolerant reaction. No one is rubbish for eating the healthiest way they’ve researched.
After years of struggling with it, Gandhi gave up milk. His dillema was that he knew of nothing else as nourishing. However, he also knew it was having a negative effect on his mental, emotional and spiritual well being. And he believed, as I do (it seems self-evident), these negative consequences stem from the unnatural act of drinking the milk of another animal. It’s not meant for us, no matter how much the dairy industry, and their lobby with the fda wants us to believe it is (for money, obviously. They’re not looking out for your health)
But I can’t knock milk drinkers. Gandhi drank it for a while. It’s a choice. Personally I don’t drink milk because I have a sensitivity to it. I get acne and depession. Milk sensitivity isn’t as well known as lactose intolerance, but you can test for it. I was a literally a suicidal child at 8 years old. 8! Luckily my mother had me tested for food allergies, and took me off milk. Within a week I was a dramatically different child. I actually have a memory of being shocked to realize how happy I was. Milk, it’s not for everyone.
December 24th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
Hey,
I was wondering, if you are still eating ice cream?
If you use whipped cream or something in your coffee?
Do you eat cheese?
“Vegetarian” is a word in an old language means too dumb to hunt!
Thats not intolerant, thats my own opinion, just as it is yours to stop drinking one of the best products, mother nature can delivers us!
Oh one last thing… I am from Germany, cows have to have an ID tag in every ear, right after birth, referring to your picture above.
Each cow (and bull) has got an own Passport! Not even every human has one, each cow in Germany has! If you buy a steak or some grounded beef in a supermarket, a number is shown on the label. This number refers to the place where the cow was slaughtered AND where the cow was raised AND where the cow was born.
People can log on to the internet after shopping, typing in the number and find out where their meat was raised!
If they want to they can go and have a look at the farm!
I really wish people would do that, they would be surprised how well animals are treated at these farm.
Much better than most humans treat their pets or even childs…!!
Sincerely
John
March 31st, 2009 at 7:42 pm
Personally I think milk tastes like cement smells…if that makes any sense…..I must say, I’m not a fan
Almond milk on the other hand, holy geez, I drink that stuff like I get paid to !!!
so good!!
April 1st, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Just because humans are the only ones who drink the milk regularly doesn’t mean it’s that bad for you, mothers of other species will sometimes take on the young of a different species and nurse them.
Granted humans may not be made to digest milk of another species it has never stopped humans from the intake of anything, from odd diets unsustainable without markets (vegans and vegetarians), to people who eat foods despite allergic reactions because it taste so good.
But going along with we should only drink our mothers milk, I am 20 and to do that I would think to be illegal if not just immoral and creepy. If Freud were alive he would have a field day about it. But let me propose an alternative, lets say we milk women instead of cows. Not only would that not be healthy, the flavor would change daily if not hourly bases which would be financially unwise(the types of food and drugs people take would determine the healthiness and taste of the end product). This might increase farm tours though.
Cows are not people, people are people. The cows in the description are living the American dream, they get fed all they want, taken care of, with little to no worries, and they work a job where they literally do no work. Your worried about a bunch of cows that are living the easy life when there is still slavery, mass starvation, and war in the world. Go tell a starving village they shouldn’t drink milk or eat the cow, they will eat you while drinking the milk! Save the cow for another day. Why are we so worried about another species when ours still might fail. No other species worries about the fall of another species unless it was it’s main source of food, then low and behold they either adapt or die.
May 6th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
Might I also point out, to those who believe that due to a widespread abundance of lactose intolerance in the population we humans are not meant to consume bovine milk, that alcohol intolerance is also the previous state in human evolution; because of bacteria that grows abundant in towns and cities, humans developed tolerance to alcohol when they switched from small tribe societies to the larger, location-based societies seen in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Several other cultures, for example Native Americans, continued the nomadic and/or small-community way of life and did not develop the need for alcohol (as an antibiotic), and as such are not evolutionarily predispositioned to drinking said alcohol.
Similarly, only the societies that were historically herders (cows, goats, sheep) and used the milk that these animals produced on a regular basis have developed lactose tolerance. We are merely in the middle of an evolutionary step.
Now, are you going to tell me that we should not drink beer, because a small fraction of the world’s population has alcohol intolerance?
August 3rd, 2009 at 12:19 am
i think milk is really disguting… It has this bad smell and the aftertaste is really weird.. no offence to milk lovers.. sry
August 5th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
I stopped drinking milk on June 17th as an experiment to resolve my health. I love milk; I would drink it even though a glass would keep me near the toilet for hours. My health has improved, I’ve lost substantial body fat, my blood pressure is great and my cholesterol count is almost at the healthy point that my doctor recommends.
