. . . for baby cows, that is. C'mon, you knew there had to be more to that title!Cow's milk is the perfect food for baby cows. It seems like such an obvious statement to me now, but several years ago, I didn't see cow's milk for what it really was. I just thought it was something that comes in a carton that I bought at Publix, but in reality (to quote Mike Adams, Editor of Natural News), it is "the mammary gland extract of another species".
It's amazing how the dairy industry has made something so weird seem so normal (that's some pretty awesome marketing!) - and how my perspective was so warped for years. I really don't want to know the story behind how humans first decided it was something for us to drink (but the comic that accompanies his article provides quite the visual).
As I'm sure I've mentioned in the past, dairy was the last animal food that we completely cut out of our diets, although we'd been consuming only a minimal amount for several years. Here are our reasons for giving it the boot:
- I know I've already used this one, but cow's milk was designed for baby cows. As a nursing mom to both my Sprouts, I knew what my milk was for - and it wasn't meant for anything other feeding than my babies.
- Humans are the only species to drink the milk of another species, and the only to drink milk at all past infancy/early childhood.
- We're not made to digest cow's milk (obviously), and even though some of us can learn to tolerate it over time, that doesn't mean it's good for us. Casein (the protein in milk) has been directly linked to cancer, and dairy consumption in general has been linked to a wide range of diseases.
- Most dairy cows are horribly mistreated, and their calves are sold for veal. And unless the milk is organic, the cows are pumped with hormones and antibiotics to keep them producing the most amount of milk despite the horrible conditions in which they're kept.
- Here's a new one I learned tonight (thanks to Natural News) - "All commercial milk from cows contains pus and blood. The USDA actually sets allowable limits of pus as a federal standard. Check MilkSucks.com to see how much pus is found in milk in your state." Yuck.
Looking to do some research? There really is a wealth of information available on the topic. As with any research, I always like to consider the source and especially what financial interests they have vested in the issue. Almost all information I've found about the health benefits of dairy have either direct or indirect ties to the dairy industry.
One of the best articles I've seen to date, The Dangers of Cow's Milk, is from a favorite website from my past, The Natural Child Project - a wonderful parenting website I used often as a reference when the Sprouts were younger.
If you're dairy free, I'd love to hear what made you decide to ditch the dairy. Share away!
Great article, Jess.
ReplyDeleteNice article. I found it by googling 'baby cow' and the picture is so cute!:)
ReplyDeleteI try to be dairy free, but I do eat yogurt, but it is from a happy cow farm in the hills, where the cows play on the grass...I hope it is true. It definitely tastes nicer than other yogurts!
I went to an agricultural show and asked why the cows produce milk, and yes, they are made to have 2 calves every year! :| I feel sorry for them:(
Hi! Great post
ReplyDeleteI ditched dairy because it dehydrates me terribly which means dry skin, dry scalp, and irregularity. Won't go back now! In such a short time it seems odd to me to even think of eating it. But I will eat it if served by someone else and with gratitude. Also I do think it can serve a good purpose for poor people with access to land as a source of protein when other sources are prohibitively costly.
Good points . . . I agree that it would seem weird to eat it now. It doesn't even seem like "food" anymore!
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