The pros and cons of milk

Went to campus today. Got into an argument with my professor about milk. He’s under the impression you don't need it once you're done breastfeeding.
I'll probably go back tomorrow to bug him about it.
Personally, I'm a huge advocate for dairy. I drink about a quart a day—honestly, I might be addicted. I've never broken a bone or anything like that. Besides, I've read that milk fats are actually beneficial.

So, what's the consensus here? Any actual intel for or against my obsession with this stuff?

Thanks
🙂

Hannah Scott69 said:So basically I’m a huge milk enthusiast and I totally chug about a liter every single day which honestly makes me feel like a total addict, but I’ve never actually broken a bone or anything like that because I read somewhere that dairy fats are actually pretty good for you.

my late mother-in-law used to drink like a gallon a day and she ended up breaking her ribs a bunch of times and couldn't even bend over at the waist because of her spine... then she passed away from bone cancer.

If you’re trying to eat somewhat healthy, you’re looking at roughly two servings of dairy—think maybe half a liter of milk, yogurt, Kefir, or Acidophile—assuming your daily calorie intake is sitting somewhere in that 1800 to 2300 range. Honestly, if you start guzzling way more than that, you’re just flooding your system with animal fats... which isn't exactly the goal.

For those people out there who can't handle plain milk because they're lactose intolerant, yogurt is usually a safe bet.

I was watching this documentary the other day—it was pretty wild—that argued how Chinese people, who mostly don't touch milk in their adult diets, actually get enough calcium by eating these specially prepared pork hocks instead. Seems crazy, right?

Just a heads up though: don't go thinking cheese or sour cream counts as a milk substitute. They aren't even in the same league. In the food pyramid sense, cheese falls under "meat and alternatives," and sour cream is just straight-up "fats."

I’ve never been much of a fan of sweet milk... (one glass of cold milk and I’m straight to the restroom, so I just don't bother)

I drink yogurt every now and then.

Since osteoporosis runs in my family... getting enough calcium is non-negotiable... I just take it in pill form.

Milk is packed with nutrients, so I don't think it can really hurt you—unless they sneak some weird additives into those store-bought cartons... I have my grandmother living out in a small rural town, and I swear, nothing tastes quite like fresh, farm-to-table milk. There’s just something about it that store-bought brands can't replicate, I don't know how to explain it...
But honestly, it's still one of the healthiest things you can drink. I personally knock back a quart every single day.

What was he even trying to argue?
I don't buy the hype that milk is this "perfect" superfood everyone makes it out to be.

My body just doesn't produce enough lactase; even a tiny splash of milk makes me feel absolutely terrible. Honestly, the taste and smell of plain milk is just revolting to me—it’s been that way since I was a little kid, and I used to have such huge battles with my mom over it. I can handle some yogurt now and then, and I love all kinds of cheese (just not goat or sheep cheese)

For context, I take 600 mg of calcium citrate daily, and I get the other 400 mg needed to hit my daily goal from other calcium-rich foods...

I’m basically a self-appointed milk and dairy critic—right now, I’m hitting about a quart a day. Not all at once, obviously; more like a glass in the morning, then some warm cocoa in the evening, plus the occasional shake or something to toss in my granola.
I also have cheese on the menu daily, usually something fresh like a goat cheese or feta.
And yogurt? That was my go-to morning ritual for ages—just grab a probiotic drink and an apple before heading out—though now I just do it when I can find the time. During the day, I'll grab some Kefir or something similar... I think I read somewhere that hard cheeses actually pack more calcium than the soft stuff, though I can't quite remember the specifics.
I totally blanked on the explanation, though.

Personally, I’m a firm believer that our bodies absorb vitamins and minerals much better from actual food than from a pill. I still take multivitamins myself—and added prenatals during my pregnancy—but you just can't rely on supplements to do all the heavy lifting.😉

I don't really touch straight milk very often, and even when I do, it’s almost always lactose-free or some kind of soy milk because regular dairy just doesn't sit right with me anymore. It's funny how things change, too—I used to chug massive amounts of it back when I was a kid, but nowadays I've pretty much swapped all that out for cheeses, sour cream, or yogurt instead.
Honestly, from everything I've read, I really don't think there's any reason we need to be forcing milk on kids once they're weaned, and if you look at the facts, milk is totally unnecessary in a standard diet since you can get all the calcium you need from plenty of other food sources.

And what happens when they actually want something? 😕 It’s not like it’s doing any harm.

My kids—the ones at the daycare center—are pretty much used to having a glass of cocoa and a cookie for their mid-morning snack.

Hannah Scott69 said:So I was at the university today, and my professor and I actually got into this little debate about milk... he seems to think you don't really need it once you're done breastfeeding.
I think I might have to bug him about it again tomorrow so we can finish our discussion...
The thing is, I'm a huge fan of dairy; I drink about a quart a day and honestly, I think I might be addicted, especially since I've never dealt with things like broken bones or anything... I read somewhere that milk fats are actually quite beneficial for you.

Anyway, I'm curious to hear what you all think, if anyone has any interesting info for or against my obsession with my favorite food...

Thanks
🙂

I'm not really a fan of the taste of plain milk myself...

but I will devour yogurt, especially goat milk yogurt, like crazy...

I absolutely love fruit yogurts too, so I guess I make up for it somehow since I've never had any issues with calcium deficiencies...
I also drink buttermilk—which is pretty similar to the Kefir we have here...

but around here, most doctors really insist that you should be drinking at least a pint of milk or yogurt every day, particularly women and those who are active in sports, because they say their bones are more sensitive and prone to wear and tear...

It’s weird to me that nobody’s even mentioning milk quality. Seriously, I’m actually thinking about just buying my milk exclusively from that one lady at the farmer's market.