I’ve had horrible migraines, 1 to 2 a week for almost a decade. After I gave up the milk, I went migraine free for five and a half weeks. Then stress triggered one, but I’ve only had 3 since. The other problem was congestion, about a week after I stopped the milk intake that life long problem stopped too.
I find it amusing that people assume that you’re a homosexual because you don’t like milk or meat. I thought gay guys were really into smoking meat and milking male chickens, or cocks. Seriously though, I know that you’ve offended their simple minds and they lashed out by insulting you on the internet, anonymously.
August 11th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
Saying that drinking is disgusting is a very weak argument, since everything else has been answered i will talk about this: anything can arguably be discusting, you a person who only eats vegetables, have you ever stopped to think that that soil is rich because of all the decomposed waste thats nourished it? think of that tons of dead animals and even people, sometimes they even use cow poo, all thats beeing sucked up into the nice plants you eat. Isn’t that disgusting? Hell, you can even pick on breathing, every day millions of people burp and fart and you’re breathing that air, not to mention all the carbon dioxide and other gasses, isnt that disgusting? i think life is about being a man/woman about it and just eat that chunk of meat rich in protein, drink that juice squeezed out of a cows nipples, and hell even munch on those crunchy vegetables that were grown in decomposed waste, its not gonna kill you, so just dont be a little girl
October 14th, 2009 at 9:14 pm
er, who cares
no need to get all wee-weed up about it, people.
November 25th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Ahh, the sheeple believe in milk. It might be the single worst food you could put in your body. I would NEVER put milk in any of my children’s bodies as there is absolutely NOTHING remotely healthy about it from my experience.
What about the calcium? Calcium cannot be absorbed without magnesium and this is a well proven, scientific fact. How much magnesium is present in milk. Go ahead and look, I’ll wait. Here’s a link:
http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/dairy-and-egg-products/69/2
Yeah, there isn’t any of meaningful need. So if you can’t process calcium without magnesium and you drink LOTS of milk, how much calcium are you actually getting. Again, nearly nothing.
Ever look at an elephant? How large is the bone structure in an elephant? How in the world are they able to survive without cow’s milk? Why don’t they have broken bones when all they eat is grass and such?
One leaf of spinach will provide more USABLE and absorbed calcium than 10 gallons of cow’s milk.
We are HUMANS not cows. Why do we drink the lactation of another animal? Seriously, why do you? The government tells me its good for me… They also benefit more from cigarette sales than any single entity. Look it up.
Why are so many people obese that drink milk? Must be something else. It can’t possibly be all the fat that is in the milk could it?
Fact: Drinking milk thickens phlegm in the body. Think about that then next time you have a cold and you reach for your milk. Do you enjoy being sick?
My personal experience with milk is this. I have no alergies, take no medications or have any medical conditions of any sort. I was an average milk drinker up until I was 32 years old (now 37). From 25 to 32 years old, I was getting EVERY cold that came around and my 2 year old son who we were giving milk to (starting at 2 as doctors say NO MILK under 2) was also catching every cold and he NEVER got a cold on milk from his mother. Research led me to learn how bad milk was for me and like many of you, I was thinking, yeah right… No way, but I was sick of being sick so I immediately gave it up for a 6 month test.
Needless to say, I have been sick 3 times in the past 5 years and now have 4 kids (that don’t drink a lick of cow’s milk) and have not touched it since.
My son has had about 1 cold per year since we gave up the milk, before that he was catching a cold once a month. The rest of the kids are AMAZINGLY healthy. I tell my seven year old son that I am sorry for giving him milk for that year or so.
None of my children are overweight. None of them suffer from allergies, none of them have any calcium difficencies. All of them are skinny, healthy and happy. All of our friends kids drink milk and they are always sick. ALL THE FRIGGIN TIME!!! So and so can’t come over because they are sick and so forth. That is all my kids hear from their friend’s parents.
So yeah, maybe it’s a coincidence that we just stopped getting sick when we gave up milk. And maybe it’s also a coincidence that I lost 20 pounds since the day I gave up milk (no changes to lifestyle other than milk). And maybe it’s a coincidence that my kids catch 1 cold per year at the most. Maybe, maybe, maybe.
I know that I love my kids and now that I have learned about milk, I would NEVER put that stuff in their bodies. I would be doing them a horrible injustice and setting them up for a life of being constantly sick, overweight and unhappy.
Other than that, I think milk is great!
December 30th, 2009 at 5:23 pm
It is really not that bad as you describe it. It HELPS the Cows when they are milked and it relieves much of their own STRESS. Yeah, it is true, milking the cow does reduce their stress. As well as reduce certain conditions the cow can get when keeping in the milk too long. However, I do agree that I hate the fact that people are chaining the cows up and sucking their milk out through tubes!!!! Like robots!!! they are treating animals like useless trash!!! and i HATE that!!! That is why the farmers’ way is the best way, even though I am kind of acting like a hypocrite, because I am not a farmer myself, but I would love to go back to my homeland and learn to live with the land.
