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

There is a lot of debate surrounding whether or not milk is good for you. Some people believe it is beneficial, others believe it has not benefit at all. Harvard Health Publishing states that dairy is a good source of calcium and protein and that as we age, milk can be even more beneficial to us. They also states how consuming too much milk is correlated to higher risk of caridovascular disease. Whether or not milk is directly bad for you though, is not a fact. In summary, milk is neither really good or bad for your health. Just like most foods, in moderation, it is unharmful, and in most cases, a glass of milk will give you calcium and protein benefits.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/dairy-health-food-or-health-risk-2019012515849

The Cleveland Clinic explains that milk has 18 out of 22 of our needed nutrients, and therefore can be beneficial to our diet. It states that calcium is necessary for strong bones, but it does not outright say that milk can directly make our bones stronger. This article also states that the hormones in dairy increase risk of prostate cancer but lower risk for colorectal cancer. Consuming foods with lots of saturated fats can build the lining in your arteries which increases risk of heart disease, but again, there is not direct cause from milk specifically. In summary, milk has no direct risk for your health, and in moderation is okay. Too much of it can lead to health risks, just like any other food.

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/is-milk-good-for-you