I heard some ladies working in the labs at Nestlé saying you’re better off avoiding Vindija milk altogether. Like, seriously? Just skip it.
I can't believe how much things have changed with Dukat and our other local brands. Everything feels different now.

It’s gonna take a while before things actually settle down and we even know what we're drinking...

I mean, I really have to wonder why they’re all rushing to buy milk imported from Ukraine just because it’s cheaper, it makes zero sense to me.🙄
Hey, electricdriver78, how on earth can you actually stand drinking buttermilk?😲 To me, it’s absolutely revolting—it isn't even remotely close to something like yogurt, Acidophile, or Kefir. It tastes way too sour and greasy,🙂 honestly, it just tastes like spoiled milk.

electricdriver78 said:but honestly, every doctor I talk to insists you need at least half a liter of milk or yogurt every single day—especially women, and particularly those who stay active, since they say our bones are more sensitive and prone to "wear and tear."

I actually think moderate exercise is one of the best ways to prevent osteoporosis; hitting the gym keeps your bones strong because that physical stress actually helps boost bone density.

The real risk is usually for elite female athletes, but that doesn't really apply to us "regular" folks...

Jesus😲 I would seriously die without milk. I can't touch yogurt because of my allergies, but man, I am obsessed with sweet milk. I guess I just switch it up—one day I'll have soy milk, and that’s basically my go-to breakfast with some cereal. 🙂

Here I am! 😁 Sixty-six years old. And somehow, I managed to dodge osteoporosis—one of those rare old-age ailments that hasn't touched me yet 😁!
I’ve always consumed milk and yogurt in pretty standard amounts. But then I heard, and someone else mentioned it too, that half a liter a day is plenty for an adult. It’s all about the milk fats and whatnot, right?
So, I drink just about that much combined with my morning coffee and my evening Bianco. You know, the 0.9% fat version. Plus various kinds of yogurt—usually one bottle and a glass
. But what are we actually drinking? It’s probably better not to think about it. Because I heard a similar rumor regarding Dukat that I once heard about Vindija—that this milk hasn't even seen a cow!
Though, at this point, I suppose we’ve all just become hardened to the chemicals we eat and drink.

So, this is my first time really looking into the whole lactose and milk situation. Honestly, I had no idea that was the core issue. I’ve been unable to handle milk since the day I was born; my stomach just rejects it immediately. That said, yogurt and cheese are staples in my diet. In fact, I don’t think I’ve skipped my morning yogurt in ten years. I can't stand Acidophile, Kefir, or anything like that—it makes me want to gag. I stick to plain yogurt or AB Culture, preferably with 0.1% fat.
I read somewhere that the reason there's such a stigma against milk is because of those fat levels, whereas yogurt doesn't get the same treatment😁 and it's actually recommended that you consume more yogurt than milk.

It’s fascinating how our bodies send us clear signals about what works and what doesn't. For me, milk has always triggered nausea. If your body says no, you shouldn't be forcing those things into your diet.

On another note, regarding all the rumors coming from those big-name domestic brands... it’s all total bullshit to me. It's just companies running anti-ads against one another. Pure marketing games. 🙄 People used to claim that Gavril enough salami isn't even real meat, that Vindija's milk isn't actually milk, or that Kraš and Nestlé make their chocolate out of fetal remains and sludge. Whether that's true or not doesn't matter to me; if my body can digest it, it's fine. Like rapidranger79 always says, we've clearly hardened up and gotten used to it. Why do people assume everything else isn't artificial?
Someone close to me used to work in bakeries. They take white flour and make "dark bread" by pouring in food coloring. They literally pour it from a bucket that looks exactly like the ones you buy floor varnish in.🙂 Just like that.

At the end of the day, you can't escape it. There's no point in being paranoid because you don't really have a choice. The only thing we have left is the grass in the fields, and even that is getting hit by acid rain.😉
The bottom line is you should eat what your body asks for. If it doesn't agree with you, your body will reject it on its own.

Some pretty heavy stats for you:

About 60-75% of cows undergo artificial insemination (and now there's even tech to implant full embryos, not just sperm);

They’re milked 2-3 times a day, 7 to 10 months out of the year—even when they're pregnant;

Instead of making maybe 3 liters of milk a day for their own calf, these cows are pumping out 30;

A cow's udder can weigh as much as 110 pounds;

They basically feed them protein concentrates just to jack up those milk numbers;

In the wild, a cow might live for 20 years, but they're sent to the slaughterhouse after only 5 because of the meat industry;

Because everything moves so fast and they cram so many animals in, hygiene often slips. Those metal milking machines can actually spread infections or even hurt the cows;

Roughly 25% of dairy cows deal with lethargy every single day, while another 25% struggle with things like mastitis;

If left alone, a cow could live about 20 years. But since they're pushed way past their limits, they end up exhausted or sick (36%), low producers (28%), or unable to give birth (36%)—all leading to the slaughterhouse by age 5;

Also, cow waste is a massive water pollutant. A single cow puts out about 50 gallons of methane, which is one of the big drivers behind global warming.

From the site - On milk and its downsides

Submarine-ov said:The waste cows pump out is a massive driver of water pollution: a single cow releases about 200 liters of methane, which is one of the main culprits behind global warming.

😂 😂 😂 😂

I don't doubt the numbers are right, but reading this... 🤣 🤣 🤣

I said what I said. You either take the hit or you stop overthinking everything.😁
Because if you don't....🙄

Casey Palmer5 said:Getting some moderate exercise is actually a great way to prevent osteoporosis, since those bones get stronger when they're being put under a bit of physical stress...

The real risk is usually for elite female athletes, but that doesn't really apply to us "regular" folks...

I meant specifically female athletes—sorry about that...