December 30th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
First off Milk is extremely healthy. Its what nurses babys of all types. Second untill human technology came about there was no species that could figure out how to have it every day. Meat is essential to human life we are meat eaters. ONLY the strong survived Its only bean the last few decades where people have had the luxury of eating mass grown vegtables. and call themselves vegatarians. OH BY THE WAY THERE THE WEEK> Any way if there ever is a time in human life GOD FORBID. And life the way we know it comes to a halt. And what ever humans are left and need to live off nature the way god intended. ONLY and ONLY the strong will survive. Think about that you week liberal DOUCHBAGS… Go back to the sixtys enough said
January 2nd, 2010 at 8:06 pm
Humans have been milking cows since we became an agriculture based society, that’s a thousand years. We’re still here aren’t we?
January 16th, 2010 at 1:16 pm
It’s true that we are culturally molded into certain practices, especially like drinking milk and eating meats. We are also creatures of habit on top of that. I can understand people wanting to stand up for their cultures and beliefs, I do it too. However, before taunting with things like ‘why don’t you go eat grass with your cow friends’, and the like; or before just believing one “farmers” written word (who may just have a couple cows that help feed his/her family only), I’d like you to take a look…as for me, rather than type words for the sake of arguments I’d like you all to use this link to take a look…no I DARE you to watch any of the videos on that page. Pick any one or watch a few if you can stomach it, hell if you are completely heartless indulge in them all. Pictures don’t lie.
Please copy and paste in your browser:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=dairy+cow+cruelty&search_type=&aq=2&oq=dairy+cow
February 9th, 2010 at 10:49 am
milk and yogurt and probiotic supplements gave me lactic acidosis and cancer. milk is not healthy, i know.
February 14th, 2010 at 10:46 am
I am a dairy farmer. Your first argument is an absolute LIE! It is illegal to ship milk with antibiotic residue- EVERY load of my milk is tested. If the antibiotic test comes back positive- I am liable for the whole truckload of milk. I drink raw non-homogenized milk so I won’t address points 2 and 3. Argument #4 is weak and non-cited. From my personal experience, and the other 94 farmers in my co-op- we are 100% rBST free- as are many others. Argument #5- our cows are treated like pets. They are our livelihood and our passion. They have a custom nutritionist, get monthly vet checkups, each one has a name, they sleep on mattressed stalls. Your argument for chaining them up is pointless. There are two options- leave them outside in the elements in the winter or barn them up. I barn them up- so what next? Let them wander around the barn manuring on the feed, walking into dangerous areas and hurting themselves? Most are tied up for their own protection- but I have about 10 cows who have not been tied in 6 months- they don’t get into trouble, so I let them be. Your last argument is failed as well. Place a bowl of milk in front of mature cats and see what happens!
March 8th, 2010 at 7:15 am
It’s funny how many people don’t like what they consume on a regular basis being questioned! People don’t want to be told that their eating habits should be changed, because they’re scared of the thought. I for one, haven’t touched milk in around a year, and I’m proudly a vegan
. Come on lads, I’m 17 years old, completely healthy, and surely if I’m able to see what benefits my health and what doesn’t, then a fully grown adult can too!
March 9th, 2010 at 1:35 pm
you she’s cute. she’s ugly and disgusting and very very lazy
March 9th, 2010 at 1:37 pm
you say she’s cute. that things is ugly man chow and digusting + it’s very very lazy.
March 9th, 2010 at 1:38 pm
yu say that’s cute. that’s the ugliest thing i ever saw in my life.
March 9th, 2010 at 1:41 pm
that’s cow is so cute
March 25th, 2010 at 10:02 am
Cows milk was not made for human consumption. It is made for their calves the way nature intended. Humans shouldn’t be drinking cows milk at all. Our bodies can’t break down everything that is in milk like a baby calf could. It would be fine if we were all baby calves but we’re not.
Alot of people ask me where do i get calcium if i don’t drink milk. There are so many other foods that have more calcium than milk does. So many people forget what they are made to eat and don’t even know what benefits you can get from vegetables.
April 10th, 2010 at 7:57 am
maybe for some people milk is disgusting but for me, i love it. i agree with paul. its not for everyone so leave others be.
