Claim: How milk is actually bad for you

Question

While many of us perceive milk as healthy food, necessary for bones, and an excellent source of calcium, studies have shown that this is not the truth. According to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, dairy products such as milk are well-known for their high saturated fat, which can lead to clogged arteries and heart disease afterward. Also, studies have shown that milk consumption has little effect on bone health. Lastly, lactose intolerance is a symptom found among many people causing uncomfortable health issues such as diarrhea and gas. 

https://www.pcrm.org/good-nutrition/nutrition-information/health-concerns-about-dairy

Comments

It's super interesting learning about the negative impacts of milk, especially because growing up, most kids are taught that we should drink milk and that it is good for our bones. I saw an article that gave surprising negative impacts of milk. One of the negative impacts is that milk can possibly increase the chances of ovarian cancer according to a study conducted in Sweden.

https://www.peta.org/living/food/reasons-stop-drinking-milk/

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@eunsung4 interesting claim! For the future, you should try to frame claims as statements. So for this one it would be something like, "Claim: Milk is actually bad for you."

@riapatel16 great work on your fact-check. You provided an explanation, details on a relevant study, and a source link. Don't forget to rate your fact-check (see the sidebar on this page). For this claim it could be "true, not misinformation" for instance. Also, going forward, please "answer" claims rather than "comment" on them so you can receive upvotes and be chosen as the best answer. Lastly, it's important to remember that some sources could be biased. PETA for instance are animal activists and might have a leaning towards a certain direction (saving animals and reducing milk consumption).

Answer 1

Milk isn't necessarily bad for you. It has its benefits. For example, “Milk is a great source of protein, calcium, and vitamin D, which are ‘nutrients of concern in the U.S. population.” The USDA recommends three servings daily. 

https://www.bornfitness.com/is-milk-bad-for-you/

Comments

Nice job providing information to debunk the claim. You included an explanation, a quote, and a source link. In the future, please also add a rating (see the sidebar of this page). So for this claim, it might be something like "false, misinformation" based on your answer.

Answer 2

I agree that milk is not a healthy option and is not meant for human consumption. Milk is linked to lactose intolerance, acne, and increased cancer risk. It is filled with saturated fats that can cause heart disease. Humans are the only species to drink milk from another animal which shows it is not natural. Milk can easily be substituted with plants for a healthier option.

https://thehumaneleague.org/article/why-is-milk-bad-for-you

Comments

Milk is healthy for you,  many experts associate diets containing dairy with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure.


https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/296564#:~:text=conventional%20pasteurized%20milk.-,Nutrients,of%20milk%20supports%20bone%20health.

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@andriannac nice work on your fact-check and providing a clear and detailed explanation as well as a source. Don't forget to add a rating, such as "true, misinformation." You can check the sidebar of this page for more information on ratings. Also, when looking up sources it's important to remember that some could be biased. The Humane League for instance is an animal advocacy group and might have a leaning towards a certain direction (saving animals and reducing milk consumption).

@abelma2 for the future, if you want to answer a claim, use the "answer" button rather than "comment" button so that your answer may be upvoted and chosen as the best one. As for this fact-check, you provided a strong explanation and a source. Don't forget to add a rating, such as "false, misinformation."

Answer 3

I agree that consuming milk is not good for us. Milk is only necessary for infants, so humans do not need to continue consuming milk into adulthood. Dairy is known to have high rates of saturated fat which can lead to obesity. It is also linked to prostate and ovarian cancers. Much of the milk we consume is processed and does not actually help us get calcium or vitamin D as most people claim. 

https://www.peta.org/living/food/reasons-stop-drinking-milk/

Comments

Nice job providing an explanation, details, and a source. Also, when looking up sources it's important to remember that some could be biased. PETA for instance is an animal advocacy group and might have a leaning towards a certain direction (saving animals and reducing milk consumption). Lastly, don't forget to add a rating to your fact-checks. So for this one it could be "true, not misinformation."

Answer 4

I have a mixed opinion. I believe that milk is great for you. Great for strengthening your bones with the mineral calcium and providing other vitamins and minerals. It's also important in the developmental health of young children. I do think that AMERICAN Milk is bad for you, it's literally banned in Europe. In American milk theres an increased used of chemicals and artificial substances, that aren't safe for direct human consumption. To elaborate some Cows are genetically modified by being injected with growth hormones that aid cows in producing more milk. This increases a specific hormone in men and woman which can lead to health issues. On another note, these hormones aren't destroyed when milk is pasteurized meaning that we unknowingly drink hormones. Overall, America overly processes milk with strips away it's health benefits from humans. This evidence is discussed in this article https://www.lifehack.org/289935/4-health-reasons-for-why-american-milk-banned-europe

Comments

For fact-checks it's best to use legitimate sources rather than your own opinions. However, you did a good job providing a detailed explanation. Don't forget to rate your the claim next time (true, false, likely misinformation, opinion, etc.).

Answer 5

According to Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, "Milk and other dairy products are the top source of saturated fat in the American diet, contributing to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. Studies have also linked dairy to an increased risk of breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers." 

https://www.pcrm.org/good-nutrition/nutrition-information/health-concerns-about-dairy#:~:text=Milk%20and%20other%20dairy%20products,%2C%20ovarian%2C%20and%20prostate%20cancers.

Answer 6

Milk is not necessarily bad for you. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, milk has several individual nutrients that are beneficial to bone health, blood pressure, and other elements of health, but some of their "health-promoting" elements are negated due to the high saturated fat content in whole milk. Some data also varies depending on how much milk is consumed and the type of milk.

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/milk/#:~:text=Milk%20contains%20nutrients%20important%20for,fractures%20has%20not%20been%20made.&text=Two%20meta%2Danalyses%20of%20prospective,and%20risk%20of%20hip%20fractures.

Answer 7

Cow's milk provides people with an abundance of nutrients such as calcium, protein, and vitamin D. A study conducted by the National Library of Medicine researched the effects of milk on human's health. It was found that milk was actually not associated with many cancers and reduced the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. So, cow's milk remains as a healthy choice for humans and is not bad for us.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5122229/

Answer 8

Milk has positive and negative effects, but most negative effects are vague and not fully proven. If someone is lactose intolerant, then it definitely causes discomfort and has negative symptoms such as vomiting and stomach pain.

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/7317-lactose-intolerance

Milk provides protein, calcium, and other vitamins and minerals that can help with bone formation and can help your heart's health as well.

Milk can be thought of as harmful through the possibility that full fat milk can cause higher risk of heart disease, but studies still haven't fully linked the two factors together. There is also some evidence, but not complete proof that milk may cause increased risk of prostate and ovarian cancer.

https://www.verywellhealth.com/is-milk-bad-for-you-8419898

Overall, milk has been proven to be a lot more beneficial to both adults and children than harmful, and unless you have certain health issues, you shouldn't worry about drinking milk.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5122229/

Answer 9

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine article highlights concerns about dairy consumption, citing potential health risks associated with lactose intolerance, saturated fat, and certain chronic diseases. The article talks about plant-based alternatives and mentions studies that argue against dairy. While PCRM is a legitimate organization and is led by medical professionals, it promotes a plant-based diet, which might introduce bias. The article uses credible information but it might reflect PCRM’s stance on diet and less on the health impacts of milk.