April 12th, 2010 at 12:11 am
I understand that cows milk really isn’t for humans its for calfs/calves and no matter how much testing you do there’ll allways be something wrong with the milk in some form and though many farmers treat there cows with all the respect and care possible theres always a farm somewere with a problem no matter what you or anyone else says personally I used to love milk but when I was about eleven I started getting sick when I drank it now I avoid it (when my aunt isn’t forcing it down my throat) when possible I seem to be a bit healthier now… Also I agree cow aren’t humans but cows are living creatures and humans are animals so really its all the same why are humans better? We aren’t we kill and rape our own while animals dont force there own to do things so why do we have to dominate the planet and control the animals we take and take and take and never give back why? Who knows perhaps is because humans are a disgusting greedy species but it depends on your own opinion I guess…vegans are interesting if I could cure my ham addiction I would probaly become one I hate the view so many have of them my grandmother is vegan and she’s more heathy than she has been in years (she became completly vegan after finding out she had ms) and before then had to stop eating meat because her body had almost shut down because it couldent digest meat -and other foods but mostly meat- anymore (probably the ms)
April 12th, 2010 at 2:59 am
I am considering giving up drinking milk because of my chronic cough for over ten years and my post nasal drip for many years…I think that drinking milk and eating milk products are the culprits…
June 13th, 2010 at 2:18 pm
Watch earthlings the documentary and see how cows and lots of other animals are treated for our food and clothing ect…then decide if you still want to drink milk…
http://www.earthlings.com/earthlings/video-full.php
Watch and spread the link to everyone you know!
June 20th, 2010 at 9:38 pm
http://www.notmilk.com
Don’t be fooled by dairy farmers when they tell us that they treat their cows and calves humanely.
There is NOTHING HUMANE about sending their cows to HORROR of slaughterhouses when milk production is reduced.
There is NOTHING HUMANE about separating new born calves from mother cows and killing in most inhumanely!!!
Stop covering up cruel treatment of dairy cows and their calves in dairy farms because most people are very well aware of horrible torture of cows and calves in dairy farms.
July 10th, 2010 at 7:50 pm
So many narrowed minded folks here and some not
Think about this for a second. Back in our caveman days. Would we go up to another animal and try to start sucking their milk?? NO! The milk industry has created a billion dollar market for a product we absolutely do not need.
Now, one hick I would like to pull up some points on:
Wayne:
“First off Milk is extremely healthy. Its what nurses babys of all types.”
Correct, but their own young, dumbass!
“Second untill human technology came about there was no species that could figure out how to have it every day. ”
No shit, it’s called capitalism there Wayne.
“Meat is essential to human life we are meat eaters. ONLY the strong survived Its only bean the last few decades where people have had the luxury of eating mass grown vegtables. and call themselves vegatarians.”
Wheer are you getting your “facts” from?! We are not meat eaters! Look at our teeth and our intestine size compared to lions, can we take a chunk out of a cow and start chewing??? Duh.
OH BY THE WAY THERE THE WEEK> Any way if there ever is a time in human life GOD FORBID. And life the way we know it comes to a halt. And what ever humans are left and need to live off nature the way god intended. ONLY and ONLY the strong will survive. Think about that you week liberal DOUCHBAGS… Go back to the sixtys enough said”
Just a dumb hick Wayne, no go back to your trailer and start cooking up some burgers!
July 15th, 2010 at 9:49 pm
All those people who say that drinking milk is not natural, look around you. Is living in a house natural? Is using electricity natural? Is driving cars natural? How about clothes? Bathing isn’t natural, reading and writing isn’t natural. Cooking isn’t natural. Heck, even living past 30 isn’t natural! Almost nothing humans do is natural. If you want to present a good arguement, go live out in the woods in a cave naked and hunt your food with your bare hands or a sharp stick and eat it raw and then try your arguement again. I’m not going to give up one “unnatural thing” when every aspect of our lives is unnatural. But none of you people against drinking milk is willing to give up the rest of the unnatural in your lives so it just makes you sound like a bunch of hypocrites.
August 16th, 2010 at 10:24 am
So is drinking milk healthy for us if it’s from a natural cow with nothing altered and if the milk is not ‘cooked’? I’m not arguing anything, just trying to understand what you’re saying…
August 16th, 2010 at 11:25 am
‘Human nature’ is natural and that ‘nature’ would include our need and desire to invent and think of new things to do and use. So all of our ‘un-natural’ things you’re talking about us doing (living in houses, wearing clothes, etc) may not be ‘natural’ but humans inventing it and using it is extremely natural.
Also, vegetarians and vegans aren’t dying and are not anorexic looking from their decision. They choose not to eat meat and/or animal products but they choose to eat other things that give them the nutrients and vitamins that their bodies need. So they are usually very healthy, just skinnier than all the obese people in this country who eat BK processed burgers and liquid chicken McNuggets. I can’t give up meat, but I choose to eat meat that looks like meat.
I don’t understand how people are using this article to attack others (gay people, vegetarians, etc). Who cares if people choose to do or eat what they do, leave them alone! If you can’t say it to their face, then stop typing it on here.
It’s extremely unfortunate how the big companies are treating their animals and how they are mutating them so they can make a HUGE profit without considering the affects/effects (I always forget which to use) on the consumers. But unless people start only buying from the small farms who treat their animals naturally and kindly and dont listen to the government and big companies, this is going to keep on happening.
And I’m not arguing, I’m just wondering…are the people who gave up drinking milk (and had all these drastic changes), did you also give up cheese, butter, and anything else made from the milk or products of the milk from these cows? I stopped drinking milk and have noticed some differences but I didn’t know if I should be not consuming anything else made from milk to have this significant difference you have noticed.
This has been an interesting experience to read this article and all the comments connected to it. Thanks
October 9th, 2010 at 6:44 am
Goats milk is great… and my cat drinks cow milk making it another species that drinks milk from another animal.. my friends dog loves milk as does his hamster… that makes three. ALSO.. MILK – IT DOES A BODY GOOD!
Billions of people drink it with no bad effects and the argument ITS SIMPLY disgusting means nothing at all… I can say you’re disgusting.. but then again, WHAT good is MY personal opinion on the matter?
JESUS declared all food clean and SINCE I saw HIM a few times in visions after asking for the HOLY SPIRIT and reading the word… I think its ALL right!
October 21st, 2010 at 8:44 pm
drinking donkey milk is very healthy. The oldest lady in the history of the world regularly drank donkey milk.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_5290000/newsid_5295100/5295132.stm
October 21st, 2010 at 8:45 pm
Donkey milk is the best;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_5290000/newsid_5295100/5295132.stm
November 17th, 2010 at 3:27 am
My goodness – you people are all missing the point. The original author is expressing her viewpoint! And then you all took this opportunity to bash one another! And what exactly did you gain from doing that? How did you personally benefit from insulting a vegetarian or a homosexual?
Stop hating and just love! Respect the author for her opinion, just as you hope that others respect you for yours.
November 18th, 2010 at 5:39 am
Look at Nature. We are the only mammals that drink milk after being ween from our mothers. Besides humans, there are no milk drinking adult mammals in the world . The intent of breastmilk is to provide nourishment to babies that can not eat solid food. This is a temporary process. If milk production was meant to be long term, then all mammals would continually produce milk. Clearly that is not the case. We are meant to get the vitamins and minerals from the solid foods we consume.
December 7th, 2010 at 2:40 am
So there is no chemicals in vegies??
….
December 29th, 2010 at 7:06 pm
Bravo to Jay, who said it best!
For some reason, most people will not stop and think that most herbivores who are huge and have huge bones, do NOT drink any cow milk! Oh god forbid, the marketing milk campaign can’t possible be telling us lies, right?
I was made to drink milk as a child and was sick all the time. I haven’t had any milk since I was 12 (I am 32 now), I also eat very very little cheese, lactose free cheese at that – about 3 times a year. Other than that, no dairy. No calcium deficiencies, or colds, or flus. I eat 2 cups of high end nuts (almonds, hazelnuts) per day as well as spinach salad. Where do you think your cow gets calcium from? hint: not cow milk.
December 29th, 2010 at 7:14 pm
To Julia the farmer
It looks as though you are a small farmer who belongs to a co-op and sells raw milk. Good for you. The original article had to do with the HUGE scale dairy ops. So you replying to that, is funny at best. The fact that cows are treated poorly by a HUGE scale dairy farms is a FACT that has been well documented. Just because YOU choose to treat them well, doesn’t mean that everyone does.
Secondly, you claim that cats drink cow milk. Well, that because, you, the human owner put it there in front of them. Cats are also big fans of bleach and antifreeze. The point is, Julia, that cats in the wild don’t go out and milk cows.
January 9th, 2011 at 5:09 pm
<3 I love milk, it taste smooth and ahh. But my face doesent love it, I get MAJOR acne, EVER SINCE I GAVE UP MILK , Ive noiticed I always feel better, my skin is clear and happy, and I just FEEL GOOD!
than I started drinking organic milk (my bestfriends dad runs and organic farm) after drinking in for 3 months , a small glass a day, I got some pimples, but it was still a million times better than before.
so basically im trying to say is, we should be nice to ourcows since there giving us so much and not lock them up and give them all theese weird feeds packed with all theese weird chemicals, we should let them eat grass and let it all happen naturally, or not even drink milk at all, maybe choose something else like soy milk, rice milk, almond milk, coconut milk… theres other choices O.O !!
(sorry for the messy layout of my uhm…''argument'' im super tired)
WE SHOULD RESPECT MOTHER NATURE FOR GIVING US SUCH A BOUNTYFULL SUPPLY OF EVERYTHING! surprised its not all gone…
March 11th, 2011 at 7:36 pm
Milk is nasty.
March 17th, 2011 at 9:49 pm
I’m sorry, but what? People on here are saying they are depressed by drinking milk? They’re going through a spiritual crisis because of drinking milk? Really?
And, of course, the author’s lack of research. Towards the top of the comments we are told that the research is up to us to do? WHAT? What dreamworld are you living in? Cite your sources! That’s Research 101!!!
April 3rd, 2011 at 4:26 am
@Nieves
Your entire post is fucking pathetic. You are trying to prove this person wrong, but you can’t. Eating meat may be considered gross to some, but no matter how you think about it, drinking intestinal fluids from a cow’s tits definitely wins the prize for most disgusting. Accept it, milk is disgusting and should be replaced by soy milk worldwide. And don’t say you don’t like soy milk because if you take the time to try Silk (my preferred soy milk), it looks much like milk and it tastes like milk (but better). So instead of arguing with the poster and trying to act intelligent (which you’re clearly not), accept his/her help and stop being a disgusting pig and drinking fluids from a cows insides. It is fucking disgusting. Sorry for the language…
April 13th, 2011 at 3:36 pm
So this is labeled as a vegetarian blog…if you don’t agree with vegetarian and/or vegan views dont read the damn article first of all. And secondly, I dont know if milk is gross but there are many ways to get the good stuff that is in milk without drinking milk which is high in bad fats and cholesterol. The American Diabetes Association has actually endorsed ovo-vegetarian and vegan lifestyles are a good way to stay heaalthy and keep cholesterol down. But yes sources should be cited.
April 22nd, 2011 at 8:14 pm
no no no bad kitty cat bad lion and bad gorilla
no milk for u
from now it’s only grass and water
I know I know grass is also aliving thing living more peacefully on this planet than any other thing but who cares
lets face it we mamals are all discusting we.
should all kill ourselves and make space for the fungi gaias perfet offspring we mammals and alike are just accident freaks and ……
plants rule us show us the way
pls I would really like to know why u think eating a plant or making milk out of it is more nicer than eating a dam ugly , smelly , lazy animal
also would somebody pls turn out the sun cause sunlight is unhealthy for my skin and causes global warming
May 1st, 2011 at 6:02 pm
after i read all this i went and drank a huge glass of milk…..LoL.
May 24th, 2011 at 10:01 am
I’m saddened by the mean spirit of most of these comments, but IRIS, you take the cake. I’m happy that your farm is cow friendly but if you ever happened to venture out of your podunk town then you would quickly realize that you are not the norm when it comes to food safety and awareness. What struck me the most from your comments was this “6. I do not think drinking milk is disgusting, I think queers are disgusting.” You clearly are a simple-minded mammal much like your friend the cow. Its only those people that have the gift of critical thinking and higher learning that can take on the distinction of human being.
May 26th, 2011 at 7:56 am
I’m also really disturbed and upset by the hateful narrow minded comments left here, in particular ‘I think that queers are disgusting’. Wow. That’s frightening. And regardless of whether you eat meat or drink milk or what you do, wouldn’t any half-intelligent, non psychopathic human feel something for any creature that is badly treated, and caused pain or distress, let alone tortured? There’s a lot of debate about the ethics of meat consumption etc, but can’t we all agree that no animal should be made to suffer like that. Would you torture your own pet dog or cat, saying ‘it’s just a dumb ugly lazy animal’?! The youtube link Desiree provided showed enough, it is horrifying and made me sick to my stomach. You might not like cows, for whatever reason, but are you really so heartless that this footage means nothing to you? I think that for a human to be so cold is very disturbing. And hooray for all the great farmers out there taking care of the animals, and all the wonderful people supporting ethical treatment of animals! Good on you all for having a heart. And please stop bashing gay people, it’s the same as being racist. And if you’re a racist, knock that off too. You’ll feel much better when you get all that unnecessary hate out of your body! Just think how you’d feel if people hated you when you didn’t hurt anyone or do anything wrong, it’s just plain sad. Just chill out and be happy, live your own life, leave everyone be, do good things, don’t run around saying nasty things and being all judgmental! I’m only 14 and my dad was a terrible racist and homophobe and I figured it out years ago, even though I was taught terrible things. My dad is totally miserable, afraid, hate-filled and cruel. How can hate make you happy? How can hate make anything better for anyone? It made me sad that so many of you said such cruel mean nasty things, why would you do that? What do you gain? Does it actually make you feel good to put others down, do you somehow need to make yourself feel superior? That’s really sad, I hope that more people will write intelligent, articulate, respectful comments. It does seem that a lot of bad people love to get on the internet and spread misery. Peace out xoxo
May 26th, 2011 at 5:45 pm
Why the hell are most of the people who eat/drink dairy so damn hostile and mean?
Calm down!
May 31st, 2011 at 9:11 pm
I hate these PETA freaks. I’m all for animal WELFARE, but the second I hear animal RIGHTS, I don’t bother listening anymore. Animals can’t have rights, they aren’t human, they are not intelligent enough to deserve rights. You can’t have rights without responsibilities. No, humans babies have no responsibilities either but they will once they are grown while animals never have them, regardless of how old they get.
August 20th, 2011 at 5:12 am
I don’t believe all people can tolerate any one product. Milk would be one of these. However there are conservatives and liberals. A conservative states “I can’t process milk – if you can and you enjoy it well, G_D Bless.” A liberal states “I cannot process milk – ergo, neither should you. If you try to, there is obviously something wrong with you and we must put an end to this behavior.” As a footnote – I feel for that one post where the person believes they got cancer from milk. There are so many different ways to contract this horrid disease, and my heart goes out to you.
August 24th, 2011 at 9:42 pm
MILK IS MY FAVORITE FOOD GROUP!!!!
August 25th, 2011 at 1:17 pm
LOL everyones hating on this person for laying facts, This post clearly says investigate more at the end which is what ive done. If you wont take the time then you SHOULD but most likely wont keep your mouth shut.
August 25th, 2011 at 1:20 pm
The last thing we need which seems to be the first is people gunning at people that want to spread truth and the truth really is that milk wasnt so bad until chemicals got involved and for everyone who asked… Watch the documentary called, “fat, sick and dieing”. It will answer your question of, “should we eat a vegan diet?” with flameing soaring and jacki chan kicking colors
September 13th, 2011 at 10:30 pm
I cut out milk completely but still eat light cheese. I have not had a cold since then and my allergy problems have been nonexistent.
These are two things I did not expect from quitting milk. I did it mainly for stomach/ reflux reasons and I’ve never felt better and had more energy. Many people don’t realize what it feels like to feel good, or they don’t realize that they kind of just feel bad all the time and they deal with it. When you eat the right stuff you will just feel good all the time and wonder how you made it that long feeling like walking Foie gras.
September 27th, 2011 at 6:35 am
@Nieves, your counter arguments are rubbish. Why did you read it in the first place? You read it with a pre-conceived result in your head right? You undid all of your arguments with the last line? Keyboard Cowboyism at it’s infantile state. Go have a milkshake and a good lie down.
October 6th, 2011 at 2:24 pm
Don’t worry, author of this article, I’m sure the people that disagree with you also just finished eating at a fast food restaurant as they do not care about what goes in their bodies. They like to be lemmings and follow the masses instead of use their brains. Ever since I was little I always thought it was weird we would drink the milk of a cow. If it was designed for humans, why does it come out of a cow? I can tell cows don’t appreciate being hooked to milk machines. Their lives are miserable at our dispense. Mother nature did not design it this way. As the one commenter said, GROSS, what would stop us from drinking the milk from any animal? It’s true, humans fascinate me. They’ll just do whatever… look at how we destroy our planet daily even though we could use solar power. That’s just one small example
October 11th, 2011 at 2:07 pm
I know this post is old now, but I wanted to give you support after seeing some of the other responses you recieved. My body has been telling me for a long time now that I need to stop consuming dairy product, and I merrily stop listening every now and again. The reprocusions start showing in my skin, then my nose, then my sinuses, and then I start to gain weight and crave sugary products more (than usual XP). I’m going to put my foot down. It IS gross. It IS disgusting and so so bad for human beings. My poor body has put up with too much. Thank you for the article! I will be sure to re-watch “Food Inc.” to really reinforce this decision to stop dairy consumption!
October 11th, 2011 at 2:10 pm
@ScoDal Well put. Most of the objectors to this post are probably responding to the challenge to their way of life more than any logic (that they may not be able to see). X3
October 22nd, 2011 at 4:14 pm
Hello everyone who has commented on this article. I am a vegan myself and I am perfectly healthy. I receive all the nutrients I need through nuts, vegetables, and many other plant based foods. AND I can make delicious pancakes and desserts WITHOUT cow milk or eggs and even processed sugar. It is better than any pastry I have had before AND it doesn’t leave me feeling like crap afterwards.
Some of you have made the point that there are chemicals in vegetables. This is true UNLESS you get organic. I buy everything organic and even grow some of my own.
Before any of you leave a comment, do homework. Do research. Please. You will find SO MANY STUDIES that talk about the negative effects milk has on our bodies. One thing that was not mentioned in this article is that milk is actually more acidic than our bodies. Therefore when we drink milk, our body goes through a process called Metabolic Acidosis. Metabolic Acidosis is when your body is trying to neutralize the acidity in your body by RELEASING CALCIUM. This means when you drink milk you actually lose more calcium than we gain. If our society is so big about drinking milk to get big, strong, healthy bones, why is osteoporosis (if you don’t know what it is, google it) still extremely high in our country?
And for those who may accuse of not sourcing, please watch the documentary Forks over Knives. This will not only let you know what I am saying is true, but also show you more about the health problems that come with milk products and meat.
Thank you. Do your research.
I enjoyed your post.
October 29th, 2011 at 4:42 pm
You’re an idiot…that is all.
November 8th, 2011 at 4:29 pm
i could never be a vegan yuck! i love meat and dairy. man then i would have to give up drinking milk, give up whip cream, ice cream, cheese, cheesecake yumm!!! egg nog yumm!! and lots of other yummy stuff that comes from cows milk. no way!! not gonna happen.vegans are weird like those strange animal rights activists. and those strange green peace activists. tree huggers. strange bunch of people.oh yeah and all those save the earth type of people. hey folks i got news for you this earth aint going to be around forever. read your bibles.
November 10th, 2011 at 12:14 pm
I personally breast feed my baby. I planned to all through pregnancy because formula is not safe and is not what’s best for human babies. There are recalls and reports of lead and other junk being in formula.
Anyway, I’ve always thought drinking cow’s milk seemed kind of strange. It makes so many people sick and it causes even more people to get congested.
When my daughter was born I breastfed her, but things that I ate that contained cow’s milk were making her very sick and I had no idea. She would scream and would have so much gas and stomach problems. Then it got worse. One day she had blood in her poop diaper. I called the doctor and rushed her there. The doctor said she is unable to tolerate Cows milk proteins and that she could get those cow milk proteins that I am eating, through MY milk. So I had to change my diet all the way. She also couldn’t tolerate soy proteins. There is cows milk or soy in bread, and well almost everything you will find in the store contains one or the other. We are relying too much on soy and cows milk.
Anyway, my baby is doing great. She is 13 months and thriving when before she was extremely underweight and sickly.
To tell the truth I love me some ice cream lol, and I HATE rice milk ice cream. Coconut milk and coconut milk ice cream is pretty okay though but costs too much for me.
I do eat meat, but I would never kill an animal. I like to ignore the fact that the animal had to die for me to eat it. Companies are not safe about how they treat the animals that we eat. Human growth hormones and genetic engineering to make the animals a certain way it’s just terrible and very unsafe for us to consume.
Well anyway, I thought some of the info in the article was a little misleading, but I too don’t think it’s okay that people are so stuck on drinking cows milk.
And you are sooo right about how people think “ewww breast milk”, but they think cow’s breast milk is perfectly fine. ha.
November 10th, 2011 at 12:18 pm
oh yes and fyi i am still breastfeeding.
and the cows milk protein allergy/intolerance is very common and can be fatal in newborns and infants.
the protein cannot be digested and it messes up the intestines pretty bad and takes a month or so to get out of the mom’s system and then another month to get out of the baby’s system.
Breast is best
November 11th, 2011 at 8:07 pm
Hi
Lets look at some people
How many vegetarians like to over 100? You wold think there would be plenty but thee are not.
Steve Jobs NO 56…..
Does not really stack up as far as I can see. Cannot find one famous vegan that lived over 100.
THere might be one but
November 16th, 2011 at 1:50 pm
Hi, This site came to my attention because, after many years of being a vegetarian, I have finally become aware of the harm done by the dairy industry. I don’t eat meat because I have never wanted my existence to hinge on the death of other animals. The industrial dairy industry is very much about the harming of animals, from the culling of males to the searing of chicken beaks so they can be stacked in 5 to a cage.
I too was raised in a meat and potato household and understand that people dearly adhere to the customs and culture of their youth. But the world has changed, the manner of raising animals has changed, and by its very nature is not only polluting our air,soil and water, it is causing us to become very ill.
The irony of this is that animals are also abused cruelly in research to find solutions for the ills we create.
I, too, am sorry to see so many people lashing out at those who have chosen to seek out alternatives to our industrial models of food production. There is much good research available to substantiate the claims made by our host and it behooves us all to do research about our choices.
January 20th, 2012 at 1:46 pm
I liked your article. I myself am not a fan of milk, cheese, or meat. I wouldn’t call myself a strict vegan b/c sometimes I indulge in a slice of pie with whipped topping or cheese and crackers at parties. But I know exactly what it is that I am eating. It is sad that many Americans are so blinded by what the FDA tells us is “healthy”. The FDA, USDA, Meat and dairy industries only care about one thing, money. Hello, they are multi billion dollar corporations, do you really think they care about your health? I laugh at the person who talks about vegans & vegetarians being weak and sick.. ever heard of Carl Lewis? No? Well, he was one of the top 5 Olympians of all time! Doesn’t sound very weak to me. Stop being so negative people, learn the facts.
January 20th, 2012 at 1:52 pm
Oh and anyone who says the conditions of cows/chicken/pigs etc. is sanitary and humane, go watch a video called “meetyourmeat” you can find it on youtube or just google it. No living thing deserves to be treated like that. The ignorant person who talks about believing in animal welfare but not animal right should def. watch this video. Tell me if you think the welfare of these animals is a key factor here?